Full sized vessels alert Pusan Port and Pusan New Port

As overseas and domestic shipping companies have placed orders for container vessels over 8,000 TEU, the Pusan Port and Pusan New Port will require greater water depth and stevedoring facilities to accommodate these larger vessels after 2006.
According to the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MOMAF) and shipping companies, a Canadian shipping company inked on with Samsung Heavy Industries in a Letter of Intent (LOI) to build a 9,500 TEU container vessel, which will be the largest container vessel in the world.
OOCL also launched a 8,063 TEU vessel last April. China Shipping, Evergreeen and Hanjin Shipping also placed for vessels over 7,000 TEU.
Amongst already ordered vessels, more than 30 vessels are over 8,000 TEU: MSC 9 vessels, Evergreen and OOCL 8 vessels each, CSCL 5 vessels, and Hapag-Lloyd has ordered three 8,000+ TEU vessels. Most vessels are scheduled to operate by 2006.
Vessels larger than those calling at the Port of Pusan, usually 5,000 TEUs, are many. 7,000 TEU vessels number around 20 including that four vessels each came from AP Moller and P&O Nedlloyd. Hanjin owns five 7,000 TEUs vessels. 6,000 TEU vessels totaled more than 20 vessels: MSC owns five, Evergreeen 10, Hapag-Lloyd, and NYK 4.
One shipping company official said, ?he larger container vessel is a global trend in terms of maximizing cargo transportation. The trend will accelerate as times goes by.?MOMAF is gradually replacing the gantry cranes between rows 16 and 18 rows with the ones between rows 20 and 22. It also deepened Pusan Port to 15 ~ 16 meters. Larger vessels, however, require a water depth of more than 17 meters and cranes of more than 22 rows.
These trends have demanded the opening day for Pusan New Port to 2007 to keep pace with the introduction of larger vessels.
An insider at a Korean shipping company said that Pusan New Port has to be equipped with a complete plan for port facilities and service routes to keep pace with larger vessels that are scheduled for operation in two years.
A government officer voiced his opinion that Pusan New Port has to accommodate the new breed of larger vessels because Pusan North harbor couldn? deepen its berths over 16 meters.