S. Korea's seaport cargo up 8.7% amid global economic recovery

Published : Sept 26, 2021 - 13:52 Updated : Sept 26, 2021 - 13:52

(Yonhap)

The amount of cargo handled at South Korean seaports was up 8.7 percent on-year in August amid the global economic recovery, government data showed Sunday.

The cargo processed at the country's ports stood at 128.6 million tons last month, up from 118.3 million tons a year earlier, according to the data by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

Handling of export-import cargo rose 9 percent to 117.4 million tons on the back of strong exports of petrochemicals and cars.

Coastal cargo handled in South Korea came to 178.7 million tons in August, up 6.9 percent from 167.1 million tons on an increase in oil and cement transportation.

Container cargo grew 3.4 percent to 2.42 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in August.

A total of 1.36 million TEUs of export-import freight was processed last month, up 3.4 percent from a year earlier as the country's exports and imports with the United States rose 27 percent.

Transshipment cargo, or cargo processed in South Korea en route to final destinations, increased 3.4 percent to 1.05 million TEUs.

Busan Port on the southeastern tip of South Korea handled 1.81 million TEUs in August, up 4.2 percent from a year earlier, while Incheon Port, west of Seoul, processed 274,000 TEUs, down 1 percent. (Yonhap)