Car Ferries Carry over 490,000 Passengers in First Half of Year

Korea expects to be a sea transportation hub in North East Asia by ope
ning new sea transportation routes and carrying more people by "Visit
Korea 2001".
MOMAF reported on 16 August that car ferries transported a total of 48
5,000 passengers in the first half of this year, rising 33 percent ove
r the same period of last year. In the middle of that, domestic passen
gers totaled 312,000 and foreign passengers amounted to 173,000. MOMAF
attributed this increase to the economic recovery in Asia creating mo
re travelers, and the opening of the new Pusan/Sushima and Paekdusan r
outes (Sokcho to Jarubino in Russia, and then on to Hunchun in China)
bringing about new opportunities.
Car ferry traffic is divided into 2 main routes.
The Korea/China routes, at first, boasted the greatest traffic amongst
the lot, carrying over 400,000 passengers last year. Now there are 8
routes, Inchon/Weihai, Inchon/Qingdao, Inchon/Tenjin, Inchon/Dalian, P
usan/Yantian, Kunsan/Yantian, Inchon/Dandong, and Pusan/Inchon/Sanghai
, deploying 7 vessels. This represents a 27 percent increase to 245,00
0 people compared to the same period of last year with 193,000 passeng
ers.
MOMAF decided to involve Pusan and Kunsan/Yantian operators in the new
Inchon/Yantian route last April. The new partners, a consortium of Da
ewoo shipbuilding, Sunkwang, Sinokor Merchant Marine, Kukbo, and Imkw
ang Building decided on how much they will invest in the new car ferry
trade. Operators in the Pusan and Kunsan/Yantian routes will deploy a
new car ferry from September. The vessel will be 16,000 gross tons an
d will carry at most 600 passengers and 200 TEU cargoes per sailing.
Taeyang Ferry was chosen as the operator for the Mokpo/Yantian route i
n Nov., 1999. This route will open by Sep. or Oct., deploying one 16,0
00 g/t vessel to carry 600 passengers and 200 TEU cargoes.
Still now, Korea/China sailings are restricted due to a lack of termin
als. If the Inchon International Terminal opens in Oct., it will help
to alleviate the shortage.
Korea/Japan traffic grew by 37.4 percent, carrying 234,000 passengers
compared to 170,000 passengers during the same period of last year. 40
2,000 passengers used this car ferry between Korea and Japan last year
. There are 3 trade routes, Pusan/Simonoseki, Pusan/Hakada and Pusan/S
ushima. It is expected to be busy with this trade due to the 2002 Worl
d Cup and the Pusan Asian Games in 2002. An express car ferry will be
deployed in Pusan/Hakada in April 2001.