The Port of Kaohsiung’s highly anticipated 7th Container Terminal in Vietnam officially began operations on 1 May 2023.
Hsien-yi Lee, Chairman of Taiwan International Ports Corporation (TIPC), visited the newly opened terminal to assess its container yards, witness the deployment of Evergreen Marine‘s remotely controlled automated vehicles and equipment, and observe the terminal’s automated operations in the control area.
Lee emphasized that the new terminal houses “Taiwan’s first automated container-handling wharves”, which are equipped with UAVs, remote control technologies, and AI systems.
These advancements are expected to significantly improve operational efficiency and enhance the working environment at the port.
TIPC anticipates that Evergreen Marine’s cutting-edge automated operations will enable the Port of Kaohsiung to establish new container handling records in the future.
READ: Boxship hits pier at Port of Kaohsiung
The 7th Container Terminal is expected to boost Taiwan’s largest container wharves, with a combined length of 2,415 metres and depths of 18 metres.
It can accommodate four 24,000-TEU Very Large Container Ships (VLCSs) simultaneously.
The terminal will also introduce remotely controlled 25-container-outreach ship-to-shore (STS) cranes, fully automated driverless transtainers, and smart gate controls in both quay and inland operations areas.
These advancements, coupled with comprehensive standalone-5G, fibre-optic, and Internet of Things (IoT) systems coverage, Evergreen Marine’s fully automated terminal operating system (TOS), and real-time power monitoring system, establish the 7th Container Terminal as a highly automated and advanced container terminal.
TIPC and Evergreen Marine allocated NT$40.95 billion ($1.33 billion) for the development of the nation’s first fully automated container yard, enabling world-class, state-of-the-art port operations.
Back in 2022, a rise in cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in Kaohsiung sparked disruption concerns in the city’s major port.
On Monday 7 February, 41 harbour pilots for the Port of Kaohsiung were ordered to get tested after an infected pilot failed to comply with testing rules, putting almost 200 people at risk.
