Gwangyang Port breaks ground on fully automated container terminal

The Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority (YGPA) held a ground-breaking ceremony Thursday at Gwangyang Port for a port automation testbed project.

The ceremony drew about 150 attendees, including Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Hwang Jong-woo, Hwang Gi-yeon, deputy administrator of the South Jeolla-Gwangju integrated special city administration, and Gwangyang Mayor Park Sung-hyun, along with representatives from the port technology industry and the port and logistics sectors.

The project will invest a total of 772.4 billion won ($533 million) through 2029 to build a fully automated container terminal equipped with domestically developed cargo-handling equipment, container transport systems and port operating software.

The goal is to establish conditions for the stable adoption of automated port systems in South Korea, create a domestic market for port technology including equipment and software, and strengthen the competitiveness of the industry.

The terminal will be located at the Phase 3-2 container berths at Gwangyang Port, spanning four berths, with a target annual handling capacity of 1.36 million TEUs.

Earlier, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries unveiled its "Physical AI Port Strategy" on July 23, designating the Gwangyang Port testbed as a hub for the early adoption and demonstration of physical AI technology.

"The Gwangyang Port automation testbed will go beyond simply automating cargo-handling equipment," YGPA President Choi Kwan-ho said. "Through the early adoption and concentrated demonstration of physical AI technology, it will significantly enhance the competitiveness of Gwangyang Port."