BUSAN — The push to build South Korea's first automated container terminal is gaining pace as homegrown automated cargo-handling equipment begins arriving at Phase 2-6 of the Seo Container Terminal at Busan New Port.
The Busan Port Authority (BPA) said on the 26th that it had begun bringing in 34 domestically made transfer cranes, also known as yard cranes, to the Seo Container Terminal Phase 2-6 site in stages.
The equipment being delivered was manufactured in Korea and had undergone structural assembly and manufacturing inspections at the Jaseongdae wharf in Busan's North Port since April last year. The first two of the 34 cranes completed sea transport on the 24th of this month. The BPA plans to move the equipment from North Port to New Port in a total of 17 shipments through April next year.
Shipping the equipment by sea from North Port to New Port takes about six hours per trip. Once the cranes arrive at New Port, they will go through installation and follow-up procedures such as test runs before entering full operational readiness.
Earlier, the BPA completed the delivery of six container cranes, or quay cranes, for Phase 2-6 over about eight months as of this past June. With yard cranes now following the quay cranes, the installation of core equipment for operating the automated terminal is proceeding in stages.
The Seo Container Terminal Phase 2-6 is being developed as South Korea's first automated container terminal. In particular, localizing the core cargo-handling equipment is expected to strengthen the operational competitiveness of the automated port while also helping to build up the technological capabilities of Korea's domestic port equipment industry.
The BPA said it plans to reinforce quality and safety management across the entire process, from equipment manufacturing to sea transport, on-site installation and test operation.
"We will carry out the project without setbacks through thorough quality and safety management, from manufacturing to transport and test runs of the equipment to be installed in Phase 2-6," said BPA President Song Sang-geun.
