Domestic ports handled 5.47 million TEU cargoes by July

Container cargoes handled in domestic ports during the first seven months of 2001 totaled 5.47 million TEU, about 5.1% growth over a year earlier, thanks to the growth of transit cargoes.

According to data from the Korea Container Terminal Authority (KCTA), total nationwide container cargoes up to July marked a 3.6% increase in Pusan, 1.9% increase in Inchon, 8.2% in Ulsan, a respectable 18.4% increase in Kwangyang, and a whopping 58.8% in Masan.

Export cargoes from all Korean ports came to 1.84 million TEU, a decrease of 1.4%, while imports totaled 1.8 million TEU, a 1% decline. Transit cargoes, however, continued to increase by 22.6% to 1.66 million TEU. Coastal cargoes also reported a slight increase of 2.5% to 166 thousand TEU.

The Port of Pusan posted 4.46 million TEU, a growth of 3.6% over last year's 4.3 million TEU. Inchon recorded 362 thousand TEU, a 1.9% growth from 355 thousand TEU a year ago. Ulsan showed an 8.2% increase to 148 thousand TEU compared to 131 thousand TEU last year. Kwangyang marked 425 thousand TEU, enjoying an 18.4% increase over 359 thousand TEU a year earlier.