Wan Hai Lines will spend over US$300 million to refurbish Terminal No. 5 in Kaohsiung Port.
The facility will open in 2026, with the capacity to process up to 2 million TEUs annually.
Wan Hai took over the terminal from its larger compatriot peer Evergreen Marine Corporation, which has shifted to Terminal No. 7.
Terminal No. 5 houses piers 79 to 81, which Wan Hai has leased from Taiwan International Ports Corporation, the state-owned entity that owns all ports on the island.
TIPC said that Wan Hai has an initial lease of 20 years, after which the lease can be renewed for up to 30 years.
Wan Hai broke ground on the site, which includes a rear container yard, on 19 December 2023. Work on the terminal will include dredging the surrounding waters to increase the depth from 15 metres to 17.5 metres, allowing the facility to cater to 24,000 TEU vessels.
Mainly an intra-Asia operator, Wan Hai leased Pier 42 in 1987 and moved to Piers 63 and 64 at Terminal No. 2 in 1994.
TIPC said that Wan Hai’s terminal operations have grown and is expanding into Terminal No. 5 to expand its business scale. Now the 11th largest liner operator, Wan Hai processes over 1 million TEU of containers in Kaohsiung annually.
Wan Hai plans to automate Terminal No. 5 with remote controlled bridge cranes and gantry cranes, and intelligent control stations. Electric tractors and stackers will also be deployed to realise operational efficiency and safety.
Wan Hai is still operating at Piers 63 and 64 and has yet to decide whether it will discontinue operations there once Terminal No. 5 is ready. TIPC said Wan Hai has until 2028 to 2029 to decide whether to completely phase out operations at Terminal No. 2, or to retain just one pier there.
Martina Li
Asia Correspondent
