BPA to Implement Seawater Control at Busan Port... Preemptive Measures to Block Invasive Ants

Busan Port Authority (BPA, President Song Sanggeun) and the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (Yeongnam Regional Head Song Taebok) jointly conducted a pilot project for controlling invasive pests by spraying seawater at the Busan Port Sin Gamman Terminal yard for two days from the 9th to the 10th.

A site of pest control work using seawater. Provided by Busan Port Authority

Seawater is a natural resource that can be easily obtained anywhere in the port, and it is known to have an inhibitory effect on the habitation of certain weeds and ant species without the use of chemical agents such as herbicides.

This pilot project is a proactive measure in response to the continuous discovery of invasive ant species such as the red imported fire ant and tropical longhorn crazy ant at major container yards in key trade ports, which has raised concerns about the domestic introduction and spread of invasive pests through ports.

In the pilot project, seawater was sprayed over an area of approximately 60,000 square meters, and the effectiveness of the pest control will be verified through the installation of traps and surveys of population distribution.

Busan Port Authority and the Quarantine Agency plan to review expanding the seawater control method throughout Busan Port after confirming its effectiveness through this pilot project and will encourage terminal operators to implement the method autonomously.

A representative from Busan Port Authority and the Quarantine Agency stated, "We will continue to develop practical response measures to prevent the spread of invasive pests in the port," adding, "Control methods using eco-friendly and highly utilizable resources such as seawater will help protect the port environment and also improve operational efficiency."