A newly built cruise ship that has only been in operation for a few days is experiencing operational disruptions due to a mechanical failure.
According to the port industry and the operator Panstar Group on the 17th, the cruise ferry 'Panstar Miracle', which was on its second voyage since its launch, is currently operating behind schedule due to a mechanical defect.
This vessel departed from Osaka at around 7:45 p.m. on the 16th, carrying about 200 passengers and heading to Busan. During the cruise, a mechanical failure was discovered, and it is reported that only one of the two engines is operating, forcing the ship to proceed at reduced speed.
The vessel was originally scheduled to arrive at Busan Port at around 1:15 p.m. on the 17th, but is now expected to arrive at around 6:00 p.m.
This means that the Panstar Miracle, the first cruise ferry built in Korea, has encountered a delay on its second voyage not due to weather conditions, but because of a mechanical failure.
According to Panstar Group, the reason for the delayed arrival of the Panstar Miracle is that four people, including shipyard officials, equipment manufacturers, and the shipowner's supervisor, boarded the ship to inspect the condition of the new vessel's dock, cargo hold, and various equipment. During this inspection, they discovered a crack in some of the piping.
An official from the operator explained, "Upon inspection, it was confirmed to be the emergency line (back-up) lubrication oil piping of the No. 2 main engine. Although operation is possible, the ship is running at reduced speed for safety reasons."
The official added, "To ensure greater safety, we plan to suspend one voyage and resume operations only after all issues have been resolved. We expect normal operations to resume from the 19th of this week."
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