Pyeongtaekham Reborn as Maritime Safety Experience Center After Decommissioning

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu] The decommissioned vessel Pyeongtaek (ATS-27) is being transformed into a Maritime Safety Experience Center to undertake a new mission.

According to the Navy on the 20th, the decommissioned vessel Pyeongtaek will be delivered to Pyeongtaek City, Gyeonggi Province, on a free loan basis.

The Pyeongtaek served in the U.S. Navy under the name "Beaufort" from 1972 for 25 years and was decommissioned in 1996. It was then acquired by the Republic of Korea Navy in 1997 and served for over 20 years until its decommissioning on December 31, 2016, conducting rescue and towing operations for ships and vessels. As a salvage ship, the Pyeongtaek carried out missions such as removing surface and underwater obstacles in maritime waterways.

It was deployed in the 2007 Taean oil spill disaster prevention operation, the 2010 Cheonan ship rescue and salvage operation, and the 2014 Sewol ferry missing persons rescue and search operation. It also contributed to marine cleanup by collecting 150 tons of abandoned fishing nets in the Yeonpyeongdo waters.

Now assigned its third mission in Pyeongtaek, the Pyeongtaek will be stationed on land at the rear area of the new international passenger terminal in Pyeongtaek City, transformed into a space for the public to experience maritime safety.

On this day, the Pyeongtaek departed Jinhae Port to Mokpo by tugboat. After maintenance at the Mokpo Daebul Shipyard, it will head to Pyeongtaek.

Colonel Lee Dong-won of the Navy Logistics Command said, "The Pyeongtaek, which devotedly carried out missions on the front lines during maritime disasters, is returning to the people once again," adding, "It will be reborn as a space to experience warships and safety, successfully completing its third mission."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.