The summer vacation season is coming, but tourists will soon have fewer choices for getting to the island. A number of ferry companies on Jeju routes will soon suspend service because their vessels are too old. Mike Balfour reports.

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Jeju Port

Ferry operator, (한일)Hanil Express’ Blue (나래)Narae Ferry has just docked at the Port of Jeju.

The express ferry carries area residents and tourists between (완도) Wando Island and Jeju in 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Soon this popular ferry has to stop forever under the new rules for durable years of a ferry.

The ferry was built in 1992.

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Operational life of ferries cut from 30 to 25 years

According to the Marine Transportation Act, ferries have an operational life of 25 years.

The act was amended, cutting the previous duration of 30 years after (세월) Sewol Ferry disaster in 2014.

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Hanil’s replacement ferry under repair

To replace the Narae ferry, the operator has purchased a used vessel for the (완도) Wando/Jeju route.

But the vessel is now under repair and will be launched next month.

Recording
Hanil Express representative
The replacement ferry is under repair in Busan. Regulations were tightened after the Sewol Ferry disaster. It’s taking longer than expected to get an operations permit.
<씽크 :한일고속 관계자>
"부산에서 수리 중인데 세월호 사고 이후에 법 규제라든가 검사들이 까다로워졌어요. 그래서 당초 예상했던 시간보다 검사 속도가 지연되다 보니까…."

Another ferry linking the two islands is the (한일) Hanil Car Ferry No.1. Its operation also will be suspended as of July 6.

The operator is now building a ferry to replace it. The new ferry is expected to be operational by October of this year.

Since the (한일) Hanil Car Ferry No,1 transports a much higher portion of freight than the Blue (나래) Narae,

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Freight shipping expected to slow beginning early July

freight shipping will be slowed after it stops.

The only vessel linking the island and (부산) Busan, the Blue Star Ferry, also has to temporarily stop effective July 6.

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Jeju-Busan service on Blue Star Ferry to be suspended July 6

The substitute ferry won’t be launched until October as the purchase was made later than planned.

Tourists are complaining about the ferry operation vacuum that coincides with the summer vacation season.

INTERVIEW
Kim Jeong-ja / Blue Narae Ferry passenger
One or two months, but why during the summer vacation season? We often use the Blue Narae, because it’s the quickest from Haenam. If we have to take the ferry at Mokpo, the journey to Jeju takes four hours.
<인터뷰 : 김정자/전라남도 해남군>
"한두 달…. 왜 휴가철에 하필 그러죠? 해남은 무안도 꽤 거리가 있어요. 그리고 목포로 가도 배가 4시간씩 걸리니까 오는 시간이 짧은 이 배(한일블루나래호)를 많이 이용하죠."

[Reporter] Mike Balfour
[Camera] Kim Yong-min

Area residents and tourists will just have to bear the inconvenience of the temporary cessation of the Jeju/Wando and Jeju/Busan ferry routes.

Mike Balfour, KCTV