2024-04-07 11:40:47
President Yoon Seok-yeol attended the opening ceremony of Busan Port New Port Pier 7 held in Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do on the 5th and promised, “We will make Busan Port the world’s best smart port.”
According to News 1, President Yoon said this in his commemorative speech on this day, saying, “We will definitely make a leap forward in the port and shipping industry.”
The event was prepared to celebrate the opening of Korea’s first smart port and encourage workers in the port and shipping industries.
Pier 7 is characterized by a fully automated system from ships to container transfer equipment out of the port, which increases productivity by 20% compared to existing ports.
President Yoon said, “When I first visited Busan after starting politics, I promised to make Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam the world’s best maritime city,” and added, “I congratulate you on the opening of Pier 7, which is the first step today.”
He said, “Busan Port has led the export economy, but changes and challenges await us, such as demands for eco-friendly fleets and expansion of green shipping routes, so we must further increase our competitiveness.”
President Yoon continued, “By 2032, we will build Jinhae New Port into a ‘smart megaport’ that will lead global logistics innovation, and we will also focus our efforts on building smart ports at Gwangyang Port and Incheon Port to create greater synergy.”
President Yoon also said, “We will rebuild the port equipment industry by creating a smart fund worth 500 billion won.”
In addition, President Yoon said, “We will also greatly revive the shipping industry, which is a core economic and security service,” and “We will extend the tonnage tax system, which is set to sunset this year, and provide eco-friendly shipping finance worth 5.5 trillion won to national shipping companies.”
The tonnage tax system is a special tax introduced to maintain the competitiveness of shipping companies, and is a system that imposes taxes based on the net tonnage (NT) of ships owned and the number of operating days, rather than operating profits. There is a tax reduction effect compared to existing tax payment methods.
In addition, President Yoon said, “We will make Busan Port the starting and ending point of a green shipping route without carbon emissions. Starting with the Korea-US route, we will expand connections with green ports around the world, including Australia and Singapore, and build infrastructure such as eco-friendly bunkering.” He said.
Prior to the commemorative speech, President Yoon personally awarded awards, including the Silver Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit, to six people, including Dongwon Group Chairman Kim Nam-jung, who contributed to the opening of the smart port.
The opening ceremony was attended by about 500 people, including port operators and shipping line workers, students at the Maritime University, and heads of foreign missions, including the Panama Ambassador to Korea. Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Kang Do-hyung, Busan Mayor Park Hyeong-jun, and South Gyeongsang Province Governor Park Wan-soo were also present.
Reporter Kim Jeong-hyeon Photo News 1
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2024-04-07 11:40:47