Kim Hyun-bin began his journalism career at Arirang TV from 2012 to 2017, specializing in defense, foreign affairs and the economy. In 2018, he joined The Korea Times, covering society and business, and is currently responsible for embassy affairs.
Dutch envoy visits Busan Port to discuss stronger maritime, logistics cooperation
Dutch Ambassador to Korea Peter van der Vliet, right, shakes hands with Busan Port Authority (BPA) President Song Sang-keun in Busan, Wednesday. Courtesy of BPA
By Kim Hyun-bin
Dutch Ambassador to Korea Peter van der Vliet visited Busan Port Authority (BPA) headquarters on Wednesday to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in port and logistics sectors, the authority said.
The visit, organized on the basis of the long-standing friendship between Korea and the Netherlands, included discussions on the current state of collaboration between the two countries’ port industries and the potential for expanding future exchanges.
Following a meeting with BPA President Song Sang-keun, the ambassador and his delegation boarded a port vessel to tour the North Port area of Busan.
Busan Port and the Port of Rotterdam established a sister port agreement in 1985 and have since maintained close relations. In 2022, BPA opened a logistics center within the Port of Rotterdam to support Korean companies seeking overseas logistics bases, marking another milestone in bilateral cooperation.
Handling more than 24 million twenty-foot equivalent cargo units annually, Busan Port serves as one of the world’s leading transshipment hubs and a key node in the global maritime network. The Port of Rotterdam, Europe’s largest port, continues to lead the continent in energy transition, hydrogen and offshore wind initiatives, serving as a vital logistics and energy gateway.