Port of Kaohsiung’s 7th Container Terminal Officially Opens, Asia-Pacific’s Newest Smart, Sustainable Hub for Global Container Shipping

As part of efforts to promote Port of Kaohsiung as a world-leading smart port, the Taiwan International Ports Corporation (TIPC) and Evergreen Marine have jointly invested nearly NT$30 billion to build from the ground up the port's new, state-of-the-art 7th Intercontinental Container Terminal. After years of work, the opening ceremony for this terminal was held today (August 14th, 2023) under the theme "Port Prosperity - Navigating to New Heights". VIP guests, including national Vice Premier Wen-tsan Cheng, MOTC Minister Kwo-tsai Wang, and Kaohsiung City Mayor Chi-mai Chen, joined Evergreen Marine Corp. Chairman Yen-I Chang and TIPC Chairman Hsien-yi Lee, were all on hand to celebrate this significant milestone of commercial port modernization and sustainability in Taiwan.

The opening of the 7th Container Terminal will immediately raise Evergreen Marine's container handling capacity at Kaohsiung to 4.5 million TEU, with the potential to bump this up even further to 6.5 million TEU in the future. Port of Kaohsiung's 7th Container Terminal operates 5 deep-water (-18 meter) wharves capable of concurrently berthing four 24,000TEU-class (the world's current largest) container ships. Terminal yards cover 149 hectares (nearly 370 acres) in total and are serviced by 19 remotely operated ship-to-shore (STS) container cranes with 25 container outreach capabilities and dozens of automated gantry cranes to maximize automation efficiencies. Automated systems are further facilitated using advanced remote-control and optical character recognition (OCR) technologies that make yard operations both smarter and safer, to the benefit of all stakeholders. In addition, smart gate systems at all entry and exit points streamline the formerly time-consuming process of processing container trucks onto and out from port properties. Furthermore, an all-new, fully automated terminal crane operating system (TOS) developed by Evergreen Marine and a dynamic response-and-control system for terminal-wide power needs are in place to ensure smooth, uninterrupted terminal operations. With its advanced infrastructure, facilities, and smart control systems, Port of Kaohsiung's 7th Container Terminal has joined Asia's new generation of world-class smart, automated container hubs.

A statement by TIPC notes that, in addition to upgrading core service capabilities, Taiwan's international commercial ports are working diligently to raise the sustainability and environmental friendliness of all port operations. Ecological and circular economic considerations featured prominently at every stage of 7th Container Terminal planning and construction. One example is the reconfiguration of cylinder caissons along the south bank of the port's Entrance No. 2 dating back to 1975 into an ecologically sustainable / eco-friendly submerged breakwater. This effort not only increased the navigable width of the entrance channel but also promotes the return of ecological vitality to port waters. Another example is the reuse of cement scrap from wave-break tetrapods demolished in the construction of the 7th Container Terminal as filler in the terminal's foundations. This circular economic use of spent cement materials helped earn the terminal's S1~S3 wharves and adjacent reclaimed land an "Outstanding" trophy at the 2022 PCC Public Construction Golden Quality Award. These and other examples show how Taiwan's ports are successfully operating at increasingly lower levels of environmental loading and striking a sustainable, mutually beneficial balance with the environment.

TIPC is responding aggressively and effectively to the global demand for efficient container handling capacity and for port facilities capable of handling the world's largest container ships. TIPC has also taken effective steps to resolve Port of Kaohsiung's chronic shortage of yard area and channel-width limitations. Furthermore, TIPC is committed to providing its shipping company clients with an increasingly sustainable and efficient operational environment. In addition to working closely with Evergreen Marine to develop the 7th Container Terminal, TIPC is pressing forward with work on other major infrastructure projects across all of its ports. Moreover, the company is fine-tuning current operations to optimize the utilization of current port facilities and resources, all with the goal of growing as an increasingly important hub for global shipping and further sharpening the competitive edge of Taiwan's international commercial ports.

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