The Devices to Strengthen the Competitiveness of the Port of Busan Relating to the Change of Logistics Environment in North-East Asia

동북아 물류환경변화에 따른 부산항의 경쟁력 강화 방안

With trend of container ships becoming larger and faster, the environment surrounding ports in North-East Asia is rapidly changing. Korea's largest port of Busan processed more than 10 million 20- feet equivalent containers in 2003, surpassing the 10-million TEU mark for the first time in its three decades of operation. However, the Port of Busan , the world's third-largest port in 2002, was eclipsed by Shanghai since July in 2003. The first massive strike of truckers crippled the Korea's logistics system in May and in September, the Port of Busan suffered from the second strike of truckers and damage by a powerful typhoon. By contrast, the port of Shenzhen in China increased its container-processing volume by 39.9 percent to 10.65 million TEU in 2003, and Shanghai, which passed Busan in terms of container volume in the middle of last year, further consolidated its position as the world's No. 3 port with an annual volume of 11.28 million TEU. After all, Busan recorded an annual container volume of 10.40 million TEU, slipping to fifth in rankings in 2003 and Busan's bid to become a Northeast Asian hub has suffered a further setback as these chinese ports overtook the port of Busan. But the port of Busan is located in the main trunk liking North America, Europe and South-East Asia. Once the project of Busan Newport is accomplished and the railway between South and North Korea is connected to TCR and TSR, the Port of Busan will have the most potential to become the international logistics center as the starting point of the land and sea routes encompassing all over the world.