Busan world`s No. 5 cargo handler in 2008

SEOUL, Jan. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's largest port Busan ranked fifth in the
world in terms of cargo handling in 2008, a trade agency said Tuesday.
Container traffic through Busan reached 13.42 million twenty-foot equivalent
units (TEUs) last year, up from 13.26 million TEUs in 2007 and 12.03 million TEUs
in 2006, according to the Korea International Trade Association.
With the ranking, the port has retained the spot for the third consecutive year,
it said.
Singapore was the world's largest port last year with cargo handling reaching
29.92 million TEUs, followed by Shanghai with 28.01 million, Hong Kong with 24.30
million and Shenzhen with 21.42 million, according to the agency.
South Korean ports such as Incheon and Gwangyang benefited from the booming
Chinese economy, one of the biggest contributors to world growth in recent years.

Laptop and mobile phone makers in northern China regularly ship products to the
western port of Incheon before flying them to the United States.
sam@yna.co.kr
(END)