| The Port of Masan is located in South Gyeongsang Province in South Korea, on the shores of Masan Bay about 35 kilometers west of Busan, to which it is connected by road and rail. When the Mongolians controlled the area, the town was called Happo, and that name is still used. Port History The Port of Masan was first developed as an open port, but because it was in a fortified naval zone, it was closed in 1908 not to be reopened until 1967. Masan is a commercial center for agricultural and marine products and a service center for its hinterlands. Before it became an important commercial and industrial city, the Port of Masan was dominated by marine product manufacturing and liquor brewing. Further industrial development included a thermoelectric plant and machine, textile, and chemical manufacturing. Today's port contains a free export zone. Its central location on the southeastern coast of the Korean peninsula makes it a convenient location for international trade and a significant contributor to the country's economy. Port Commerce The Masan Regional Maritime Affairs & Port Office manages the Port of Masan. Located on the northern shores of the Bay of Masan, this well-protected port is a gateway for the Changwon National Industries Complex and has cargo volume of over 10 million tons a year. The Port of Masan is provides services for liner services from Japan and Southeast and Northeast Asia. The port covers 14 million square meters Port of Masan, located in the well-protected Bay of Masan, serves as gateway of neighboring Changwon National Industries Complex with annual cargo volume of over 10 million tons. It is also the port of call for regular liner services between Korea and Japan, South-east Asia and North-east Asia. The Port of Masan exports over 10 thousand automobiles per year, and this traffic increases every year. Its general cargo terminals support inland industries, handling cargoes of iron ware, logs, farm products, and other goods. Its eight piers offer almost 4 thousand meters of quay and can handle over 1.5 million tons of cargo. Other piers at the general cargo terminal also handles exclusive cargoes of oil The Masan Port Development Plan envisions two phases of development ending in 2001. The phase that ended in 2006 added a new container pier with capacity of 2 thousand TEUs of containerized cargo, and additional capacity general cargo, sand, iron, and cement. |
