Incheon Port gets blueprint overhaul as gov't launches long-term development study

The government is moving to establish a mid- to long-term development plan for Incheon Port to address structural shifts in cargo volume and changes in the global shipping and logistics environment.

The plan's core aims are to redefine the role of each port zone while strengthening logistics competitiveness, promoting maritime tourism and mapping out ways for the port to grow alongside its surrounding urban areas.

Heo Jong-sik, chairman of the Incheon chapter of the Democratic Party of Korea, said Tuesday that the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries had secured 800 million won ($601,000) in the 2027 government budget proposal for a new comprehensive development study for Incheon Port.

The study will run for two years, from 2027 to 2028, with a total project cost of 2 billion won.

Heo said he had been consulting with the ministry on the need for a mid- to long-term development strategy for Incheon Port, and that the budget approval would allow work on a comprehensive port development plan to begin in earnest.

The push for a new plan is driven by a structural shift in Incheon Port's cargo profile. Total cargo volume at the port fell from 15.76 million tons in 2015 to 15.19 million tons in 2020 and further to 14.38 million tons in 2025 — a decline of about 9 percent over the decade.

Container traffic moved in the opposite direction over the same period, rising roughly 44 percent from 2.38 million twenty-foot equivalent units to 3.44 million TEUs.

With overall freight volume shrinking even as container-focused logistics demand expands, pressure to reassess port operations and facility layout has grown.

Through the study, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries plans to review the functions of each zone within Incheon Port and conduct a comprehensive assessment of future development needs and project feasibility.

Key areas under review include handling exports and imports for the Greater Seoul area, maritime tourism, sea-and-air multimodal transport, and expanding transport infrastructure behind the port.

Rebalancing the roles of individual port zones is also a priority. The plan envisions redefining each zone according to its characteristics: the North Port handling raw materials, the Inner Port being developed into a waterfront cultural space, the South Port strengthening international passenger and cruise functions, and the New Port managing container logistics. The coastal port would handle coastal passenger services and maintenance berths.

The study will also examine expanding container berths at Incheon New Port, introducing full automation, enlarging the port's logistics complex, and boosting cruise and car-ferry operations at the South Port.

The plan will also focus on ensuring port development does not proceed in isolation from the surrounding city, with measures to link port and urban growth.

The study will cover baseline surveys and current-status analysis of Incheon Port, identification of new development projects and feasibility reviews, a mid- to long-term development direction and phased implementation roadmap, and proposals for related regulatory improvements.

Transitioning to a smart, eco-friendly port capable of responding to changes in the global shipping environment and the climate crisis is also cited as a key task.

"Incheon Port stands at a major turning point, facing structural changes in cargo volume and the climate crisis," Heo said. "I will work with the ministry and make efforts for the port industry's development so that the comprehensive development plan can serve as a starting point for the port and Incheon's economy to grow together."

The Democratic Party of Korea's Incheon chapter plans to hold a meeting with port-related industry groups in November to hear about on-the-ground difficulties and development priorities, and will gather opinions to ensure those views are reflected in the comprehensive development plan.