Busan retains status as world's No. 5 cargo handler in 2009

SEOUL, Jan. 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's largest port, Busan, ranked fifth in the
world in terms of container cargo handling in 2009, retaining its ranking for the
seventh straight year in a row, a trade agency said Sunday.

Container traffic through Busan reached 11.19 million twenty-foot equivalent
units (TEUs) last year, down from 13.42 million TEUs in 2008 and 13.26 million
TEUs in 2007, according to the Korea International Trade Association.
With the ranking, the port has retained its spot for the seventh consecutive
year, it said.
Singapore was the world's busiest port last year, with container cargo handling
reaching 25.87 million TEUs, followed by Shanghai with 25.00 million TEUs, Hong
Kong with 20.50 million TEUs and Shenzhen with 18.25 million TEUs, according to
the agency.
The port of Guangzhou came sixth with 11.30 million TEUs, tailed by Dubai with
11.15 million TEUs.
With the exception of Guangzhou, the world's 10 biggest ports logged negative
growth in the aftermath of the global economic recession last year, it said.
namsh@yna.co.kr
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