South Korea welcomes port mission

South Korea is the 13th largest global economy and one of the most advanced countries in innovation and technology. The Asian country is a model of investments in Port-Industry and hosts three of the world's largest multinationals: Hyundai, Samsung and LG. It is there that approximately 50 authorities and entrepreneurs from the International Port & Sea Mission Brazil - South Korea 2024, organized by Grupo Tribuna, will arrive this week.

Between the 16th and 21st, the delegation will have an extensive technical itinerary, visiting ports and industries and learning about cutting-edge technology used in logistics and port infrastructure.

The program begins next Sunday with a welcome dinner offered by Hyundai to the delegation in the capital, Seoul. On Monday, the group will travel to Incheon, a city located 58.7 km from Seoul, where they will make a technical visit to the port. On Tuesday, the 18th, guests will immerse themselves in the industries of Samsung and LG.

On Wednesday, the 19th, the delegation will take a high-speed train from Seoul to the port city of Busan, where they will visit two terminals. The distance from Seoul to Busan is 331.5 km, and the journey takes 2 hours and 48 minutes.

From there, visitors will travel to the city of Ulsan, 307.2 km away from the capital, where they will also visit an industrial port terminal.

Grupo Tribuna's port affairs consultant, Maxwell Rodrigues, says South Korea was chosen "because it has the largest and most productive ports in the world, as well as being a reference in the relationship between the port and industry".

Maxwell explains that the trip will be an opportunity "to learn about all activities related to the port-industry relationship. Technology and innovation will also be present on the agenda".

Regarding visits to multinational companies Hyundai, Samsung and LG, Rodrigues states that the delegation will be able to verify "intelligent logistics chain processes and, especially, innovations that will be present within port operations in the near future".

Grupo Tribuna's Commercial Director, Demetrio Amono, emphasizes that the international Port & Sea missions aim to provide experiences that add value to the knowledge of executives and officials who are part of the delegation.

"We have many challenges in infrastructure, logistics,and regulations. Through an intense technical agenda, with a total focus on technology and innovation, members of the delegation can identify solutions not yet developed in Brazil. The idea is always to put the group in contact with opportunities and experiences that can bring solutions, whether in the short or long term", highlights Amono.

Objective is to seek innovative ideas

The delegation from the International Port & Sea Mission Brazil - South Korea 2024 will visit four cities that drive the economic development of the Asian country. In addition to the capital, Seoul, Busan, the ports and terminals of Incheon and Ulsan, and multinational companies are on the agenda.

"We are seeking competitive differentials based on new technologies to continually improve our service quality. I hope to find inspiring ideas during the visit to Korean companies that will guide our initiatives", says Bandeirantes Deicmar's president Washington Flores, one of the participants in the delegation.

He says that Grupo Tribuna has the ability to aggregate similar interests of competing companies and bring together executives to learn about environments that can help these companies to grow and improve the business environment at the Port of Santos.

Bruno Stupello, director of Port Terminal Operations at Santos Brasil, observes that South Korea's ports are among the largest and most efficient in the world and are known for their cutting-edge infrastructure. "I believe that the mission promoted by Grupo Tribuna will be a great opportunity to exchange experiences and knowledge, with important insights for our daily lives. Santos Brasil has innovation in its DNA, and we are always attentive to the most modern technologies".

Eduardo Nery, director-general of the National Waterway Transport Agency (Antaq), said that the agency "hopes to understand how South Korean ports establish high levels of efficiency and productivity in their operations. Last year, the Port of Busan handled more than twice as much as all Brazilian ports combined".

Nery also commented that "much of this regional efficiency comes from the use of technology, so visits to industries will be very important to understand how new technologies are developed and shared throughout the production chain, including throughout the port sector".

Erick Aeck, executive director of Van Oord Brasil, said that Grupo Tribuna's missions are very important. "They provide an exchange of knowledge and experiences among professionals from different countries, broadening our vision and allowing the adaptation of innovative practices to the local context".

Port of Busan: 6th place in containers worldwide

The ports of Busan, Incheon and Ulsan in South Korea are organized - that is, administered by public companies. While Busan is the largest cargo port, with containers as its flagship, Ulsan is a support complex for the industry, mainly dedicated to handling liquid bulk such as oil.

Furthermore, the goal of the Ulsan Port Authority is to transform the complex into a leading petroleum hub in Northeast Asia, ranking among the largest of its kind in the world.

As for the Incheon port-industry, it was inaugurated in 1883 and handles various cargoes, especially containers, and also has a passenger terminal.

The local Port Authority is working to establish the port as a leading logistic support base for exchange in the Yellow Sea region.