Hualien Port has a bright future with new roles in the blue economy.
This year, Hualien Port in eastern Taiwan is celebrating the 60th anniversary of its opening as an international commercial harbor with a series of activities including beach cleanups, summer camps, tree planting, whale watching and welcome ceremonies for international cruise ship arrivals. These celebrations seek to raise awareness about the ocean and the importance of port development for local communities.
“By enabling trade and supporting supply chains, the port is the engine for the county’s economic growth and prosperity,” said Lin Ching-fu (林清富), harbormaster at Hualien. “We aim to play a key role in shaping Taiwan into a true ocean state through the promotion of marine conservation, education and recreation. These activities enhance public understanding and engagement with the ocean, thus encouraging action to protect its health for sustainable development.”
The port celebrates its 60th anniversary as an international commercial harbor with a series of activities including kids’ summer camps. (Courtesy of Hualien Port)
Hualien Port is located just two hours’ voyage from major Pacific Ocean shipping routes on Taiwan’s east coast. With a depth of 12 to 16.5 meters, it can accommodate cargo ships with up to 100,000 deadweight tons and cruise ships weighing 225,000 tons. The artificial harbor and 25 wharves span 309 hectares, including 172 hectares of land and a marine area of 137 hectares. It also has a cruise ship service center equipped with customs and immigration inspection facilities and vendors who offer local specialty products and souvenirs.
The deepwater port handles bulk cargo such as cement, coal, gravel, sand, marble, paper pulp and petroleum, which are characteristic of local industry products and requirements. The total volume of cargo handled at the port each year is approximately 10 million revenue tons, and it currently houses some 80 corporate tenants including state-run China Petroleum Corp., China Steel Corp., Taipei City-headquartered Asia Cement Corp. and Chung Hwa Pulp Corp., in addition to logistics and warehousing companies.
Larger Life
Several expansion projects at the port have upgraded its infrastructure by deepening channels, installing larger cranes and expanding dock areas to accommodate larger vessels and thus increased cargo volumes. The port administration has also invested in digital transformation via smart energy and management systems. “Our port has adopted new technology such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things to automate processes spanning cargo handling, data collection and terminal operations to raise efficiency, reduce human error and ensure security,” Lin said. “We focus on automation, connectivity and sustainable solutions in our port infrastructure development.” These mean the port has improved service quality in the movement of goods, he added. Up-to-date technology addresses environmental and ecological concerns and evolving shipping industry demands, reflecting a growing recognition of the need for responsible maritime stewardship that ultimately benefits the environment, global trade and local communities.
Hualien Port attracts international cruise ships to dock and disembark tourists by providing convenient access to the local area, together with attractive tour packages. (Courtesy of Hualien Port)
Marine freight terminals around the world are working on reducing environmental impact, and Hualien is no exception. In 2016, it received the European Sea Ports Organization’s EcoPorts certificate, the world’s most important accreditation for environmental management in a port. “Our operations are confirmed to meet environmental best practice requirements,” Lin said. “This shows our commitment to protecting the environment and tackling climate change.” The facility has implemented other environmental protection practices including awareness campaigns, tree planting, and recycling and reuse of materials.
New Roles
In addition to handling freight and passenger transport, Hualien Port has steered new development toward tourism and recreation. “To take full advantage of the port area’s resources and operational capacity, we plan to develop part of our property portfolio into a publicly accessible waterfront district,” Lin said. “Diversifying operations optimizes site utilization, development and operational performance.” The harbormaster said the agency sought support from Hualien County Government on change of industrial land use to facilitate commercial cruise ships to dock and disembark tourists. Eight cruise ships are scheduled to arrive this year and the administration is working with local businesses to create appealing tour packages comprising famous destinations such as the nearby Taroko Gorge, Qingshui Cliff and Qixingtan Beach.
Another immensely popular marine activity operating from the port is cetacean watching. The number of visitors who take boat trips to view marine wildlife is estimated to be around 200,000 a year. Hualien-based Kuroshio Ocean Education Foundation (KOEF) and Turumoan Ecotour Company partner with the port to offer trips and summer camp programs. Award-winning author Liao Hong-ji (廖鴻基) launched a cetacean research project in the waters off Hualien in 1996 and founded KOEF in 1998. He has published over 20 books about the fishing industry, marine ecology and oceans. As Taiwan’s first marine conservation group, KOEF is committed to inspiring respect for the ocean through environmental education, research and science-based advocacy. Over the years, the nonprofit organization has coordinated an array of activities for the public including tracking marine pollution as well as cetacean behavior and populations.
Cetacean watching trips organized by Turumoan Ecotour offer visitors close views of the mammals
and information about the marine environment. (Courtesy of Turumoan Ecotour)
Records show that about a third of the world’s 90 cetacean species including bottlenose and spinner dolphins and humpback and sperm whales have been spotted in the waters off the country’s east coast, where the warm Kuroshio current flows and the sea is 400-1,000 meters deep. Liao said that marine wildlife watching results in humans making positive connections with the environment. “Whale watching trips are both recreational and educational because we give in-depth explanations of marine ecosystems,” he added. “Hualien Port plans to improve facilities by building dedicated docks and berths for the boats and passenger waiting areas with amenities.”
In 1998, Turumoan Ecotour started organizing cetacean watching trips in partnership with KOEF. “Our tours offer visitors information about the marine environment and up-close views of the mammals as the success rate of actually seeing a whale or dolphin is around 90 percent or better,” General Manager Lu Shih-ming (呂世明) said.Turumoan offers the trips as part of a package with other activities like visiting fishing villages, port facilities and scenic attractions such as Taroko National Park. With clean and picturesque coastal environs, Hualien is also perfect for marine recreation such as canoeing, sailing and yachting.
Bright Future
Lu has encouraged Hualien Port to invest further resources in marine tourism and education. “The quality and variety of infrastructure and services offered at a port affect whether ships dock,” he noted. “We want to work collaboratively with harbor authorities to provide a smooth and enjoyable experience.” A number of projects are underway to convert disused warehouses and land at the port into space for bazaars, concerts, exhibitions and food and beverage outlets. “We aim to build our port into a multipurpose complex with infrastructure, equipment and services to respond to distinct customer needs,” Lin said. “Our plan is to become a key part of the blue economy encompassing maritime transport as well as recreation and tourism and to support local socioeconomic and environmental goals through activities and partnerships.”
Write to Kelly Her at kher@mofa.gov.tw