Busan is good

Busan Metropolitan City Holds Inter-Agency Measures Meeting to Prevent Marine Vessel (Fishing Vessel) Accidents and Strengthen Preemptive Safety Response

내용

Busan Metropolitan City Mayor Park Heong-joon announced that the city will convene a meeting of related agencies today (December 1) at 4:30 p.m. at the City Hall Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, chaired by Vice Mayor for Administrative Affairs Lee Jun-seung, to discuss countermeasures for preventing marine vessel (fishing vessel) accidents.

According to the city, this measures meeting was organized in response to the concentration of fishing vessel accidents with five or more casualties during the last five years (2020–2024), which have been shown to occur predominantly in the winter season. The meeting aims to proactively review accident-prevention measures for marine vessels and fishing vessels in collaboration with relevant agencies.

The meeting brought together officials from the Marine, Agriculture and Fisheries Bureau of the city government, coastal district offices, the Busan Regional Office of Oceans and Fisheries, the East Sea Fisheries Management Service, the Busan Maritime Police Station, the Korea Marine Transportation Safety Authority (Busan Branch), and representatives from the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives, who discussed prevention measures and future cooperation plans.

Busan Metropolitan City plans to strengthen safety inspections to prevent fishing vessel accidents, including deploying fishing vessel safety inspection teams and conducting joint inspections; promptly supplying safety equipment such as life jackets; expanding mandatory life jacket–wearing education and publicity for fishers; and pursuing the development of an artificial-intelligence-based black box for small vessels (R&D).

Related agencies such as the Busan Regional Office of Oceans and Fisheries, the Busan Maritime Police Station, and the East Sea Fisheries Management Service will implement measures including on-site briefing sessions and consultations to raise safety awareness among fishing vessel owners and crew; intensive management of accident-prone sea areas and densely operated fishing zones; strengthening control of fishing vessels departing during weather advisories; on-site distribution of safety supplies; and focused management of high-risk vessels during vulnerable periods. Through these efforts, the agencies agreed to establish a cooperative system for thorough preparation and preemptive response to prevent marine vessel and fishing vessel accidents.

Mayor Park Heong-joon emphasized that “the safety of marine vessels, including fishing vessels, is directly linked to the protection of human life, and preventive measures such as thorough inspections can never be overemphasized.”
He added, “Since winter brings rapidly changing weather conditions that can turn slight complacency into major accidents, it is essential to reinforce pre-departure safety checks and real-time monitoring of weather conditions.”

He further instructed the expansion of safety equipment inspections, strict control of operations during adverse weather, enhanced supervision of vessels, and strengthened safety education and publicity for fishers. “Preventing marine vessel (fishing vessel) accidents requires not only the efforts of administrative agencies, but also proactive engagement from related organizations such as the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives and fishers themselves, who must fully recognize the importance of safety,” he said.