'Overseas Seafarer-Originated COVID-19' Local Transmission Well Contained at Busan Port

Busan Port Authority, 2020 2nd Public Institution Service Innovation Award Excellence Prize

Busan Port Authority.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Busan Port Authority (BPA, President Nam Ki-chan) received the Excellence Award at the 2nd 2020 ‘Public Institution Service Innovation Awards’ in recognition of its port operation achievements, including preventing the community spread of COVID-19 through port quarantine measures.

The Public Institution Service Innovation Awards are given by the Korea Public Enterprise Society to public institutions that have innovated services for the public. This year, the theme for candidates was ‘Efforts of Public Institutions to Overcome the COVID-19 Pandemic.’

In this contest, Busan Port Authority presented its efforts to operate Busan Gamcheon Port stably despite COVID-19 and to prevent the spread of infectious diseases to the local community under the theme ‘Northeast Asia Fisheries Logistics Hub Gamcheon Port, Blocking COVID-19 Community Infection through Thorough Port Quarantine.’

In June, at Busan Gamcheon Port, when a foreign shipping company’s crew member was first confirmed with COVID-19, concerns about community infection arose, and port workers were quarantined, causing interruptions to their livelihoods and fears of decreased sales in the surrounding commercial areas.

Busan Port Authority established a cooperative system with related organizations such as Busan City and the National Busan Quarantine Station and promoted proactive administration, earning recognition for maintaining uninterrupted port operations despite COVID-19.

As a result of multifaceted efforts, including strengthening quarantine management of port facilities, vessels, foreign crew members, and port entrants, and proactively responding by identifying quarantine blind spots, they succeeded in attracting frozen fishery products that previously used overseas ports such as those in China to Gamcheon Port.

President Nam Ki-chan said, “Busan Gamcheon Port is a Northeast Asia fisheries logistics hub and a port closely connected to the regional economy,” adding, “We will continue to systematically respond to COVID-19 and maintain uninterrupted port operations through preemptive quarantine measures in cooperation with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, quarantine stations, local governments, and the Busan Port Workers’ Union.”

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