Korean fishing company Dongwon Industries has added the new Hanara to its fleet of vessels as part of a modernisation programme that has already seen three other new tuna vessels acquired since 2014.
The new Hanara was handed over during a ceremony in Busan earlier this week when the company took delivery of the new vessel.
‘Korea used to be one of the world’s top three deep-sea fishing powerhouses. But now it isn’t even in the top 10, said Dongwon Industries CEO Lee Myung-woo. ‘It is regrettable that Korea’s interest in deep-sea fishing has diminished while international competition to secure marine products has intensified.’
He said that Dongwon has added four new 2000gt freezer purse seiners to its fleet in four in two years, making it possible to target tuna with greater efficiency, while attributing Korea’s diminished fishing capacity to its increasingly elderly commercial fishing fleet.
He said that Dongwon has taken the lead in modernisation in Korean fisheries.
‘We will continue to invest in our fleet to boost our operational capacities and play a leading role in revitalising the country’s deep-sea fishing industry,’ he told the Korea Times.
