Taiwan’s newest port, the Port of Taipei, will begin operating this week to boost shipping links with China and other countries, the Taipei Times reported on Saturday.
Two of the port's container wharfps will open for business tomorrow (Wednesday), with one additional container wharf to be built every year until 2014, the article said.
The Port of Taipei will allow direct cross-strait shipping links from next month, making it easier and cheaper for Taiwanese firms to send their goods to China.
In its first year, the port is expected to handle 750,000 TEUs, the port said in a statement.
The port is being built in stages. When completed in 2014, the port will operate seven container wharfs with an annual capacity of 4m TEUs.
Wharfs for bulk carriers are also under construction.
Taiwan has four main ports in Kaohsiung, Taichung, Keelung and Hualien. Their competitiveness has dwindled in the absence of direct sea links with China and as neighbouring countries, especially China, have expanded their ports, the Taipei Times said.
The ban on direct cross-strait sea links was lifted in December following talks with China.
The Port of Taipei is located at the mouth of the Tamsui River on the coast of Bali Township in Taipei County.
