The Nation's First Fully Automated Wharf Launches... BPA Completes Construction of 'Con' Stages 2-5 at Busan New Port West Terminal

Busan Port Authority (BPA) announced on the 24th that the 2-5 phase (3 berths) of the New Port South Container Terminal, the first fully automated terminal in Korea, is scheduled to be completed in October.

The 2-5 phase terminal is Korea's first fully automated terminal, implementing automation at a level 1 to 2 phases higher than other terminals in Busan New Port.

According to BPA, major civil engineering and architectural works are expected to be completed by the end of September, and as the country's first fully automated terminal, after the completion of construction in October, sufficient trial operations will be conducted to ensure operational stability before commencing commercial operations.

This plan reflects the industry's opinion, which has continuously emphasized the need for a sufficient trial operation period based on cases of overseas ports such as the United States (LA) and the Netherlands (Rotterdam), which introduced automation earlier than Korea.

The Jaseongdae Terminal in Busan North Port will also begin phased relocation from the second half of this year, ceasing and returning its container functions before the start of the North Port Phase 2 redevelopment in 2024. Jaseongdae Terminal is the target site for the North Port Phase 2 redevelopment and is also the planned venue for the 2030 Busan World Expo.

Busan New Port West Container Terminal Phase 2-5 Construction Site.

The operator of Jaseongdae Terminal is Korea Hutchison Terminal, which was selected last year as the new operator of the Shingamman Terminal and Gamman Terminal Berth 1 through a public competitive bidding process ahead of the closure of the existing Jaseongdae Terminal. The container volume and workforce handled at Jaseongdae Terminal will be gradually transferred to the new terminals.

As in the case of Hutchison this time, dismantling, moving, reassembling, and installing container cranes and other cargo handling equipment from the existing container terminal to the new terminal after ceasing operations is the first case in Korea and is rarely seen overseas.

Hutchison plans to begin container transfers in October and start preparations for operations at the new terminal, continuing equipment and volume transfers in coordination with the schedule of Dongwon Busan Container Terminal, the current operator of Shingamman Terminal, moving to the New Port South Container Terminal.

Kang Jun-seok, President of BPA, said, “Since the opening of the fully automated terminal at the New Port and the relocation of the existing North Port operator involve the first major container terminal function reallocation since the opening of Busan Port, we will work closely with related organizations to ensure smooth progress without any setbacks.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.