Newest High-Speed Passenger Ship "Nova" Launches on Busan-Tsushima Route

Starline: "Official Operations Begin on the 3rd, Fleet Expanded to Three Ships"

A new high-speed passenger ship will begin operating on the route between Busan and Tsushima Island.

Starline Co., Ltd. announced on October 1 that the new high-speed passenger ship "Nova" on the Busan-Tsushima route will officially commence operations starting October 3.

The newly introduced "Nova" is a next-generation passenger vessel that replaces the previous "Nina," offering upgrades in size, performance, and convenience.

Built in 2025 by DAMEN, a Dutch company specializing in passenger ship construction, this latest vessel measures 42.4 meters in length, has a gross tonnage of 590 tons, accommodates up to 439 passengers, and boasts a maximum speed of 40 knots.

Equipped with four main engines, the ship offers superior safety and stability, minimizing motion even in rough weather and maintaining a steady cruising speed, which is expected to further enhance passenger satisfaction.

All seats are furnished with leather upholstery and individual USB ports, and the seats are wider, providing a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere so that travelers can enjoy a leisurely journey even on longer voyages.

The Nova successfully completed trial runs between Busan and Tsushima (Hitakatsu and Izuhara) from September 9 to September 30.

The operating schedule is as follows: on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, the ship runs the Hitakatsu route; on Wednesdays and Fridays, it serves the Izuhara route. On weekends, when tourist demand is highest, there will be two round trips per day.

The ship departs from Busan International Passenger Terminal at 9:10 a.m. The return trips depart from Hitakatsu at 3:50 p.m. and from Izuhara at 3:20 p.m. The travel time is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes from Busan to Hitakatsu, and about 2 hours and 30 minutes from Busan to Izuhara.

Choo Yeonwoo, CEO of Starline, stated, "Currently, there are two vessels operating on the Busan-Tsushima route. With the addition of the Nova, we aim to provide travelers to Tsushima with a wider range of ship experiences and services."

Choo also emphasized, "By operating the state-of-the-art passenger ship Nova, which excels in safety, comfort, and convenience, we will prioritize customer safety and satisfaction, and contribute to the development of the local economy and tourism industry by revitalizing tourism exchanges between Korea and Japan."

Starline's latest passenger ship, Nova.

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