Pusan Port in Turmoil

The Port of Pusan suffered greatly when Typhoon Maemi hit the ShinGamman terminal and Jasungdae terminal with strong winds, overturning 11 gantry cranes.
both Pusan Regional Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Office and terminal operating companies tried to minimize inconveniences, which are expected to last until the end of the year. Pusan MOMAF announced September 14 that ShinGamman terminal lost 6 of 7 gantry cranes to the typhoon. Two large vessels scheduled to unload cargoes September 13, finally were able to unload them at Shinsundae terminal on September 17.
As ShinGamman terminal failed to stevedore, vessels scheduled to deploy there moved to nearby terminals such as Shinsundae. Small feeder vessels detoured to conventional wharfs, Uam terminal, and some Gwangyang port.
As Jasungdae terminal was also hit by the typhoon, but was able to keep 3 of 5 berths operational, it handled cargoes as normal. Of the 12 gantry cranes at Jasungdae terminal, 2 were overturned and 3 derailed. Jasungdae expects business as usual unless vessel traffic concentrates there.
With a lack of terminals to handle cargoes, vessels are forced to endure long wait times to dock at the terminal.
After completing spot inspections by insurance companies, disassembly and removal of the wrecked and damaged cranes at the two terminals will take 45 days.
Pusan MOMAF said that Jasungdae terminal will borrow one crane from Gamman terminal while ShinGamman terminal has three gantry cranes scheduled for installation on Gwangyang terminal in January 2004. It will take ShinGamman terminal between 4 and 5 months to partially recover.
The derailed cranes require three months for repair but overturned cranes need at least 10 months to be replaced. Jasungdae terminal and ShinGamman terminal will require over a year to return to normal.
The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries expects that Pusan Port would recover 25% of the damage after 45 days when the removal and cleanup finishes and 50% when the Gwangyang cranes are installed next January. The ministry estimated that Pusan Ports capacity was reduced by 20% from the typhoon.