POLA releases draft master plan

The port master plan serves as a long range plan to establish policies and guidelines for future development within the coastal zone boundary of the POLA. It combines the original master plan from 1980 and its subsequent twenty amendments into an updated document that reflects recent land use planning and projects, replaces outdated language and provides an easy to understand specific land use plan.

In the plan, the port outlines it five main goals which respond to the demands of foreign and domestic waterborne commerce, navigation, and fisheries in the national, state, and local communities.

The port’s draft master plan focuses on optimising land use, increasing cargo terminal efficiency, accommodating diverse cargoes, increase public access to the waterfront and protect historic resources.

Michael Cham, harbour planner, POLA, told Port Strategy: “The main projects that are included in the draft master plan are three fill projects: the Yang Ming Terminal Redevelopment project, which will develop the West Basin Container Terminal, the China Shipping Redevelopment project, whcih will create additional backland to the existing China shipping container terminal, and the Berth 300 Development and Fill project, which will also create additional container backland.”

The POLA says it will ensure individual terminals are compatible with neighbouring port tenants, develop and maintain the infrastructure necessary to support the terminals, encourage port tenants to modernise their facilities and implement new technologies, including automated container terminal technology, and will allow capacity for different modes of cargo to serve the larger economic and public interest.