Changwon Steps Up Plans to Make Jinhae New Port an Arctic Route Hub ... 21 Berths and 6.98 Million-Sq.-Meter Hinterland Complex Planned

Job Creation Expected by Linking Shipbuilding, Machinery and Defense Industries

Changwon Special City in South Gyeongsang Province is stepping up preparations to turn Jinhae New Port into a hub port for the Arctic shipping route, and the results are drawing attention.

Changwon Special City is envisioning a future in which the port and industry grow together by adding its strong manufacturing base in machinery, robotics, shipbuilding and defense to Jinhae New Port, which is under construction to accommodate ultra-large vessels of up to 25,000 TEU. The plan is to connect new markets created by the Arctic shipping route with growth for local businesses and jobs for residents.

◆ A new sea route, a new opportunity for Changwon's manufacturers

As climate change reduces Arctic sea ice, the potential use of the Arctic shipping route linking Asia and Europe is growing. The route from Busan Port (New Port) to Rotterdam is expected to be about 30% shorter or more than the existing route through the Suez Canal.

As the Arctic shipping route develops into a new maritime logistics market, it is opening up an opportunity for a new leap forward for Jinhae New Port and Changwon, which has a strong manufacturing base.

A view of Jinhae New Port. [Photo provided by Changwon City]

Jinhae New Port is a major national project involving the development of 21 berths capable of accommodating ultra-large vessels of up to 25,000 TEU (enough to carry 25,000 20-foot containers), as well as a 6.98-million-square-meter hinterland complex. The first phase, comprising nine berths, is targeted to open in 2033. The manufacturing capabilities concentrated in the Changwon National Industrial Complex, including machinery, robotics, shipbuilding and defense, provide a solid foundation for developing industries related to the Arctic shipping route.

In particular, the expertise accumulated in shipbuilding and machinery in Changwon and South Gyeongsang Province opens up new possibilities in the era of the Arctic shipping route. If the route becomes more active, demand is expected to grow across a range of fields, including icebreaking and polar vessels and other specialized ships designed to withstand extreme conditions, as well as engines, propulsion systems, insulation, sensor systems, port equipment and automation systems. This could create new business opportunities for Changwon companies, which can apply technologies developed by existing shipbuilding, machinery and defense firms to polar vessels and equipment, as well as ship maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO).

Ultimately, Changwon is focused on more than just expanding logistics through the Arctic shipping route. It aims to open a new industrial market by leveraging its existing manufacturing capabilities to supply the vessels, equipment and technologies needed for the route.

◆ Changwon City fleshes out plans for future industries centered on Jinhae New Port

Changwon City is also developing concrete measures to turn these industrial opportunities into tangible growth for the region. Changwon Special City Mayor Chang Ki-yoon has included the development of Jinhae New Port as a hub port for the Arctic shipping route in his action plan for fulfilling 85 campaign pledges. On October 7, he boarded the fishing inspection vessel Changwon Bada and visited the Jinhae New Port construction site to review plans for building a logistics tri-port connected to the new Gadeokdo Airport and a strategy for developing the area into a logistics hub for Northeast Asia. The vision is to develop Jinhae New Port not merely as a cargo-handling port, but as a hub where logistics and industry grow together.

Changwon Special City Mayor Kang Ki-yoon conducts a maritime inspection of the Jinhae New Port construction site on October 7. [Photo provided by Changwon City]

The city has also established an administrative response system to support these efforts. Since October 19, it has been operating the "Task Force for Promoting Jinhae New Port and Improving Construction Administration Systems." Led by the Director General of the Marine, Port and Fisheries Bureau, the task force includes the Port Logistics Policy Division and the Changwon Research Institute's Port Logistics Research Center, among others. It holds working-level meetings twice a week to discuss promoting the future value of Jinhae New Port, expediting administrative procedures, and improving construction administration systems to meet on-site needs.

Expanding the transportation network is another key task. The city is continuing discussions with the National Assembly and military authorities to include the "CTX-Jinhae Line (Jinhae New Port Line)," which would connect Jinhae New Port, the new Gadeokdo Airport and the rail network, in the Fifth National Rail Network Development Plan. The plan is to build a tri-port connecting the seaport, airport and railways, thereby strengthening the links between Jinhae New Port and the Changwon National Industrial Complex.

The Changwon City Council is also emphasizing the need to develop Jinhae New Port into a hub port for the Arctic shipping route. On October 30, it adopted a proposal urging the government to designate Jinhae New Port as a hub port for the route, expand port infrastructure, connect the port to the CTX metropolitan express railway, and develop a complex hinterland area.

Changwon City plans to provide the administrative support needed to build Jinhae New Port and expand the transportation network, while creating conditions for local manufacturers to broaden their activities into industries related to the Arctic shipping route.

◆ From port to industry ... Fostering business growth and jobs for residents

The ultimate goal of Changwon City's Arctic shipping route strategy is to grow the regional economy. The city aims to develop Jinhae New Port into a hub port for the route and attract related businesses and research institutions to the surrounding area, creating an industrial ecosystem in which Changwon companies can enter new markets for ships, ship parts and equipment, port machinery, artificial intelligence (AI) and automation.

Building smart-port infrastructure at Jinhae New Port, expanding transportation links to its hinterland, incorporating related industries into national plans and securing funding are all challenges that remain. The city plans to strengthen ties between the port and manufacturing industry, turning the logistics and industrial changes brought about by the Arctic shipping route into growth for Changwon businesses and the creation of new jobs.

"Jinhae was a naval port city with a history of patriotism and dedication, having defended Korea for more than 80 years. Now, through Jinhae New Port, it will lead the era of the Arctic shipping route and emerge as a center for opening a new future for Korea," said Changwon Special City Mayor Chang Ki-yoon. "We will work closely with the government to establish Jinhae New Port as a new engine of growth for the nation and the region."

If Changwon Special City's ambitious Arctic shipping route project leads to the route being developed in practice and creates an opportunity for Jinhae New Port to become a hub port, it is expected to create jobs in Changwon and help make the city a place where young people return.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.