Service extended to 180-ton Hallyeo Carferry following Seomsarang 7

Drawing approval and construction schedules linked from early build stage

Hallyeo Carferry targeted for December delivery with phased technical support

The 180-ton government-funded passenger vessel Hallyeo Carferry under construction at Miraero Shipbuilding in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province. [Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority]
The 180-ton government-funded passenger vessel Hallyeo Carferry under construction at Miraero Shipbuilding in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province. [Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority]

Technical support linking drawing approvals with construction schedules from the earliest stages of shipbuilding will be expanded to prevent delays in government-ordered passenger vessels.

The Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority (KOMSA) announced Friday it would expand its "drawing approval process management service" to cover vessels ordered by government agencies, including government-funded passenger ships.

The service prevents delays in drawing submissions and approvals, as well as design errors that can arise during construction, by coordinating construction schedules with drawing approval procedures from the outset. KOMSA provides shipyards, designers and other parties involved in construction with guidance on approval procedures, drawing reviews and consultations, and schedule management at each stage of the build.

KOMSA first applied the service in July to Seomsarang 7, a government-funded passenger vessel set to operate on the public route between Yeoseo and Wando. The authority reviewed and advised on drawings for accessibility facilities in maintenance compartments, helping keep the relevant construction work on schedule. Seomsarang 7 is set to be launched Sept. 11.

KOMSA officials discuss the construction management schedule with shipbuilders of the Hallyeo Carferry at Miraero Shipbuilding in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, on Thursday. [Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority]
KOMSA officials discuss the construction management schedule with shipbuilders of the Hallyeo Carferry at Miraero Shipbuilding in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, on Thursday. [Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority]

KOMSA is now extending the service to the Hallyeo Carferry, a vessel destined for the public route between Tongyeong and Chudo. The Hallyeo Carferry is a car-ferry passenger vessel with a gross tonnage of 180 tons and a length of about 40 meters. It is under construction at Miraero Shipbuilding in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, with a target delivery date of December.

On Thursday, KOMSA met with shipyard staff, designers and other construction parties at Miraero Shipbuilding to discuss the vessel's construction schedule, drawing approval plan and areas requiring coordination. The authority plans to monitor progress against the construction schedule and provide drawing approvals and technical support at each key stage of the build.

"For vessels ordered by government agencies, it is important to systematically link construction progress with drawing approvals from the early stages to reduce sources of delay," KOMSA Chairman An Yeong-cheol said. "We will actively apply the expertise the authority has built up in ship inspection and drawing approval on the ground, to support the timely construction and safety of these vessels."


adastra@heraldcorp.com