Taiwan 2007 box volume up 5pc year on year at 13.7 million TEU

Taiwan's three international ports in 2007 collectively handled a total of 13.73 million TEU, an increase of 4.78 per cent compared to the previous year, according to statistics released from Taiwan's Ministry of Transport and Communications.
An official from the ministry said that Kaohsiung port in southern Taiwan handled 10.26 million TEU in 2007 surpassing its operating target of 10 million TEU for the first time, and representing an increase of 4.93 per cent year on year.
Within the total, Import-export and transshipment containers each accounted for 50 per cent of the total, with imex boxes registering an annual growth of 516,000 TEU, or 11.18 per cent, on the back of strong demand for raw materials from several emerging countries, including China and India, according to the unidentified official.
The official further said the northern port of Keelung and the central port of Taichung handled 2.22 million TEU and 1.25 million TEU, up by 4.07 per cent and 4.11 per cent, respectively.
The figures also show that the total volume of cargo loaded and unloaded at Taiwan's ports grew by 0.53 per cent to 710.27 million tonnes in 2007.