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POHANG

PORT FACILITIES

The man-made harbor at Pohangshinhang Port has eight piers. Piers #1, #4, #7, and #8 are normally used by U.S. Navy ships (Figure 4, Figure 5, and Figure 6). Generally, DDGs and CGs use Pier #1 and LCCs, LPDs, LSDs, LHAs, and LHDs use Pier #8. LPDs have tied up previously at Pier #7. MCMs and FFGs may use any of these piers. Piers #1 through #6 are used for soft coal, iron ore, limestone, and steel products in support of the POSCO steel complex. Piers #7 and #8 are used for scrap iron, steel products, and other miscellaneous general cargo in support of the Pohang Port Operations Corporation.

Pier #1 is 512 ft (1,680 m) long and has an alongside depth ranging from 52.5 to 64 ft (16 to 19.5 m). Figure 8 provides a view of Pier #1 and the hard rubber fendering. Pier #2 is 4,118 ft (1,255 m) long and has an alongside depth of 29.5-39.4 ft (9-12 m). Piers #1 and #2 have a deck height of 14.8 ft (4.5 m). Figure 9, Figure 10, and Figure 11 provide a view of Pier #2 and the superb hard rubber fendering. Figure 11 also shows a portion of Pier #3 on the left side of the view. Pier #3 is 1,545 ft (471 m) long with an alongside depth of 24.6 ft (7.5 m). Figure 12 provides a view of Pier #3 and Figure 13 provides a view of Pier #3, Pier #4, and Pier #5. Figure 14 shows the rubber fendering at Pier #3. Pier #4 is 1,378 ft (420 m) long with an alongside depth of 36.1 ft (11 m). Pier #5 is 2,805 ft (855 m) long with an alongside depth of 22.3-35.4 ft (6.8-10.8 m). Pier #6 is 704 m long with an alongside depth of 22.3-24.6 ft (6.8-7.5 m). Figure 15 and Figure 16 show pilot boats tied up at Pier #6. Pier # 7 is 5,322 ft (1,622 m) long with an alongside depth of 24.6-39.4 ft (7.5-12 m). A large white ship is tied up at Pier #7 in Figure 17 and Figure 18. Figure 19 shows the fendering on Pier #7. Figure 20, Figure 21 and Figure 22 show the fendering in the vicinity of Berths #74 and #75. Pier #8 is 4,751 ft (1,448 m) long with an alongside depth of 31.2-39.4 ft (9.5-12 m). Figure 23 shows two ships tied up at Pier #8 and Figure 24 provides a view of the fendering on Pier #8. Pier #7 and Pier #8 have a deck height of 8.2 ft (2.5 m).

When U. S. Navy ships visit the Inner Harbor at Pohang, it is usually in support of amphibious training operations conducted jointly with Republic of Korea armed forces. Other facilities used by U. S. Navy ships include the primary anchorage north and northeast of the Inner Harbor, and the beach southeast of the Port.

Pilotage is compulsory at Pohang for ships entering and leaving the port. Pilots board vessels at the following positions:

No. 1 - Position 35°04'N 129°08.9'E
No. 2 - Position 35°01.5'N 129°02.5'E
No. 3 - Position 35°00'N 129°48.2'E

There are 10 pilots in the Port that are available day or night. Normally, at night only ships less than 20,000 grt and 200 m in length can be taken alongside or away from berths. Berths #76 and # 86 are special exceptions. There are a total of 9 tugs in Pohang with the following hp: 4,800 (1), 3,800 (1), 3,000 (3), 2,600 (1), 2,400 (1), 1,300 (1), and 1,000 (1).

As of the Site Visit in April 2010, the main working frequency for the Pohang Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) Center, call sign "Pohang Port Service", is VHF Channel 12. The secondary working frequency is VHF Channel 6. The emergency channel is VHF Channel 16. Initial calls are also made on Channel 16. They can also be contacted by phone at 054-275-0313. If calling from the USA, the phone number would be 011-82-54-275-0313. Figure 25 and Figure 26 show the displays in the Pohang VTS Center. The Port Traffic Management Service (PTMS) can also be reached at 054-275-0313 or by fax at 054-274-5535. The working frequency for the Pohang Harbour Pilots' Association is VHF Channel 14. They can also be contacted by phone at 054-242-5221. The phone number for tugs is 054-244-3377. The Pohang Regional Maritime Affairs and Port Office is located at (791-120) 58-7 Hanggu-dong, Buk-gu, Pohang-si, South Korea and can be contacted by phone at 054-242-1812 (5) or Fax at 054-247-2122.

The Military Sealift Command Office (Operations) in Pusan, Korea from USA is DSN 763-3119 or 011-82-505-763-3119. The CDO cell phone is 011-579-6018.

As per a Port Visit After Action Report in June 2009 by USS Higgins (DDG 76), "The well maintained pier was lined with stacked steel and iron beams. The end of Pier #8 was host to three towering mountains of scrap metal. Small coastal freighters would moor periodically throughout HIG port visit to unload and haul away loads of scrap. Painting and preservation is prohibited in Pohang Harbor."

As per a Port Visit After Action Report in April 2007 by USS Essex (LHD 2), "Essex requested and received four tugs with a minimum of 3,500 hp, and had no difficulty landing pierside in winds up to 25 kt. Logistical limitations made the use of Pohang as the port of embarkation/debarkation for amphibious forces challenging. Berthing times for Navy ships at the POSCO commercial pier were unreliable as Essex was directed to get underway only six hours into a scheduled 24-hour pierside offload. Additionally, the pier is designed for POSCO's steel-consuming customers, and the large piles of scrap metal on the pier were FOD hazards for LCACs, precluding pierside LCAC operations. This was complicated by the fact that Daegu Beach (in Pohang harbor) is untenable for LCUs and thus limited to LCACs".

As per a Port Visit After Action Report in April 2007 by USS Cowpens (CG 63), "Cowpens moored port side to Pier #1 Berth #12. Berth #12 was extremely tight fit between a moored Group III iron ore carrier at Berth #13 and numerous smaller merchants and barges in the vicinity of the pier corner and proximate pier. Berth assignment in preparation for port facility was also difficult to negotiate and changed several times prior to Cowpen's arrival." "Due to limited berth space, COW utilized lead line on forecastle and sounded six fathoms at the bullnose. COW sent RHIB out to conduct additional soundings throughout the corner during inport period. Throughout the corner area the overall depth was between 5.6 and 6 fathoms. Outbound pilot had a photo copy of chart with updated soundings matching the soundings by lead line."

Source: http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/port_studies/thh-nc/korea/pohang/text/port_facilities.htm