The Korea-China ferry service connecting Incheon and Dandong, China, has resumed passenger transportation after a hiatus of five years and two months.
According to Incheon Port Authority (IPA), Seonsa Dandong Ferry (Dandong International Shipping Co., Ltd.) has deployed the 24,748-ton ferry "Oriental Pearl 8" to restart passenger transportation on the Incheon-Dandong route as of the 28th. This marks the resumption after five years and two months since services were suspended in January 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ferry will operate three times a week. On its first voyage, it arrived at Incheon Port on the morning of the 28th, carrying approximately 500 passengers and 12 TEU (with 1 TEU equivalent to a 20-foot container) of cargo from China. To commemorate the resumption of passenger services, IPA and the ferry operator held a celebratory event, presenting bouquets and commemorative plaques to the first arriving passengers and the captain.
The 24,748-ton ferry "Oriental Pearl 8," operated by Seonsa Dandong Ferry (Dandong International Shipping Co., Ltd.), is entering the Incheon Port International Passenger Terminal on the 28th. Yonhap News
With the resumption of the Incheon-Dandong route, the number of passenger ferry routes connecting Incheon and Chinese cities has increased to a total of seven, including Qingdao, Weihai, Shidao, Yantai, Lianyungang, and Dalian. The remaining three routes, which have not yet resumed passenger transportation, are also under review by each respective ferry operator regarding possible resumption.
The ferry operator explained that Dandong, located near the North Korean border, offers tourism programs linked to North Korea, such as visits to Mount Paektu and the Yalu River, which are attracting significant interest from Korean tourists.
To coincide with the resumption of passenger services, IPA has improved the exterior of the shuttle buses operating between the passenger terminal and the pier, and conducted safety inspections of the facilities together with private sector experts.
Lee Kyungkyu, President of IPA, stated, "The Dandong route can be connected to a variety of tourist attractions, including Goguryeo historical sites, resulting in high passenger demand. We will do our utmost to operate the passenger terminal efficiently in order to promote passenger traffic and ensure stable transportation."
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