Taiwan International Ports Corporation, Ltd.

The ‘0206’ Hualien earthquake struck the Hualien area on February 6th, 2018 with its epicenter near the Port of Hualien. The rapid response to earthquake damage at the port by the Taiwan International Ports Corporation (TIPC) quickly restored normal operations, allowing TIPC to make its resources available to Hualien City’s wider earthquake-recovery effort and to help Hualien residents return to normal life. Work on restorative repairs to Port of Hualien facilities and infrastructure is well underway, with the estimated total cost of repairs expected to reach NT$65 million. The corporation has allocated the first portion of this amount in order to ensure port operations remain unaffected.

Immediately after the quake, TIPC Chairman Hong-mo Wu and TIPC President Tien-kuei Kuo directed TIPC offices nationwide to give the Port of Hualien the support necessary to quickly restore normal operations. Additionally, underscoring TIPC’s solidarity with the people of Hualien, both directed that TIPC make appropriate resources available to facilitate government-led recovery efforts in the area.

In effecting damage recovery and restoration work at the Port of Hualien, port engineers, contracted surveyors, and divers worked to assess the integrity of the port’s land-based and underwater structures. Land behind Wharves 19~23 was found to have subsided 2~15cm, while land behind Wharves 24 and 25 had collapsed 80cm or more. This damage fortunately has not adversely affected wharf operations. To avoid interrupting normal port operations, repair work is being conducted in several stages. Repairs to the Wharf 19 – 22 were completed on February 14th with the sealing of all significant cracks and the restoration of subsided land. Normal cargo handling operations, vehicular traffic, and passenger transit have been restored. Repairs to the Warf 23~25 area are expected to be completed by the end of September. During the interim, the port will ensure that repair work does not affect normal operations or traffic flows.

In support of government-led rescue and recovery efforts and in promoting TIPC corporate responsibility, TIPC is currently proactively engaged in Hualien-area outreach and relief. In light of the severe damage that was suffered by the region’s stone industry, the Port of Hualien has opened 4.5ha of industrial land in the eastern section of the port for stone industry businesses to temporarily store, at no cost, damaged stone materials for a period up to 3 years. Moreover, in response to the severe damage to area water pipes and its effect on the availability of water to hospitals and communities, the Port of Hualien made its water tank trucks available from February 7th for deliveries of potable water to neighboring communities, hospitals, and schools. Eight deliveries were made, delivering approximately 56 tons of water. Additionally, in support of local government post-quake demolition and cleaning efforts, the Port of Hualien assigned water spraying vehicles to quake-damaged demolition sites for rubble cooling and dust suppression purposes. The 24 transits made between February 12th and 20th (including the Chinese New Year holiday) sprayed some 248 tons of water and cleaned some 48km of affected streets.

The buildings of the nearby Meilun Sanatorium, Bethesda Home for the Blind and Disabled, and Li Ming Nursing Home also suffered damage during the 0206 Earthquake. The Port of Hualien visited these organizations on February 9th to inquire about post-quake conditions and to provide special emergency relief donations. Overall, the response of the Port of Hualien to post-quake damage and recovery efforts was conducted in a manner that fully met the needs both of area residents and of the port’s business clients, underscoring TIPC’s commitment to and realization of sustainable operations at all of its ports.

Provided by General Affairs Department, Port of Hualien 
Contact Person Tze-ying Chang 
Telephone No. 03-8336296
E-mail Address jochang@twport.com.tw