Pusan launches container terminal dredge

The port of Pusan will be able to accommodate larger vessels in the first half of next year after dredging the harbor and berths.

Pusan Regional Maritime Affairs and Fisheries unveiled on June 18 that it will dredge the berth and waters of the container dedicated wharfs to a depth of fifteen meters as planned, starting from this July and will last three years. The dredging will occur in three container dedicated terminals in HBCT (Hyundai Busan Container Terminal), PECT (Pusan East Container Terminal) and Hyundai Kamman Terminal, and sea routes leading into these container terminals and anchoring basins.

The ocean passage depths of the Port of Pusan reach 12.5 to 14 meters right now, the berths at HBCT 13.5 meters, PECT 13.5 to 14 meters and at Hyundai Kamman Terminal they reach 14 to 14.5 meters. Dredging will be completed at PECT and Kamman Terminal first, by the first half of next year, handled by Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) and Hanjin Shipping, while the others will be completed by 2004.

If a 6,000 TEU vessel arrives at the Port of Pusan, the water depth is required to be at least 15 meters deep. However, as the Port of Pusan only has shallower water depths, it can only allow 4,000 to 5,000 TEU vessels into the port. On the other hand, Singapore and Kaohsiung in Taiwan sport depths of 15 meters at their ports.

The Pusan Regional Agency will dredge the port for the first time in order to improve its competitiveness and lure bigger vessels before opening the Pusan New Port in 2005.

After 2007, as vessels around 8,000 TEU will likely be introduced onto the market, the Pusan New Port with 16 meter depths will be able to accommodate vessels up to 14,000 TEU.