Port of San Diego Holds Port Sales Reception in Westin Chosun

The Port of San Diego (Korean representative agency: Korea Universal S
hipping) has missed opportunities to attract shipping lines to its por
t and grow as a key port on the west coast of the USA because of its e
xtreme proximity, only 96 miles, to the huge western Port of Los Angel
es. Nowadays, that has forced the Port of San Diego to act as a niche
port on the south west coast of the States. As cargoes from Asia conce
ntrate in huge container ports on the west coast in the Port of Los An
geles and the Port of Long Beach, detentions inside the ports inevitab
ly occur.
Martin Collins, director of the Port of San Diego and Charles Labitan,
manager of the maritime trade division, visited Korea on September 7t
h and held a reception for Korean shippers and shipping lines to promo
te port sales at the Westin Chosun Hotel in downtown Seoul. Director C
ollins revealed that they are planning to build another container term
inal, 40 acres wide, at the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal, one of two t
erminals in the Port of San Diego. Manager Labitan said to reporters t
hat they are recruiting several Asian investors who have expressed int
erest in the port.
The Port of San Diego has handled over 2.5 million ton of cargoes duri
ng the past fiscal year (1999.7.1 - 2000.6.30), showing a sharp 28 per
cent increase over that of 1999's 1.8 million tons.