Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority to Fully Implement Automated Terminal at Gwangyang Port

Additional 93.1 Billion KRW Secured for 'Testbed' Project

Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority (President Park Sunghyun, hereinafter referred to as the Authority) announced on the 20th that it has completed contracts with three domestic manufacturers each for the production and installation of domestic port equipment (quay cranes, yard cranes, unmanned transport equipment) for the Port Automation Testbed (Gwangyang Port) construction project, and has officially begun implementation.

The 'Port Automation Testbed Construction' project is one of the '120 National Policy Tasks' led by the Authority and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, aiming to establish a Korean-style smart port at the Phase 3-2 terminal of Gwangyang Port by 2029.

Aerial view of Gwangyang Port Phase 3-2. Provided by Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority

The Authority had faced difficulties in progressing the project last year due to unsuccessful bids caused by increased raw material and labor costs for quay cranes, which are key equipment for fully automated terminals. However, to introduce domestic equipment, the Authority secured a total project budget of 784.6 billion KRW, an increase of 93.1 billion KRW compared to the original budget (based on the 2022 preliminary feasibility study), despite the government's fiscal austerity policy, and has been making efforts to smoothly push the project forward.

As a result, following the contracts for yard cranes in August and unmanned transport equipment in September last year, the signing of the quay crane contract on the 17th marks the full-scale start of production and installation of port equipment for this project, which is expected to accelerate the establishment of the port automation testbed.

Park Sunghyun, President of YGPA, stated, "With the signing of these contracts, the full-scale production of domestic port equipment for the Gwangyang Port Port Automation Testbed, one of the '120 National Policy Tasks,' is expected to foster the equipment industry and create positive employment effects. We will build a fully automated terminal centered on domestic technology to enhance the competitiveness of Gwangyang Port and increase cargo throughput."

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