KHB to rebuild berths

In order to handle ever larger containerships, the Kaohsiung Harbour Bureau (KHB) is replacing outdated handling equipment at Taiwan’s largest container port to meet future development needs.

Taiwan’s Transport Ministry is optimistic that the Port of Kaohsiung’s competitiveness will pick up as a result of the direct shipping links launched between Taiwan and China in December.

Kaohsiung, the world’s eighth busiest container port in 2007, dropped to No 10 last year due to strong competition from neighbouring Chinese ports.

Taiwan and China have set aside decades of hostilities and agreed to allow shipping links across the Taiwan Strait. Officials signed the agreement after talks that marked a significant warming of ties between the former bitter enemies that split amid a bloody civil war in 1949. For nearly six decades Taiwan has banned direct shipping links with China fearing the Chinese might attack with warships disguised as civilian vessels.

Taiwan’s Kaohsiung Harbour Bureau (KHB) has firmed up plans to build the four-berth Container Terminal No 6 at an estimated cost of NT$9 bill (US$260 mill), including a 16m deep access channel.