Establishment of Typhoon Preparedness Plans for Ports... Hazardous Fishing Spots Designated as 'Disaster-Prone Areas'

Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Establishes Disaster Response Plan for Typhoon Preparedness

On August 26 last year, passenger ships and fishing boats seeking shelter from a typhoon were gathered at the Incheon Port Coastal Passenger Terminal and Coastal Wharf in Jung-gu, Incheon. (Image source=Yonhap News)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] On the 20th, the government announced that it will implement a disaster response plan to prepare for summer typhoons affecting facilities such as ports. Fishing spots expected to be hit by typhoons will be designated as disaster-prone areas and managed accordingly.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries introduced the forecast of Professor Axel Timmermann from Pusan National University, who predicts that the number of powerful typhoons with maximum wind speeds reaching 50 meters per second could increase by about 50% this year, and stated that they will prepare thoroughly for typhoons.

The ministry plans to establish a phased emergency preparedness system depending on the typhoon’s location. Preventive measures will be implemented to avoid casualties involving vulnerable facilities such as fishing ports, harbors, vessels, aquaculture and mariculture facilities, and navigational aids, as well as fishermen and fishing spot users.

Emergency response organizations will be organized in phases according to the typhoon’s position, such as the southern and northern tips of Taiwan, the northern tip of Okinawa, and the Korean Peninsula landfall. Joint public-private and internal inspections will be conducted on ports, fishing harbors, and passenger terminals to identify and address any deficiencies, with continuous management until improvements are completed. Facilities expected to be damaged by strong winds, such as cranes and timber yards, will be inspected regularly.

The local Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Offices will promptly hold vessel evacuation councils to assist with evacuations. In this regard, under the Fishing Vessel Safety Operation Act enforced since August last year, the ministry mandates the wearing of life jackets for people exposed on decks during typhoon or storm warnings or advisories, and supervises fishing vessels to report their locations every four hours from the issuance of a typhoon warning.

Additionally, anchoring and buoy mooring equipment at aquaculture farms will be inspected regularly, and a system will be established in cooperation with related agencies to evacuate facilities to safe zones in case they are swept away. Fishing spots with safety concerns will be designated as disaster-prone areas, and temporary business suspensions will be issued in cooperation with local governments when landslide warnings are issued.

Ko Joon-sung, Director of Maritime Safety Management at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, said, "As abnormal weather becomes more frequent due to climate change and typhoons are expected to become stronger, we will do our best to prepare thoroughly to protect the lives and property of the people."

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