Daea Express Shipping is set to resume its Busan-Tsushima route after a five-year hiatus. The company, which suspended operations in 2022 due to financial difficulties amid the COVID-19 pandemic, has decided to relaunch the route in response to the surge in travel demand and the increasing number of tourists visiting Japan due to the weak yen.
The high-speed ferry "Sea Flower," previously operating the Ulleungdo-Dokdo route, will be deployed for this service. With a passenger capacity of 443 and a top speed of 40 knots, the Sea Flower can reach Hitakatsu Port in Tsushima in approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes, and Izuhara Port in 2 hours and 20 minutes from Busan.
Currently, the Busan-Tsushima route is served by Panstar Tsushima Link and Starline Nina. The addition of Daea Express Shipping's Sea Flower is expected to broaden passenger options and revitalize the tourism industry.
Daea Express Shipping will hold a safety prayer ceremony on board before its first voyage, without a separate inaugural event. The first departure to Izuhara Port is scheduled for 9:10 AM.
To commemorate the resumption of service, Daea Express Shipping is offering a special promotion, "Daea Is Back (2Z100 = 22,100 KRW)," providing up to 88% discount on round-trip fares. Further discounts and events are planned after the company's website renewal at the end of March.
Park Heung-guk, CEO of Daea Express Shipping, stated, "With the resumption of the Busan-Tsushima route, we are determined to make renewed efforts and invest in the Tsushima tourism industry for the next 20 years, if not longer."
Daea Express Shipping has been operating the Busan-Tsushima route since July 14, 1999, and has contributed to the local tourism infrastructure by building hotels and other facilities. However, the company faced financial challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the surrender of its license and the closure of its Busan office in 2022.
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