397 abandoned ships raise concerns about coastal and harbor pollution...South Korea's Maritime Police to conduct nationwide investigation

It has been revealed that the number of ships that have been abandoned for long periods off the coasts and in ports of South Korea reached 397 over the past year.
The Maritime Police Agency will begin a nationwide survey over a six-week period from the 19th to the 27th of next month. According to an announcement made by the agency on the 13th, the survey targets vessels that have not been in operation for a long period of time and are moored in ports and are used for marine purposes.
"Marine Pollution Vulnerable Ships" are ships that are highly likely to cause pollution. The number of such ships has been on the rise over the past three years, from 339 in 2022 to 390 in 2023 and 39
The number of ships increased to seven. During this period, 15 marine pollution incidents occurred, with a total of 25,250 liters of polluting material spilled. In September last year, a tanker that had been moored for a long time at Busan Port was flooded and sunk due to heavy rains.
In August, a tugboat that had been moored for a long time also sank at Incheon Port, leaking waste oil.
The agency will conduct a survey every year from 2019 to identify and determine high-risk vessels.
Last year, the ministry confirmed 397 vulnerable ships, removed 515 tons of residual oil, blocked air vents 34 times, and conducted one patrol by disaster prevention boats.
The survey was conducted 194 times. This year, the survey was conducted on ships that had not been in operation for more than six months and ships that looked to be at high risk of pollution, and the survey was conducted on the risk of flooding due to hull damage, the types and remaining amount of pollutants on board, and the shipowner's
The ministry plans to focus its investigations on the status of regular management by the government, etc. For ships that are deemed to be at high risk, the ministry plans to work with shipowners and relevant organizations to implement preventive measures to prevent marine pollution.
"Marine pollution accidents caused by ships moored at coasts and ports have a serious impact on people who use the sea in the summer," said Song Young-gu, director of the Marine Pollution Prevention Agency.
"We will do our utmost to prevent marine pollution accidents caused by ships that are moored or abandoned for long periods of time," he emphasized.