Ganghwa County to Begin Construction of Replacement Passenger Ferry for Sisan-myeon Hari-Seogeomddo Route in January

[Suwon Ilbo=Choi Ki-ho Reporter] Ganghwa County announced on the 8th that the replacement passenger ferry construction project for the Ganghwa Ferry, which operates between Hari in Sisan-myeon and Seogeom and Mibeop islands, has completed its detailed design through the Incheon Regional Fisheries and Marine Administration and is scheduled to commence in January next year.

The state-subsidized route from Hari in Sisan-myeon to Seogeom and Mibeop islands is the only marine transportation means for island residents, and the Ganghwa Ferry has been operating in the route. However, as the vessel has aged, safety and convenience have significantly deteriorated, and resident inconvenience has been continuously raised.

To resolve these issues, the county has repeatedly visited relevant agencies since early this year and consistently proposed the replacement construction of the Ganghwa Ferry. In particular, efforts were made in multiple areas including △on-site and operational condition surveys △passenger demand analysis △continuous explanation regarding the necessity of ship construction △consultations with relevant agencies.

As a result, the Incheon Regional Fisheries and Marine Administration completed its detailed design in November this year and is currently conducting bidding for ship construction. Full-scale passenger ferry construction is scheduled to commence in January next year, with completion targeted for December of the same year.

The newly constructed passenger ferry will have a larger gross tonnage than the existing Ganghwa Ferry, expanding passenger transport capacity, and has been designed with emphasis on resident convenience and improved safety by having a wider beam to enable vehicle turnarounds.

County Governor Park Yong-chul stated, "When the new passenger ferry is constructed and enters service, resident safety as well as transportation convenience will be greatly improved," and added, "Going forward, I will closely cooperate with the Incheon Regional Fisheries and Marine Administration to establish a marine transportation system that residents can use more safely and conveniently."