Inchon Port is on the Way of her Development

Accumulate the advantages to establish the International Port
Inchon City lies on the Middle West shore of the Korea Peninsula. As the key area for the west coast’s development, it has the advantage of the strategic key land. Inchon is near the capital of Korea Seoul. Seoul has a tense population, which takes 48% of the whole Korean. With the vigorous development, effect brought by the geographic advantage and great fame appears day-by-day with the contribution grows more and more. Deputy Proprietor Piao Hengchun states proudly that the advantages of the Inchon Port are obvious and a great deal of cargos come and go through here. Inchon Port takes the key role as the gate of the capital trading circle.
As the gate port, Inchon Port has its own cargo business and is different from the pure transition port. The great deal of cargo transportation accelerates the growth of the container throughput and the cargo transportation amount. It occupies 40% of the South Korea cargo amount in the seven national industry bases of Nandong, Fuping, Zhu’an, Banyue, Shihua, Soel Digit & Pozhou, more than 60 local industry bases, more than 10 thousand enterprises which bustle about carrying cargos in and out through Inchon Port. Besides, the convenience for the transportation is also the competitive advantage. Inchon Port is not far from the Inchon Airport, which is the NO. 3 of the world cargo-handling airport. In 2006, the amount for Sea & Air cargo handling has reached as much as 51 thousand tons. The outspreads of the Inchon Port, the road’s network and the railway’s network have connected the national key ways together. Mutual benefits make a tight relationship of the Inchon Port and the inner land Industry Park and play an important role in the alternation of the inner and outside of the Inchon Port.
Piao Hengchun mentioned that since the establishment of the Inchon Port Community, Inchon Port develops with a rapid speed. Besides the long-term view of the community, the advantages of its hinterland, transportation and ports are also the key factors for its rapid growth. Inchon Port is the key port in the South Korea’s capital’s circle and our aim is to develop Inchon Port to become the port of the world entrance. Inchon Port Community will fully exert the advantages of the Inchon Port and we believe this target won’t be too far. When mentioned the development and changes in the recent two years, Mr. Piao stated in sprits that 19 months have passed since the startup of the Inchon Port Community with rapid changes. It is developing from a small port into a entrance port of the capital circle with the throughput over 1.37 million TEU, annual growth around 19% and largest cargo handling amount.
Trade with China and to construct the business circle in the northeast Asia
Mr. Piao considers the Inchon Port as the entrance port of the South Korea’s capital circle and also the center port for the trade with China. Since 2004, the increasing speed grows at the rate of 14% per year, especially the growth speed to trade with China. View from the percentages of Sino-Korea container box’s amount, which are 59% and 63% in 2005 and 2006, Inchon has come to the front position.
With the international trade’s development and the changes of the logistics environment, Inchon Port is now facing new challenges. Besides the competitions with Busan Port, Kwang Yang Port and Weishan Port, the competitions with HK, Singapore, Malaysia, Shanghai and Okinawa Ports of the Northeast area are also fierce and the competitions with Hamburger, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, New York, LAX Ports of the world main ports are also lasting. To Inchon Port, this is a challenge and also a chance for development. Mr. Piao mentions that in order to fully exert the Inchon Port’s competency, we are actively improve the efficiency of enlarge the basic facility construction and the logistics network and establish related equipment also efficient net work. We will start of the direct shipping line to China with the container ships to construct the North Port of the Inchon Port, Songdao New Port and enhance the investments from other ports.
Inchon Port is the international port with the largest scale and the vessels enter and exit the port with foreign registration reached as many as 10609 and 10054. Inchon Port has close contact with different countries. Mr. Piao shows that in order to achieve the aim of become the center of the northeast Asia, we must fit the rapid changing international environment, enhance the cooperation and communication, and learn the advanced theory and experience. We are willing and hope to cooperate with the Chinese ports sincerely.
Complete promotion lays a friend cooperation foundation
More competence brings better development is the strong belief of Mr. Piao. He told the reporter that the South Korea ports all have positive expectation on the Chinese market and hold the promotion conference one by one. He explains that every port has its own developing advantages, such as Inchon Port has its entrance advantage and transportation advantage. Though we have the same action and modal, the real effect will not be achieved unless the advantages exert its function. Only by this way we could grow up in the industrial competition.
For long term, the port enterprises in South Korea major in supply and accompanying with the development of international trade and change in logistics environment, South Korea port enterprises change into the consumption type and cast their sight to China, including port enterprises such as Inchon Port. This is a necessary choice to cater to this grand environment. We will provide customers more possibility of choice and to let Inchon Port become the kind of port that has real strong competency and multi-function port internationally.