ONE acquires stake in South Korea’s first fully automated terminal at Busan

Ocean Network Express (ONE) has acquired an indirect stake in Dongwon Global Terminal Busan (DGT) through a long-term partnership with Dongwon Group, according to a statement CM received from the carrier. ONE described the holding as “meaningful” but did not disclose the stake size or financial terms. The investment was made through a Dongwon subsidiary that holds the terminal concession, rather than directly into DGT.

DGT, inaugurated in April 2024, is South Korea’s first fully automated container terminal, using automated guided vehicle (AGV) technology across a site that ONE says will offer a design capacity exceeding 4.5m teu at full build-out — a figure that, if realised, would place it among the largest single terminals globally. The facility comprises five deep-sea berths totalling 1,750 m and one 385 m feeder berth. The Busan investment extends a pattern of terminal acquisitions ONE has pursued since 2023: a minority position in New Priok Container Terminal One in Jakarta that year, followed in 2024 by a 51% stake in TraPac and Yusen Terminals in Los Angeles and Oakland, and a 20% share in Rotterdam World Gateway. “By securing direct access to capacity in this key port region, customers can benefit from more reliable and stable connections within Asia and the broader global network,” said Hiroki Tsujii, global chief officer of ONE’s product and network division.

Busan handled approximately 23m teu in 2025, making it the world’s seventh-busiest container port and a critical transshipment node where berth access is increasingly contested among carriers. Dongwon Group, a food and logistics conglomerate, is reported to be considering a renewed bid to acquire HMM, South Korea’s largest container carrier, according to the Korea Herald — a transaction that, if completed, would give ONE a terminal partner with ownership of a competing shipping line.