Call to Create a ‘Cruise Port of Call’ in Saemangeum... Agencies Expand Cooperation

【Financial News, Gunsan = Kang In, reporter】 Efforts are continuing to attract cruise ships to call at Saemangeum New Port.
The Saemangeum Development and Investment Agency said on the 1st that an MOU on promoting cruise activity at Saemangeum New Port was recently signed by Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province, Gunsan City, the Gunsan Regional Office of Oceans and Fisheries, PanStar, and the Jeonbuk branch of the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO).
The agreement was pursued to successfully secure a trial cruise call, showcase Saemangeum New Port’s capacity, and lay the groundwork for attracting calls by global cruise lines.
The goal is to develop Saemangeum Port into a sustainable cruise port of call and contribute to revitalizing regional tourism and the economy.
Saemangeum New Port is being developed with a 430-meter berth and a water depth of 14 meters. Compared with the Incheon Cruise Terminal, which has a 430-meter berth and a water depth of 12 meters, it can accommodate 220,000-ton-class cruise ships.
Saemangeum also has excellent conditions for tourism. Outstanding natural scenery, including the Gogunsan Islands, Chaeseokgang in Buan, and the tidal flats of Gochang County, is nearby. The area also has abundant cultural heritage, including the Mireuksa Temple Site in Iksan and the Gunsan Modern History Museum. It is well suited to offering cruise passengers a variety of tourism programs. Accessibility has also improved significantly with the opening of the Saemangeum–Jeonju Expressway.
Earlier, the SDIA signed an MOU with Hong Kong-based global maritime services company Wallem Group, agreeing to cooperate on attracting cruise calls to Saemangeum New Port, among other things. Founded in 1903, Wallem Group provides vessel services, including cruise port-of-call operations and agency services, and has an extensive network in the global cruise market.

Under the agreement, the Saemangeum Development and Investment Agency will build networks to attract cruise ships and provide related support, while Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province and Gunsan City will provide the administrative support needed for trial calls and work together on incentives. The Gunsan Regional Office of Oceans and Fisheries will support berth use and port operations, while PanStar, an integrated shipping and logistics group, will draw up cruise operation plans and promote trial calls. The KTO will support promotion of cruise-related projects and development of tourism products.
The SDIA plans to continue working with relevant agencies to hold detailed discussions on trial calls and step up joint efforts to attract cruise lines and promote Saemangeum to domestic and international operators.
An SDIA official said, “To boost cruise activity, port infrastructure development must be closely coordinated with efforts to attract cruise lines, cooperation with CIQ agencies, and the development and marketing of tourism products.”


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