News / Taiwan to revamp seven ports in $1.37bn infrastructure upgrade

18/08/2021

Seven ports in Taiwan are to be rejuvenated under a US$1.37bn plan by the Ministry of Transport and Communications to improve operations and modernise infrastructure.

Kaohsiung, Taipei, Keelung, Hualien, Taichung, Anping and Su’ao ports will be upgraded under the Comprehensive Commercial Port Development Plan, between 2022 and 2026.

Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s busiest container port, which processed 9.62m teu last year and was ranked 16th in the world, is targeted to handle 11.44m teu after the upgrade.

The plan, approved by the National Development Council on Monday, targets growing Taiwan’s container volume throughput from 14.59m teu last year to 18.6m teu in 2026.

The ports are expected to be transformed into “eco-friendly and smart” ports, and the MOTC expects that by 2026, the upgraded ports will create 13,000 jobs and attract around $11bn of investments.

Taiwan International Ports Corporation associate general manager Wang Chin-jung said each port had its own characteristics – while Kaohsiung is Taiwan’s main container port, Taipei is an automobile logistics centre and Taichung is earmarked as an offshore wind power and liquefied natural gas development base.

Mr Wang added: “Import-export dynamics are not that strong, so the other aspect of the port upgrades aims to attract transhipments. Hopefully, Kaohsiung can attract containers that are transhipped for transport to Europe and the Americas and maintain its hub status.”