Located in the East Asian region, Taiwan has an important geographical location and is vital to the global maritime industry. The following are several essential aspects of Taiwan in international shipping:
- Key route meeting point: Taiwan is between East and Southeast Asia and has become a vital route meeting point. Many routes from East Asia to Southeast Asia, South Asia, Europe, and the Americas, or from these regions to East Asia, need to pass through the waters near Taiwan. This makes Taiwan's ports a vital transit point for incoming and outgoing goods, facilitating international trade and logistics activities.
- Asian Shipping Center: Taiwan has many internationally renowned ports, including Keelung Port, Kaohsiung Port, and Taichung Port. These ports are well-equipped to accommodate large and container cargo ships and provide comprehensive cargo handling and logistics services. Taiwan's port operators have rich experience and professional knowledge, which has attracted many international shipping companies to set up business here, making Taiwan one of the shipping centers in Asia.
- A critical channel in the Taiwan Strait: The Taiwan Strait is one of the virtual channels connecting the East China Sea and the South China Sea. Many ships conduct international trade and shipping activities through the Taiwan Strait, especially cargo between mainland China and Southeast Asia. Taiwan's geographical location makes the Taiwan Strait a vital shipping channel and provides abundant business opportunities and cooperation potential.
- The critical point of the trans-Pacific route: Taiwan is located on the east coast of the Pacific Ocean and is one of the essential points of the trans-Pacific course. From Taiwan's ports, you can directly reach the ports on the east coast and west coast of the United States, strengthening Taiwan's connection between East Asia and the Americas. This is significant for trade in goods and personnel exchanges and promotes economic cooperation and exchanges between Taiwan and the rest of the world. The following is the information before the end of April 2023 and the approximate sailing time from important ports in Taiwan to ports of different destinations:
- East Coast of the United States: It takes about 25 to 30 days to sail from important ports in Taiwan (such as Keelung and Kaohsiung) to New York Harbor, depending on factors such as the voyage and ship speed.
- West Coast of the United States: It takes about 15 to 20 days to sail from the main port of Taiwan to the port of Los Angeles or Long Beach.
- South America: The sailing time from the main port of Taiwan to the docks in South America (such as Buenos Aires and Santiago) is longer, usually taking 35 to 45 days.
- East Coast of Japan: It takes about 3 to 5 days to sail from important ports in Taiwan to ports on the east coast of Japan, such as Tokyo and Yokohama.
- West Coast of Japan: It takes about 6 to 8 days to sail from important ports in Taiwan to ports on Japan's west coast, such as Osaka and Kobe.
- Main ports in South Korea: It takes about 2 to 4 days to sail from the main ports in Taiwan to the main ports in South Korea, such as Incheon and Busan.
- Port of Mainland China: Qingdao, Tianjin, Shanghai, Ningbo, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Guangzhou ports: The sailing time from significant ports in Taiwan to these ports in mainland China depends on the voyage and usually takes 1 to 3 days.
- Main ports in Europe:
- Rotterdam (Netherlands): sailing time: about 25 to 30 days
- Hamburg (Germany): sailing time: about 30 to 35 days
- Antwerp(Belgium): sailing time: about 25 to 30 days
- Beirut (Lebanon): sailing time: about 25 to 30 days
8. Mediterranean ports:
- Port of Pisa (Italy): sailing time: about 25 to 30 days
- Barcelona (Spain): sailing time: about 30 to 35 days
- Athens (Greece): sailing time: about 30 to 35 days
- Istanbul (Türkiye): sailing time: about 30 to 35 days
9. US East Coast:
- Port: New York
Shipping Lines: Evergreen, Yang Ming, APL, CMA CGM, Maersk, OOCL
Shifts: 1 to 2 shifts per week
10. US West Coast:
- Port: Los Angeles
Shipping Lines: Evergreen, Yang Ming, APL, CMA CGM, Maersk, OOCL
Shift: 2 shifts per week
11. South America:
- Port: Buenos Aires (Argentina)
Shipping Lines: Evergreen, MSC, Hapag-Lloyd, CMA CGM, Maersk, Cosco Shipping
Shifts: 1 to 2 shifts per week
12. East Coast of Japan:
- Port: Tokyo, Yokohama
Shipping company: Evergreen, Yang Ming, APL, NYK Line, MOL, ONE
Shifts: 1 to 2 shifts per week
13. West Coast of Japan:
- Port: Osaka, Kobe
Shipping company: Evergreen, Yang Ming, APL, NYK Line, MOL, ONE
Shifts: 1 to 2 shifts per week
14. Main ports in South Korea:
- Port: Incheon, Busan
Shipping companies: Evergreen, Yang Ming, APL, HMM, Cosco
Shift: 2 shifts per week
15. Ports in Mainland China:
- Ports: Qingdao Port, Tianjin Port, Shanghai Port, Ningbo Port, Fuzhou Port, Xiamen Port, Guangzhou Ports.
Shipping companies: Evergreen, Yang Ming, APL, COSCO Shipping, Maersk, OOCL, SITC
Shifts: 2 to 4 shifts per week
16. Main ports in Europe:
- Port: Rotterdam (Netherlands)
Shipping company: Evergreen, MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM
Shifts: 3 to 4 shifts per week
- 17. Port: Hamburg (Germany)
Shipping company: Evergreen, MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM
Shifts: 3 to 4 shifts per week
- Port: Antwerp (Belgium)
Shipping Lines: Evergreen, MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM
Shifts: 3 to 4 shifts per week
- Port: Beirut (Lebanon)
Shipping Lines: Evergreen, CMA CGM, Maersk, MSC
Shifts: 1 to 2 shifts per week
18. Mediterranean ports:
- Port: Port of Pisa (Italy)
Shipping Lines: Evergreen, MSC, CMA CGM, Maersk
Shifts: 2 to 3 shifts per week
- Port: Barcelona (Spain)
Shipping Lines: Evergreen, MSC, CMA CGM, Maersk
Shifts: 2 to 3 shifts per week
- Port: Athens (Greece)
Shipping Lines: Evergreen, MSC, CMA CGM, Maersk
Shifts: 2 to 3 shifts per week
- Port: Istanbul (Türkiye)
Shipping Lines: Evergreen, MSC, CMA CGM, Maersk
Shifts: 2 to 3 shifts per week
Please note that the above information is for reference only, and the frequency and interval may be subject to change, which is affected by the operation of the shipping company and market demand. It is recommended to contact the relevant shipping company or line operator when arranging shipping.
It should be noted that these voyage times are for reference only, and the actual voyage may be affected by weather, sea conditions, and ship schedules, so there may be slight changes. Shipping company and route selection may also have an impact on sailing times. If you need the exact sailing time, it is recommended to check with the relevant shipping company or airline operator.
You can refer to the following ShipmentLink website for inquiries about the shipping schedules of major shipping companies:
https://www.shipmentlink.com/tw/tvs2/jsp/TVS2_ViewSchedule.jsp
All in all, the importance of Taiwan in global shipping cannot be ignored. Its geographical location makes it an intersection of shipping routes and an Asian shipping center. Taiwan's port facilities are complete, attracting many international shipping companies' investment and business establishment. As an important channel, the Taiwan Strait connects the East China Sea and the South China Sea and plays a vital role in the entry and exit of goods. In addition, Taiwan, as an essential point in the trans-Pacific route, has further increased Taiwan's status and influence in international trade. These factors allow Taiwan to play a vital role in global shipping, providing convenience and opportunities for international trade and logistics activities.
