Safety checks ordered for 12 state-subsidized ferries ahead of public route transition

Safety inspections will be conducted on 12 state-subsidized passenger vessels operating across three regions — Incheon, Daesan and Gunsan — ahead of their transition to public routes next year. The checks will assess the condition of hulls, engines and safety equipment in advance, so any necessary repairs or upgrades can be completed before the handover.

The Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority (Komsa) announced Tuesday that it will inspect the 12 vessels deployed across 11 routes in the three regions from Wednesday through Sept. 7.

The inspections aim to assess the technical and structural condition of vessels Komsa will take over when it assumes responsibility for public route operations in 2027. The authority plans to begin public management with 11 routes across the Incheon, Daesan and Gunsan regions.

Komsa will form inspection teams of at least two specialists — including vessel surveyors and operations managers with field experience — and deploy them to each ship.

The checks will cover four areas: hull, engine, safety equipment, and passenger and crew facilities. Each vessel will be assessed against a standardized inspection guideline developed by Komsa.

If issues requiring improvement are identified, Komsa will ask the relevant shipping companies to carry out repairs or upgrades. The results will also inform vessel-specific maintenance plans and the development of a systematic fleet management framework.

"Carefully reviewing the condition of state-subsidized ferries and addressing any shortcomings before public route operations begin is a basic prerequisite for safe navigation," Komsa Chairman An Yeong-cheol said. "Through this inspection, we will verify each vessel's seaworthiness and proactively address any issues, so that island residents and the public can travel our sea routes with confidence."