Busan Port Authority (BPA) announced that Hutchison Korea Terminal, the operator of Jaseongdae Pier, began a phased relocation to their new base at Gamman Pier (Berth 1) starting from the 20th.
Jaseongdae Pier is the target site for the second phase redevelopment of Busan Port North Port and is also the planned venue for the 2030 Busan World Expo.
Hutchison Korea Terminal was selected last year through a public competitive bidding process as the new operator for the new Gamman Pier and the new Gamman Pier Berth 1, ahead of the termination of operations at the existing Jaseongdae Pier. They plan to transfer the container volume and port workers previously handled at Jaseongdae Pier to the new pier.
Hutchison’s current operation involves maintaining logistics continuity at the existing terminal while transferring volume and personnel to the new terminal. This process includes dismantling, moving, and reassembling large-scale handling equipment such as container cranes and migrating the operating system, marking the first case of its kind in the history of Korean ports.
On the 20th, Hutchison installed the company signboard at the operation building of Gamman Pier (Berth 1), officially announcing the start of the relocation to the new base.
They will then gradually proceed with moving empty containers, relocating equipment, and installing operating systems to prepare for the new pier’s operation. This equipment and volume transfer will continue until the first half of 2024, when Dongwon Busan Container Terminal, the current operator of the new Gamman Pier, moves to the New Port West ‘Con’ Pier.
This large-scale port relocation by Hutchison is expected to be completed before the commencement of the second phase redevelopment of North Port in 2024.
Busan Port Authority is currently conducting extensive facility improvement works, including yard paving, container crane maintenance, and remodeling of the operation building to prepare for the new operator’s move-in, aiming to complete these before the new operator begins operations.
Kang Jun-seok, President of BPA, emphasized, “Starting with this relocation of Hutchison Terminal, the subsequent relocation of the new Gamman Pier operator to the New Port, and the continuous terminal operator relocations and container pier function reallocations before the start of the North Port second phase redevelopment next year, represent a significant project being undertaken for the first time since the opening of Busan Port.”
He added, “We will collaborate with the government and operators to ensure thorough preparations so that there is no disruption to container logistics.”
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