Yeosu Opens Yeosu-Geomun High-Speed Passenger Ferry for One-Day Life Zone
- Date
- 2025.02.10 09:06
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- 여수시청
Yeosu Opens Yeosu-Geomun High-Speed Passenger Ferry for One-Day Life Zone
“Favorable response from Samsan-myeon residents” with higher island accessibility, convenience, and rapid increase in tourists
Yeosu-Geomun route has become a one-day life zone with the introduction of high-speed passenger ferry for Yeosu-Geomun route, winning favorable feedback from the residents and tourists.
On the 19th, Yeosu announced that a high-speed passenger ferry, Hamel Ferry, runs round trips twice a day and allowed a one-day life zone for the island residents. During the two months of operation (August-September), the passengers visiting Geomun-do Island also increased by about 10,000 (188%) compared to the same period last year.
Yeosu expects that launch of Hamel Ferry will secure the transportation rights of the island residents and boost tourism at the same time.
In particular, Geomun-do Island won “K-Tourism Island Fostering Project” promoted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. In response, fund of 10 billion won will be invested to Geomun-do Island over the next four years to increase tourism infrastructure.
▶What’s Hamel Ferry? 590-Ton Ferry with Maximum Speed of 80km/h and Capacity of 423 Passengers
The newly launched Hamel Ferry is the latest passenger ferry built by the Damen Shipyards in the Netherlands. With a maximum speed of 80km/h, the passengers can travel between Yeosu and Geomun-do Island within two hours. This 590-ton ferry accommodates up to 423 passengers, which increased the passenger capacity by 80 seats compared to the previous ferry.
The ferry departs from the Yeosu Passenger Terminal at 7:55 AM and 2:00PM. It stops at Naro-do Island, Sonjuk-do Island, Cho-do Island(Uiseong), and Seo-do Island, and arrives at Geomun-do Island, taking approximately two hours. The ferry departs from Geomun-do Island twice at 10:30AM and 3:30PM.
With launching of Hamel Ferry, the existing regular passenger ferry, Westgreen Ferry, and Hamel Ferry will make three round trips a day to Geomun-do Island.
The ferry fare ranges from 40,000 won to 49,000 won for adults, except for island residents, and there will be 50% discount with funds for tourism and island economy revitalization.
▶ Overcoming Challenges to Launch “Yeosu-Geomun High-Speed Passenger Ferry”
The journey of launching a high-speed passenger ferry faced numerous challenges.
“Yeosu-Geomun Route” was financially unprofitable, with frequent changes to carriers and high cancellation rates. Due to repeated suspension and cancellation, Samsan-myeon residents and tourists had to travel all the way to Nokdong Port to board a ferry.
This increased frustration of Samsan-myeon residents, and they visited and urged the related institutions, including City Hall and Yeosu Regional Office of Oceans and Fisheries, to arrange a solution.
Yeosu had been working for years to create a one-day life zone for the island residents, and reached out to carriers and local governments to secure a new ferry. Nevertheless, all carriers and local governments rejected for financial losses. As a result, Yeosu enacted “Yeosu Passenger Ferry Operation Support Ordinance” in 2021, creating a legal basis to support the ferry operations.
With such efforts, Yeosu designated KT Marine as a passenger ferry carrier for Yeosu-Geomun route in last November and signed “Passenger Ferry Operation Contract” in this January.
Yeosu held an official launch ceremony on July 5 and launched a high-speed passenger ferry, Hamel Ferry, on July 30.
Mayor Jung Gi-myeong of Yeosu said, “As 2026 World Island Exhibition Yeosu Korea is coming up, creation of one-day life zone for Geomun-do received favorable responses from the residents and tourists. It also holds significance for solving a long-standing issue of the Geomun-do Island residents. We will try our best to provide safe marine transportation service continuously.”
“Favorable response from Samsan-myeon residents” with higher island accessibility, convenience, and rapid increase in tourists
Yeosu-Geomun route has become a one-day life zone with the introduction of high-speed passenger ferry for Yeosu-Geomun route, winning favorable feedback from the residents and tourists.
On the 19th, Yeosu announced that a high-speed passenger ferry, Hamel Ferry, runs round trips twice a day and allowed a one-day life zone for the island residents. During the two months of operation (August-September), the passengers visiting Geomun-do Island also increased by about 10,000 (188%) compared to the same period last year.
Yeosu expects that launch of Hamel Ferry will secure the transportation rights of the island residents and boost tourism at the same time.
In particular, Geomun-do Island won “K-Tourism Island Fostering Project” promoted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. In response, fund of 10 billion won will be invested to Geomun-do Island over the next four years to increase tourism infrastructure.
▶What’s Hamel Ferry? 590-Ton Ferry with Maximum Speed of 80km/h and Capacity of 423 Passengers
The newly launched Hamel Ferry is the latest passenger ferry built by the Damen Shipyards in the Netherlands. With a maximum speed of 80km/h, the passengers can travel between Yeosu and Geomun-do Island within two hours. This 590-ton ferry accommodates up to 423 passengers, which increased the passenger capacity by 80 seats compared to the previous ferry.
The ferry departs from the Yeosu Passenger Terminal at 7:55 AM and 2:00PM. It stops at Naro-do Island, Sonjuk-do Island, Cho-do Island(Uiseong), and Seo-do Island, and arrives at Geomun-do Island, taking approximately two hours. The ferry departs from Geomun-do Island twice at 10:30AM and 3:30PM.
With launching of Hamel Ferry, the existing regular passenger ferry, Westgreen Ferry, and Hamel Ferry will make three round trips a day to Geomun-do Island.
The ferry fare ranges from 40,000 won to 49,000 won for adults, except for island residents, and there will be 50% discount with funds for tourism and island economy revitalization.
▶ Overcoming Challenges to Launch “Yeosu-Geomun High-Speed Passenger Ferry”
The journey of launching a high-speed passenger ferry faced numerous challenges.
“Yeosu-Geomun Route” was financially unprofitable, with frequent changes to carriers and high cancellation rates. Due to repeated suspension and cancellation, Samsan-myeon residents and tourists had to travel all the way to Nokdong Port to board a ferry.
This increased frustration of Samsan-myeon residents, and they visited and urged the related institutions, including City Hall and Yeosu Regional Office of Oceans and Fisheries, to arrange a solution.
Yeosu had been working for years to create a one-day life zone for the island residents, and reached out to carriers and local governments to secure a new ferry. Nevertheless, all carriers and local governments rejected for financial losses. As a result, Yeosu enacted “Yeosu Passenger Ferry Operation Support Ordinance” in 2021, creating a legal basis to support the ferry operations.
With such efforts, Yeosu designated KT Marine as a passenger ferry carrier for Yeosu-Geomun route in last November and signed “Passenger Ferry Operation Contract” in this January.
Yeosu held an official launch ceremony on July 5 and launched a high-speed passenger ferry, Hamel Ferry, on July 30.
Mayor Jung Gi-myeong of Yeosu said, “As 2026 World Island Exhibition Yeosu Korea is coming up, creation of one-day life zone for Geomun-do received favorable responses from the residents and tourists. It also holds significance for solving a long-standing issue of the Geomun-do Island residents. We will try our best to provide safe marine transportation service continuously.”
