Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province announced on July 20 that the northern shipping route connecting Sokcho Port and Vladivostok, Russia, will resume regular operations in August.
The new operator, GNLst, will be in charge of the service. After acquiring the G&L Graceho in March, the company completed extensive repairs both inside and outside the vessel. The G&L Graceho is a 16,000-ton class medium-sized car ferry. It can simultaneously transport 570 passengers, 150 TEU of cargo (1 TEU is equivalent to one 20-foot container), and 350 vehicles. The vessel is scheduled to arrive at Sokcho Port on July 26.
This resumption of service comes one year and five months after operations were suspended in February last year. Initially, the ferry will operate once a week, with plans to increase to twice a week starting next year. To enhance passenger convenience, onboard facilities and amenities will also be improved.
The province emphasized that Sokcho Port’s geographical advantages and potential provide it with strong competitiveness on international routes. Taking the resumption of regular service as an opportunity, the province plans to complete repairs and upgrades to the Sokcho Port International Passenger Terminal by next year to strengthen the port's role as a hub in the Pan-East Sea region. Sokcho City is also developing multifaceted strategies to make the northern shipping route a new growth engine for the local economy, including improving port infrastructure, port sales, and developing tourism products.
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