Taiwan’s four port authorities, Keelung, Taichung, Kaohsiung, and Hualien, were originally administrative units under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications. For years, these units acted as a public authority and took charge of port business management in a quasi-governmental role. Under such a setup, their legitimacy and fairness was questioned and port development was restricted by the complexity of the regulatory environment. Their lack of flexibility and responsiveness to market changes impeded port development and consequently suppressed the development of international competitiveness. Therefore, in the planning of government organizational reform, known issues and problems were raised and a decision to separate business management from the administrative system was made with reference to the maritime management systems of other developed nations. Under this framework, the four port authorities were consolidated into the Maritime and Port Bureau (MPB) and the Taiwan International Ports Corporation Ltd. The former acts as a government body in charge of maritime and port-related public administration, and the latter is an independent business in charge of business management and development.

The Taiwan International Ports Corporation Ltd. Establishment Act was promulgated on November 9, 2011. However, the corresponding Organization Act of the MPB of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications was not officially promulgated. To continue reforms, the MPB moved to establish the Provisional Organization Regulations of the MPB of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.With this as a basis, the MPB and Taiwan International Ports Corporation Ltd. were simultaneously founded on March 1, 2012. The MPB is staffed with Planning Division, Maritime Affairs Division, Vessel Management Division, Port Affairs Division, Seafarers Administration Division, Maritime Safety Division, Secretariat, Personnel Office, Civil Service Ethics Office, Budget, Accounting and Statistics Office, Information Management Office and four Maritime Affairs Centers - North, Central, South, and East. The lighthouse management unit originally organized under the Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance, was officially reorganized into and reestablished as the Maritime Safety Division under the new MPB on January 1, 2013.

The organization law for the MPB had not been officially promulgated. The MPB made an amendment to the provisional organization regulations on January 1, 2013, and adopted the civil service employee system. The original personnel system is still applicable to the staff of transportation and information administration and customs. The amended provisional organization regulations have been submitted to the Executive Yuan for approval and the Examination Yuan for filing. The related posts are being classified for civil service ranking and recruitment is on going.

In accordance with the Organization Reform for the Executive Yuan, the Organization Act of the MPB, Ministry of Transportation and Communications is promulgated on September 15, 2023. The MPB will enhance the competitiveness and management efficiency of Taiwan’s maritime industry and ports, create a sound shipping business environment, thereby promoting its sustainable development.