Global Water Transportation Experts Visit Seoul to Discuss Plans to Expand the "Hangang Bus"

"Hangang Bus Global Insight Forum" Held
Water Transportation Experts from London, New York and Beyond Attend
Oh Sehoon: "A Challenge That Can Completely Transform Urban Competitiveness"

Global water transportation experts are visiting Seoul to explore sustainable operational plans for the Hangang Bus. It is an initiative to innovate the Hangang Bus, a core pillar of Han River utilization.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on February 24, Seoul Housing & Communities Corporation (SH) and the Seoul Institute will hold the "Hangang Bus Global Insight Forum" at Hotel Naru Seoul MGallery in Mapo District on this day, under the theme "Questions from Seoul, Answers from the World - Innovations and Challenges in Water Transportation Experienced Around the Globe."

On the 23rd, David Panayiotou, Head of London River Services, and Jonathan Figueroa, Senior Vice President of New York Ferry, visited Hangang Bus to discuss an operating plan. Seoul City

At the forum, global water transportation experts from New York, London, Brisbane, and other cities will present representative case studies from each city and share development plans for the Hangang Bus. In the opening session preceding the forum, Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon says, "For citizens using public transportation, the Hangang Bus offers a more relaxed option, and for visitors to Seoul, it provides an unforgettable memory. Furthermore, it is a bold challenge that can completely transform Seoul's lifestyle and urban competitiveness," adding, "A river truly comes alive when boats travel along it, and I wanted the Han River to once again breathe as both the feet of citizens and the lifeblood of the city."

The forum will begin with a presentation by Kim Wonho, Vice President of the Seoul Institute, under the theme "Questions from the Hangang Bus on the Early Settlement Process of Water Transportation in Overseas Cities." Vice President Kim states, "The success or failure of the Hangang Bus depends on clearly defining the service identity at the initial stage and proactively designing safety and operation standards, as well as a public-private operational responsibility framework that matches that identity," and adds, "As seen in overseas water transportation cases, it is important to build a harmonious structure between a public control tower and the operational capabilities of the private sector."

In the subsequent planning session, David Panayiotou, Head of London River Services at Transport for London; Frannie Civitano, Senior Vice President at the New York City Economic Development Corporation; Jonathan Figueroa, Senior Vice President at New York-based Hornblower Group (the operator of New York Ferry); and Mark Hickman, Chair Professor of Transport Engineering at the University of Queensland in Australia, will present on "Initial Challenges and Overcoming Cases Experienced by Water Transportation in Overseas Cities."

From London, they will share how the Thames River Bus has been integrated with the city's public transportation system to boost demand, while simultaneously introducing eco-friendly vessels and shifting freight transport from roads to waterways. From New York, they will present how NYC Ferry has improved financial efficiency through KPI-based performance management and incentives for private operators, as well as fare restructuring and route optimization, resulting in the lowest per-passenger subsidy level among publicly supported passenger ferries in the United States. From Brisbane, Australia, they will showcase how Brisbane Ferry has become a successful public transportation model through customized routes and hub connections, high punctuality and satisfaction, and strong capabilities for rapid recovery after disasters such as floods.

Park Jinyoung, Head of the Future Hangang Headquarters of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, will also give a presentation titled "Connecting the City and the River - The Birth of the Hangang Bus." In this session, Director Park says, "The Han River has transformed from a flood-control-centered space into a cultural and leisure space for citizens, and last year it became a symbol of Korea's growth and a landmark visited by 100 million citizens and tourists," adding, "With the Hangang Bus in operation, it has been innovated into a new platform where urban mobility coexists with culture and leisure."

Based on the discussions at this forum, Seoul Housing & Communities Corporation and the Seoul Institute plan to further advance the Hangang Bus operation system and safety framework. Hwang Sangha, President of Seoul Housing & Communities Corporation, states, "The Hangang Bus is more than just a means of transportation; it is an innovative public infrastructure that enhances Seoul's urban competitiveness," and adds, "Through this forum, we will incorporate global success factors and develop it into a water transportation model loved by citizens."

Prior to the forum, on the 23rd, overseas experts boarded the Hangang Bus on the Yeouido-Jamsil section to observe its operation and inspect piers and other water transportation infrastructure on the Han River.