SARS impact spreads

The export and logistics industries have been hard hit by SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome).
The WHO (World Health Organization) confirmed at the end of February that the mysterious disease known as SARS is being spread all around the Southeast Asia. The death toll is soaring well over 100.
The car-ferry business was severely damaged by SARS with passengers sharply declining and group tours to China canceling.
The Inchon Main Customs House reported that 8 car ferry trades between Inchon and China showed 28,688 passengers during March with 194 sailings, or 147.8 people per sailing. This represents a decrease of 17.1% over January with 178.4 people per sailing and a 12.2% decrease compared to February with 168.3.
Considering that peddlers, the primary customers for car ferries, usually do a great deal of business after the lunar New Year and in the spring, the decline of passengers in March shows just how much fear SARS has stirred up, much to the chagrin of the car ferry business.
Weidong Ferry said that with SARS fears escalating all group reservations to China were cancelled and only peddlers used the ferry.
“Though the Chinese tourism bureau reported that Northeastern China had no SARS cases, Korean tourists didn’t believe it. The only solution is to bring SARS under control in the early stages,” said a salesman from Weidong Ferry.
Usually, April and May are regarded as peak seasons for the car ferry business because of Children’s day and Parent’s day. Considering that most April and May reservations to China were cancelled, SARS may cause damage to the business above previous worries. However, even under these serious circumstances, they have not yet considered curtailing services.
A Hwadong Ferry spokesman said, “Tourists were fewer while business passengers and peddlers have been still there. We have to keep the service for carrying cargoes without passengers. However, if the SARS impact goes longer, we are certain that the sailing plan can change.”
Though container lines have sidestepped SARS damage, they can’t escape it as SARS continues to affect the trading industry.
Domestic shipping companies, including Hanjin Shipping, couriered masks to representatives and families in China, Hong Kong and Singapore.
The KMTC ordered representatives’ families to return from the Southeast Asia. If the situation worsens, they may entirely recall all staff from local branches in Southeast Asia back to Korea.
On condition of anonymity, one source at the KMTC said stevedoring personnel have been afraid of doing jobs for cargoes from China because of SARS. There are in fact too many containers from China to quarantine them, he added.