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¡ã Beyond Trust |
The Jeju-Incheon ferry route, closed after the Sewol Ferry accident in April 2014, resumed operations after seven years and eight months.
On December 11th, the car ferry Beyond Trust carrying 200 passengers from Incheon arrived at Jeju Port. This is the first sail for the 27,000-ton cruise car ferry; it was built by Hydex Storage, the new passenger ship operator for the Incheon-Jeju route in 2019.
The ship’s name represents the wish for assuring safety at the level “beyond trust.” In fact, Beyond Trust is four times larger than the Sewol, which was 6,825 tons, but the passenger capacity is 854, 67 fewer than the Sewol (921).
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¡ã Beyond Trust |
With a length of 170m, a width of 26m, and a height of 28m, it was built to reach a maximum speed of about 24 knots (44.4 km per hour) while simultaneously transporting 487 vehicles and 65 containers. The ship is the first in Korea to be equipped with a real-time cargo loading management system to obtain ship stability, which supports its safe operation.
In the past, it was hard to calculate the weights of cars in real-time because they were randomly loaded to coastal ferries upon their arrival at the pier. According to the shipping company, by syncing the computer and operator’s PDA, the weights are now calculated in real-time, and the location of loaded cargo can be designated at the wheelhouse.
The ship’s route also bypasses the Maenggol Channel, where the Sewol accident happened. The round-trip route became 16 km longer, but the change is for improved safety. Inside the ship, there are over 90 guest rooms and convenience facilities, including a business lounge, a cafe, a restaurant, karaoke boxes, and a pub.
“I’ve always been interested in traveling on a ship and had an opportunity to ride this one,” said Park Sang-bong, the first passenger of the Beyond Trust. “I was surprised and delighted to be welcomed. I already made great memories in Jeju and have high expectations for the remainder of the trip,” he remarked.
The Beyond Trust departs Incheon Port every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7 PM and arrives at Jeju Port at 9:30 AM the next day. It is scheduled to depart from Jeju Port at 8:30 PM on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays and arrive at Incheon Port at 10 AM the next day.
“In the hopes that the wounds inflicted on the whole nation will heal, we will always keep safety in mind and thoroughly administer the ship’s safety management as if my family is on board,” said Bang Hyeon-woo, CEO of Hydex Storage. |