Online ferry cancellation certificates surge 26-fold after auto-issuance launch

The number of users obtaining ferry cancellation and delay certificates online has risen sharply since the introduction of an automated issuance system.

The Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority (KOMSA) said Monday that 19,659 ferry operation certificates had been issued through its automated issuance service — launched in February last year — through June this year.

That figure is roughly 26 times the 768 certificates issued over the three years from 2022 to 2024, before the automated service was introduced.

A ferry operation certificate confirms that a passenger vessel was canceled or delayed due to bad weather or other conditions. The documents are used for a range of purposes, including canceling or obtaining refunds for accommodation bookings, extending military personnel's return deadlines, filing insurance claims and completing various administrative procedures.

Previously, applicants had to visit a KOMSA office in person or submit requests by phone or fax. That changed in February last year when KOMSA linked its vessel operations management system with its certificate issuance system, allowing users to obtain certificates online instantly from anywhere.

The service is accessible not only through the KOMSA website but also via the government's Gov24 portal and KOMSA's AI civil affairs chatbot, "Haesuhobbot," improving convenience for users.

KOMSA is also developing a one-stop service that would let users email a certificate directly to the relevant institution immediately after issuance. However, in-person, phone and fax applications remain available for those with limited digital access.

"Summer sees more ferry passengers, and at the same time, typhoons and other bad weather frequently disrupt sailing schedules," a KOMSA official said. "We encourage anyone who needs a ferry operation certificate to make full use of the online automated issuance service."

KOMSA President Ahn Young-cheol said the authority would continue to expand digitally accessible, everyday services that people can feel in their daily lives, improving the accessibility and convenience of public services.