Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Operates Emergency System for Suez Canal Accident... "Preparing for Prolonged Situation"

Joint Public-Private 'Suez Canal Navigation Suspension Emergency Response Team' Formed

A satellite image from the French Space Agency (CNES) capturing the Panama-flagged ultra-large container ship 'Ever Given,' 400 meters in length, blocking passage in the Suez Canal for the third consecutive day on the 25th (local time). (Image source=AFP Yonhap News)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Moon Seong-hyeok, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, held an emergency countermeasure meeting on the 28th regarding the suspension of navigation in the Suez Canal and urged the preparation of measures such as activating emergency operation systems for each shipping company.

On the afternoon of the same day, Minister Moon presided over a video conference at the Government Sejong Complex attended by HMM, the Korea Shipping Association, and others, checking the response status of each shipping company and related organizations to the suspension of navigation in the Suez Canal.

Minister Moon said, "With the grounding accident of the Ever Given causing the suspension of navigation in the Suez Canal, concerns about delays in international logistics are significant," and added, "Each shipping company should thoroughly manage the safety of vessels waiting near the Suez Canal and those taking detours." He urged, "Please strive to minimize damage by notifying cargo owners of relevant information when using detour routes and by activating emergency operation systems for each shipping company in preparation for a prolonged situation."

On the morning of the 23rd (local time) in the Suez Canal, Egypt, the Panama-flagged 224,000-ton container ship Ever Given ran aground, causing a suspension of navigation and massive disruptions in logistics. Domestically, HMM passes through the Suez Canal with about two vessels per week, so if the situation prolongs, losses cannot be avoided.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries expanded the response team it had been operating independently into a public-private joint response system involving related organizations such as the Korea Shipping Association and HMM, forming the "Suez Canal Navigation Suspension Emergency Response Team."

In addition, they are responding to minimize logistics disruptions by monitoring the navigation situation in nearby waters and the response status of each shipping company together with national shipping companies operating European routes. During the meeting, Minister Moon communicated via satellite with the captain of HMM's container ship Gdansk, which is waiting near the Suez Canal, to hear about the local situation and also checked the status of the crew's food supplies.