President Cha Min-sik of Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority (YGPA).

Four container piers of Gwangyang Port will be transformed into automated, digitalized ones.

Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority (YGPA) plans to implement diverse policies, including ones designed to expand hinterland areas, by 2030 in order to make Gwangyang Port Asia’s top smart multi-purpose port.

These and other plans were contained in a report on the direction of 2030 port policies and implementation strategies that the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) briefed President Moon Jae-in during the 57th cabinet meeting on Nov. 17, YGPA said.

Automating and digitalizing four container piers of Gwangyang Port will cost 594 billion won by 2026.

Phase II piers of Gwangyang Port Container Terminal 3 will be developed as a testbed for port automation with homegrown technology, and it is expected to spearhead smart port automation by accumulating expertise on operation.

The project calls for raising automation to world-class levels by adopting automatic container stevedoring and self-driving technologies on quay, on-dock and cargo transportation. It means that it is designed to realize a container terminal adopting unmanned car transportation technology and connecting seamless cargo flows.

YGPA plans to verify element technologies such as cranes on a gradual basis to become Korea’s first port to apply automation to the whole process of work and play a leading role in efforts to build smart ports and ramp up homegrown technology and industry competitiveness by accumulating expertise and experiences.

A view of cranes for the exclusive use of containers installed at Gwangyang Port. (Photos: YGPA)

Gwangyang Port Aims to be Asia’s Best Smart Multi-Purpose Port

Gwangyang Port ranks 11th in the world in terms of cargo handling volumes and placed 1st in terms of export and import cargo volumes. The government decided to build a virtuous cycle of expediting economic dynamics by expanding hinterland areas, creating cargo volumes and developing the port.

To this end, the government plans to advance the development of the North Hinterland Complex and Yulchon Convergence Logistic Complex, which was originally scheduled to be dedicated by 2030, by 2025 and 2027, respectively.

The North Hinterland Complex, covering 110,00 sq. meters, and Yulchon Convergence Logistic Complex, covering 4.33 million sq. meters, was originally scheduled to be dedicated by 2030.

The plans are part of the government’s scheme to make Gwangyang Port Asia’s top-tier smart multi-purpose port. In a related development, a 330,000 square-meter area, part of the Saepung Industrial Complex in Gwangyang City will be purchased to use it part of a port hinterland area.

The government decided to provide support to normalize its operation by restructuring a terminal operation regime — reducing the number of terminal operators from three to two — in order to strengthen the competitiveness of Gwangyang Port’s container piers and prevent excessive competition.

If these plans are completed, Gwangyang Port’s Container Pier 2-1 Section will be operated as a car pier while the 2-2 section and 3-1 sections will be made into container piers. And 3-2 section will be operated as an automated pier.

YGPA President Cha Min-sik said projects to develop Gwangyang Port will be implemented over 10 years in accordance with the direction of 2030 port policies and implementation strategies, and all-out efforts will be made to make Gwangyang Port a value-added, digital port with the world’s top-tier competitive edge.