Kaohsiung Harbour Bureau has been finalising the NT$9 billion (HK$2.04 billion) expansion plan of its container terminals, which will add four berths to the busiest port in Taiwan by 2009.
The construction of Container Terminal No6 would start in 2006 and it could increase Kaohsiung's annual container handling capacity by two million teu (20-foot equivalent units), said Teng Yu-i, the deputy director of the harbour bureau.
'Kaohsiung port will be reaching its maximum capacity soon. Exports and imports volume of Taiwan grows about 10 per cent a year. The expansion project is a medium-term plan to cope with the demand,' Mr Teng said.
There are five container terminals which include 26 berths in Kaohsiung, with annual handling capacity of 9.9 million teu.
The port handled 8.49 million boxes last year. Cargo throughput in the first seven months this year was 5.09 million teu, up almost 7 per cent year on year.
About half of the container volumes were transshipments.
The project, with depth of port and an access channel of about 16 metres, will cost NT$9 billion.