THAILAND plans to build transport infrastructure ahead of its entry into ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015, starting with a port expansion at Bangkok's deepwater Port of Laem Chabang.
The Port Authority of Thailand aims to expand a third large basin to increase capacity by eight million TEU to total 18.8 million TEU first scheduled for completion by 2016, but expects to be delayed by environmental impact studies until 2020.
Laem Chabang, one of the world's top 20 ports, is at full capacity at its Basin 1 and Basin 2. Basin 1 has a capacity of four million TEU annually and can accommodate postpanamax vessels of 50,000 dwt. The second basin handles 6.8 million TEU and annually and postpanamax vessels of 80,000 dwt.
Basin 3 will enable the port to handle postpanamax size ships and to be the transshipment hub of Indo-China region, said its general administration officer Zoroz Kajohnprasart, reported the American Journal of Transportation.
The port boasts of 15 terminal operators and Hong Kong's Hutchinson is its biggest port operator. NYK, "K" Line, Evergreen, OOCL and MOL are among the carriers with direct calls on rotations including Shanghai, Hong Kong, Busan, Kaohsiung, Tokyo, Dubai, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Jawaharlal Nehru, Durban, Singapore, Port Klang, Tanjung Pelepas, Los Angeles and Long Beach.
Automobiles are its second largest freight category due to the high concentration of automakers in free trade zones on Thailand's eastern seaboard which include Mitsubishi's, 3.5 kilometres from the port.
The development of a dedicated rail service, the Single Rail Transfer Operation, to an intermodal container yard to Suvarnabhumi International Airport near Bangkok will reduce truck traffic and shift intermodal to rail. The port's intermodal transfer station has a capacity of two million TEU.
Further infrastructure projects in Thailand include major overhaul of its rail systems, new railway lines and expansion of links such as between Bangkok and the northern city of Chiang Mai.
The collaboration would provide Thailand with a gateway to the Indian Ocean and to western markets, reducing its current transit of two to three days through the crowded Malacca Straits.
PORTS
09 December 2013 - 21:44
Thailand begins Laem Chabang Port expansion ahead of APEC 2015 entry
THAILAND plans to build transport infrastructure ahead of its entry into ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015, starting with a port expansion at Bangkok's deepwater Port of Laem Chabang.
PORTS
09 December 2013 - 21:44
Thailand begins Laem Chabang Port expansion ahead of APEC 2015 entry
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