Announcement of Survey Results to Increase Container Cargo at Gwangyang Port

by Heo Seonsik

Published 01 Feb.2024 15:06(KST)

Updated 14 Aug.2025 20:07(KST)

open/close

Campaign to Increase One Pilot per One Shipping Lane, Expecting Improvement in Inconveniences

Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority (President Park Seong-hyun, hereinafter referred to as the Authority) announced on the 30th that it conducted a survey targeting 100 cargo owners using Gwangyang Port regarding the use of other ports for cargo from the Honam region.

The survey began after opinions were raised during the ‘Gwangyang Port Container Terminal Revitalization Grand Debate’ held on November 28 last year, emphasizing the urgent need to attract regional cargo.

[Photo by Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority]

The survey was conducted both online and offline from December 18 last year to January 17 this year, with a total of 49 companies responding after excluding duplicate respondents and samples with missing personal information.

Among all respondents, 63.3% had experience using the Gwangyang Port container terminal. The response rates by region were 61.2% from Gwangju and Jeonnam, 14.3% from Jeonbuk, 12.2% from the Seoul metropolitan area, and 12.2% from the Chungcheong region, showing relatively high response rates from regional companies.

The main issues identified in the survey regarding ‘difficulties when using Gwangyang Port’ were lack of port calls on shipping routes (24.2%), insufficient vessel space allocation by shipping lines (14.5%), reluctance to transport due to difficulties in round-trip backhaul transportation (6.5%), problems in securing empty container equipment (4.8%), followed by other opinions.

In the detailed survey on the most inconvenient issues, responses related to lack of routes and vessel space, and skipping of regular shipping lines accounted for 60.9%, indicating that the core reason for regional cargo being loaded at other ports is the ‘lack of container liner route-related services’.

Regarding the outlook for cargo volume handled at Gwangyang Port this year, 38.8% responded that it would be similar to last year, while 30.6% expected an increase and 30.6% expected a decrease, suggesting that the export-import cargo volume is projected to remain at last year’s level this year as well.

An official from the Authority stated, “The survey targeting cargo owners is essential basic data for revitalizing Gwangyang Port, and through this survey, we were able to identify the urgent issues that need improvement for the growth of cargo volume at Gwangyang Port,” adding, “We will intensify the ‘One Shipping Line, One Route Expansion Campaign.’”

Meanwhile, as a result of the Authority’s route expansion campaign, the Port Connectivity Index announced quarterly by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has continued to rise for four consecutive quarters, ranking 30th in the world.