Container liner service between Kimpo Terminal of Korea and Qingdao of China, which was initially planned to commence upon the opening of Gyeongin Arai Waterway is most likely to open in Feb. next year, Maritime Press reports.
The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs (MLTM) announced in a press release dated Oct. 25 that it begins a trial operation of Gyeongin Arai Waterway on Oct. 29, revealing the schedules for passenger ship and cargo ship service. According to the press release, it is likely that the container service between Kimpo Terminal of Korea and Qingdao of China Hanjin Shipping is gearing up for will open in Feb. next year and that the container service between Incheon Terminal in Gyeongin Port and a Chinese port the Chinese shipping player is to undertake will commence in May next year.
The delay in construction works of container terminal in Gyeongin Port is blamable for Hanjin Shipping’s inauguration schedule accordingly fallen behind for around Feb. 1 next year. In fact, come next February, the said container liner service will possibly open.
Hanjin Shipping, which obtained an approval for liner service between Kimpo Terminal and a Chinese port from Korea-China Shipping Conference held last year, plans to deploy a 200-teu class boxship on the container liner route linking Kimpo with Qingdao, but its plan is accordingly affected by the delay in construction of the container terminal. Back in last Aug. ten partners filed for the joint container service on the route, but negotiation on slot charter arrangement has yet to start, the Maritime Press is told.
Nothing has been ascertained by China as to which Chinese port should be linked with Incheon Terminal in Gyeongin Port and which Chinese shipping line is appointed for the service. According to shipping sources, three or four Chinese lines are interested in Gyeongin-Tianjin service, but China has failed to inform Korea of its nomination of the Chinese port and Chinese counterpart for the service for no definite reasons though it’s already one year since Korea-China Shipping Conference was held last. Nevertheless, the MLTM’s timetable shows a Chinese container line yet to be appointed opens May next year.