IAPH represented at Port of Gwangyang's new container terminal opening

Secretary General Satoshi Inoue was welcomed at Port of Gwangyang to join an inaugural ceremony of its new container terminal on September 6th 2007.

Some 1000 participants including Prime Minister, national and local government officials, representatives of international shipping lines and shippers and leaders of local communities attended the opening ceremony organized by Korea Container Terminal Authority (KCTA).

In his address, the Prime Minster Mr. Han Duck Soo stressed the state’s policy to develop the Port of Gwangyang as a leading hub port in the East Asian region. Guests of honor and KCTA President Mr. Chung Yee-Kee lined up in the ceremony to press buttons to start up carne operations for a large container vessel of Maersk line.

The port has been developed through phases as a brand new container port of Korea with a planned completion of 34 berths for $ 6.66 billion by 2020. Now that the Phase III-1 has completed 4 more berths 17m deep alongside with investment of $ 380 million, the port offers 16 deep-water container berths in a straight stretch. In parallel with development of container terminals, a huge area of 400 ha immediately behind the terminals is being developed as global logistics park, which is designated as Free Trade Zone as well as Free Economic Zone to provide various incentives to companies located in the area. Moreover, the government has been developing the Gwangyang Bay Area Free Economic Zone of 90㎢ around the port by inviting a range of industries both from Korea and overseas.