Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority Establishes Measures to Promote Slow-Speed Vessel Operation

Measures including adjustment of target ship types to reduce fine dust from ships
Additional incentives provided during fine dust seasonal management period

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority (President Cha Min-sik, hereinafter referred to as the Authority) announced on the 27th that it will promote improvement measures such as adjusting the types of vessels subject to the slow-speed navigation program and providing incentives to reduce fine dust emissions from ships.

The slow-speed navigation program is a system that reduces port facility usage fees, etc., when ships enter the port at speeds below a certain level. It has been implemented since 2001 at ports such as Los Angeles and Long Beach in the United States to improve the marine environment.

At Yeosu and Gwangyang ports, from December 2019 to October this year, 1,753 out of 5,145 eligible vessels participated, recording a participation rate of about 34%.

Accordingly, the Authority has prepared improvement measures to revitalize the slow-speed navigation program to effectively reduce fine dust within the port.

First, the Authority excluded general cargo ships from the existing slow-speed navigation target vessel types and added semi-container ships, which have similar operational characteristics to container ships.

This measure aims to focus the program's effectiveness, considering that the fine dust reduction effect of general cargo ships is about half that of container ships of the same size. The “Notification of Standards for Slow-Speed Navigation Areas and Target Vessel Types” will be revised and applied from January 1 next year.

Second, the procedure was improved so that shipping companies and agencies can participate by simply applying without submitting separate supporting documents.

Until now, shipping companies and agencies had the additional burden of submitting supporting documents when applying, but from now on, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Authority will directly collect and verify ship location information.

The application procedure improvements will be applied from the 1st of next month by modifying the Port-MIS (Port Maritime Information System).

Third, the discount rate on ship entry and exit fees for vessels participating in slow-speed navigation during the fine dust seasonal management period will be increased.

During the seasonal management period when fine dust issues become serious and public interest rises (January to March next year), the discount rate will be raised by 10 percentage points to 40% for container ships and 25% for other vessel types to encourage participation.

During other periods, the rates are 30% for container ships and 15% for other vessel types.

Fourth, the Authority plans to award the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries’ Commendation at the end of next month to the best shipping company that contributed to activating participation in slow-speed navigation this year. During the seasonal management period, the Authority will also publicize participating shipping companies by slow-speed navigation areas monthly on the port authority’s website and the Port-MIS to promote the program.

Yoo Choong-ho, Director of the Logistics Strategy Office at the Authority, stated, “Through the activation measures of the slow-speed navigation program, we will encourage more shipping companies to participate in the program and continue efforts to reduce air pollutant emissions from vessels entering Yeosu and Gwangyang ports.”