Korea to Build 8 Quays for Cruise Ships
Eight wharfs will be built in six ports exclusively for cruise ships by 2020 to foster the Korea's marine tourism industry. The government will also develop cruise tour programs that allow participants to experience traditional Korean culture on land, such as temple stays, tea tasting and pottery making. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries yesterday jointly announced a set of measures to double the number of cruise ships visiting Korea and the number of passengers on them by 2011. The annual growth of cruise tourism is 8.1 percent worldwide, much greater than that of ordinary tourism market, 4.3 percent. Last year, 67 foreign cruise ships touched at Korean ports with 33,993 passengers.
Ship Collision Kills Three
Three Chinese sailors aboard a cargo ship were killed and nine others are missing following a collision with another vessel near Inchon Port of the Republic of Korea (ROK) yesterday. Five sailors were saved by press time last night, according to the China Maritime Search and Rescue Centre under the Ministry of Communications. The ROK maritime police sent 40 boats and one helicopter to search for the missing sailors after the boat sunk in the crash. The 2,972-ton cargo ship, Xinhai7, was registered in the island country of Tuvalu in the southern Pacific Ocean by Sinbei International Shipping, a Hong Kong company. It ran into a 3,980-ton Korea Gas vessel yesterday, when it was entering the port. The Korea Gas ship only sustained minor damage with all its crew reported safe.
