Possible alternative locations for the new deepwater port facility, able to take ships of up to 20 tonnage, such as Keelung and Taichung, had to be rejected because of inadequate space or shallow shipping channels, so Kaohsiung became the final choice.
為找尋可容許廿噸級以上運煤船的能源港基地，交通部曾考慮基隆、台中、外傘頂洲及高雄幾個地點。「基隆腹地太小、台中航道水深不足，外傘頂洲基礎工業又不如高雄雄厚，經濟效益不大」，侯和雄說，最後高雄當然就被點為第一優先區位了。