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Taipei Harbor aims to be a world-class port

Premier Su Tseng-chang, second right, yesterday listens as the director of the Public Construction Commission, Wu Tse-cheng, left, points to a blueprint of Taipei Harbor, located in Bali Township in Taipei County. Su is accompanied by Taipei County Commissioner Chou Hsi-wei, right. PHOTO: CNA

Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said yesterday that the government is trying to build up Taipei Harbor (台北港) as a world-class port by increasing construction of shipping facilities there.

"This harbor has a prime location that is close to Taipei City and the CKS International Airport. In addition, it has all kinds of state-of-the-art facilities to serve ships, sailors, businesspeople and port workers," Su said.

"I believe that this harbor will become the most important international port in northern Taiwan. Maybe it will be more important than Keelung Harbor, someday," Su said.

According to information provided by the Council for Economic Planning and Development, Taipei Harbor, located in Bali Township (八里), in Taipei County, is the fourth harbor to be designated a free-trade zone, after Keelung, Kaohsiung and Taichung harbors.

Su was addressing Taipei Harbor officials after a briefing. The premier said that the construction of port facilities in the harbor had always been an important issue for him, ever since he was Taipei County commissioner.

Progress

"I have been here several times, and I can feel the gradual progress every time I come back here. It means that construction in this place never stops," Su said.

Taipei County Commissioner Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋), a member of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), accompanied the premier yesterday.

Chou said that he would appreciates it if Su decides to spend time and money on the harbor, adding that Su had planted the seed and all Chou needed to do now was to keep watering the seed and watch it grow.

"I assure the premier that we will finish whatever he has started," Chou said.

In response to Chou's remarks, Su said that Chou, the county commissioner, was a totally different person from Chou, the former KMT legislator.

"He [Chou] used to be sarcastic when he was a lawmaker. But today, he is so thankful for everything," Su said.

"I would like to say, `Commissioner Chou, there you go! Well done!'" the premier said.

The government has been trying to develop port facilities at Taipei Harbor to ease the pressure on the "overloaded" Keelung Harbor.

Private investment

Both private enterprises and the government have invested in facilities in Taipei Harbor.

To date, nine port facilities have been completed and are operating.

Formosa Petrochemical Oil Corp owns and runs six port facilities, from which it ships oil from its Mailiao (麥寮) oil storage complex in Yunlin County.

Tonglit Logistics Co also owns two port facilities, from which it imports and exports vehicles and automobile parts.

Two other companies share another port facility for shipping oil-related products.

A total of 59 port facilities are expected to be completed before 2021.
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