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Busan to convert a container terminal into a cruise facility

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BPA's Gamman container terminals in the distance(left), pictured from Busan Port International Passenger Terminal
Busan Port Authority (BPA) says it will reconfigure one of its North Port container terminals into a dedicated cruise handling facility, prompted by a drop in cargo handling in that area of the port, while cruise calls are increasing.

Either North Port’s Gamman Container Terminal or New Gamman Container Terminal will be reconfigured to a cruise terminal after the integration of four of the port’s container facilities, according to BPA.

The integration of the container terminals is expected to be completed by August, a move prompted by declining cargo volumes in North Port as shipping activities have been moving over to Busan New Port.

The four North Port container terminals to be consolidated are Gamman, New Gamman, Jaseongdae and Shinsundae.

When the terminals are integrated, BPA will use either New Gamman or Gamman(used for berthing very large cruise ships already) as a cruise terminal. BPA added it plans to incorporate the necessary infrastructure at the converted cruise terminal to act as a home port.

Following the makeover, the new facility will be able to accommodate two mega-sized cruise ships of 200,000gt at the same time, and have enough parking spaces for tourist buses.

‘This will resolve problems such as the long arrival and departure process and budget waste due to constructing separate terminal buildings and parking lots,’ BPA stated.

450,000 cruise passengers are anticipated in Busan in 2016. The calls are spread across three different locations in the sprawling city: Busan Port International Passenger Terminal, which opened in late-August 2015 and can take ships up to 60mtr high due to air-draft restrictions posed by the Diamond Bridge; the 1978-built international passenger terminal located at Yeongdo Cruise Pier which outgrew its capacity in recent years but still handles around 60-70 calls annually and Gamman container terminal, loctaed on the ocean side of Diamond Bridge where large cruise ships berth.

The immigration process for passengers is often delayed due to insuffucient number of ground staff when several cruise ships arrive at the same time.

The Korean port authority estimated there will be 40 days in 2016 when more than two cruise ships visit and this will rise to 54 days next year.