Vessel acquisition and safety management systems under review; coverage to expand to 29 routes nationwide by 2028
Starting next year, the Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority (KOMSA) will take over operations of 11 public ferry routes serving the Incheon, Daesan and Gunsan regions. The transition is part of a government push to shift state-subsidized ferry routes from private to public management, overhauling maritime transport services for island residents.
KOMSA announced Monday that it held a company-wide review meeting at its Sejong headquarters on June 26, chaired by President An Yeong-cheol, to assess preparations for launching public ferry operations in January.
Public ferry routes are passenger lines that cannot sustain themselves on fare revenue alone and have long relied on government support. The government is phasing out private operators in favor of public management to better guarantee islanders' right to mobility and strengthen the public character of route operations.
An amendment to the Shipping Act enabling the transition passed the National Assembly in May and was promulgated on June 16. Under the revised law, KOMSA will directly operate the Incheon, Daesan and Gunsan public routes beginning next year.
The meeting reviewed key tasks that must be completed before operations begin, including asset due diligence on vessels to be acquired, the establishment of a safety management framework, and plans to improve customer service. Participants also discussed inter-departmental cooperation needed during the operational transition.
An urged staff to ensure smooth on-site handovers and to maintain active communication with existing shipping companies, their employees, local governments and island residents throughout the preparation process.
After launching operations on the 11 routes in the Incheon, Daesan and Gunsan regions next year, KOMSA plans to draw on that experience to expand its coverage to all 29 public ferry routes nationwide by 2028.
"Public ferry routes are a core public service that sustains the daily lives of island residents," An said. "We will spare no effort in our preparations so that passengers can feel the difference in safety and service quality from the very first day of operations."
adastra@heraldcorp.com
