Dockworkers engaged in container lashing operations. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
BUSAN, July 5 (Korea Bizwire) — As South Korea grapples with an early and intense heatwave, dock workers at Busan’s Sinseondae Terminal—one of the busiest transshipment hubs in the world—are enduring punishing conditions with little reprieve, raising concerns over labor safety in the nation’s critical shipping industry.
On July 4, with heat advisories in effect for the seventh consecutive day, the apparent temperature at the port surpassed 40°C (104°F). Workers tasked with securing cargo on container ships labored under blistering sun and steel surfaces radiating heat as high as 70°C (158°F). Despite wearing short sleeves, cooling sleeves, and so-called “refrigerator pants,” they were drenched in sweat within minutes.
Their job—manually securing 20–40kg steel rods in an X-formation to stabilize containers stacked three to four high—can stretch from 10 hours to overnight shifts. Cooling equipment attached to containers storing fresh or high-end goods often vents hot air directly at workers, adding to the heat burden.
“It’s like standing between two giant furnaces,” said a 30-year veteran of the job, only identified as Mr. Kim. “Automation has come a long way, but there’s still so much we have to do by hand.”
Temperature inside the ship measured during the day on the 4th (Image courtesy of the Busan Port Labor Union)
Unlike construction sites where extreme heat can trigger mandatory breaks, port laborers often have no fixed rest periods or meal breaks, leaving them exposed for long hours. During last summer’s heatwave, three cases of heat-related illness were reported at the Busan port; this year, one worker has already collapsed from the heat.
“It’s getting hotter every year,” said 62-year-old Lee Dong-gyu. “I’ve suffered heatstroke, burns from overheated containers, and sometimes I can barely stand straight.”
The largely temporary workforce is paid hourly, leaving them little choice but to work through dangerous heat to avoid losing a day’s pay or burdening teammates who work in pairs.
Union officials and workers are calling for stronger heat mitigation measures, including designated rest times, additional water and ice supplies, and improved onsite welfare. “Some of our members work nearly 480 hours a month,” said Kim Kyung-pil, a site supervisor. “We urgently need port authorities and terminal operators to take responsibility for protecting workers’ health before it’s too late.”
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
