Incheon-Jeju Passenger Ferry License Surrendered 7 Years After Sewol Ferry Disaster

A ferry operator that launched service on the Incheon-Jeju route for the first time in over seven years since the Sewol ferry disaster has surrendered its operating license and withdrawn.

According to the Incheon Regional Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Office on the 26th, the ferry operator Haideks Seutoliji on the Incheon-Jeju route returned its operating license to the Incheon Maritime Office the day before.

The operator built and launched a 27,000-ton ferry, the Beyond Trust (passenger capacity 810), on the Incheon-Jeju route in December 2021, 7 years and 8 months after the Sewol ferry disaster. However, after about a month of operation, the ferry experienced engine failures and other minor malfunctions, causing disruptions in service six times, leading to the sale of the vessel last November.

Incheon~Jeju Beyond Trust Ship Photo by Yonhap News

After selling the ferry, the operator considered deploying a replacement vessel but was unable to find a used ship of similar age. Considering that building a new ship would require more than three years, the operator ultimately abandoned plans for a replacement vessel.

The Incheon Maritime Office plans to hold briefings to find a new ferry operator and prepare bidding requirements that include stable operation methods and strict safety management systems.

An official from the Incheon Maritime Office stated, "The Incheon-Jeju route has a history of the Sewol ferry accident and requires very strict operating standards due to its special characteristics such as nighttime navigation. We plan to proceed with a bidding process to select an excellent operator equipped with a safety management system."

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