The volume of cross-Taiwan Strait containers handled by the port of Kaohsiung has increased by 4.6 times since the launch of direct shipping links between Taiwan and China last December, according to statistics released Wednesday by the Kaohsiung Harbor Bureau.
The statistics showed that while there were just 38 cross-strait voyages that included a stop at Kaohsiung in December 2008, the number more than tripled to 118 in March.
The volume of cross-strait containers handled by the port, which stood at 16,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in December, soared to 74,000 TEUs in March, the statistics indicated.
Harbor Master Tsai Ting-yi noted that the direct cross-strait shipping links inaugurated on Dec. 15 has helped businesses cut transportation costs by 15 percent to 30 percent.
Ships previously had to take long detours through waters near Japan or Hong Kong because direct routes were banned.
Taiwan's exports to China are mainly machinery and capital-intensive goods, while imports from China are mostly raw commodities and textiles, Tsai said.
The statistics showed that while there were just 38 cross-strait voyages that included a stop at Kaohsiung in December 2008, the number more than tripled to 118 in March.
The volume of cross-strait containers handled by the port, which stood at 16,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in December, soared to 74,000 TEUs in March, the statistics indicated.
Harbor Master Tsai Ting-yi noted that the direct cross-strait shipping links inaugurated on Dec. 15 has helped businesses cut transportation costs by 15 percent to 30 percent.
Ships previously had to take long detours through waters near Japan or Hong Kong because direct routes were banned.
Taiwan's exports to China are mainly machinery and capital-intensive goods, while imports from China are mostly raw commodities and textiles, Tsai said.