Korean passenger/cargo ship Man Gyong Bong called at the port of Vladivostok (photo)

The Man Gyong Bong (Passenger/Cargo Ship, flag of North Korea) has called the port of Vladivostok and moored at the passenger terminal, says IAA port news correspondent.  The ship will stay at the port for 16 hours and then return to her homeport Rajin (DPRK). The site was encircled by police. 

Press center of the Primorsky Territory Administration earlier said the ship was to deliver more than 40 tourists and representatives of tourism companies from China who are to see the sights of Vladivostok and visit the Pacific Tourist Forum (18-21 May) and then leave for Húnchūn. 

The head of the agency company says all the parties have agreed on deployment of the Man Gyong Bong, designed for transportation of passengers and different types of cargo, at Rajin-Vladivostok  line  making up to six voyages per month.  The ship is supposed to make six voyages per month. The 90-mile run to Rajin takes about 10 hours. 

During a two-day stay at the port of Vladivostok passengers will be serviced at Berth No1 of Vladivostok Passenger Terminal with cargo to be handled at Berth No 5 of Vladivostok Commercial Sea Port.

The Man Gyong Bong was built in DPRK in 1971. The ship’s length is 97 m, cargo capacity – 3,317 t, deadweight – 1,802. Chartered by RosKor last year the ship underwent technical upgrading and special retrofit in compliance with the new tasks. The ship was out of operation for a long time after it had been used as a training vessel. According to the agency company, the ship is in a good technical condition complying with the international shipping standards. 

The Man Gyong Bong is able to accommodate 193 passengers in 40 cabins of different types. It offers a restaurant, two bars, a store and other facilities including a sauna. Three cargo holds have space enough for 1,500 t of cargo, 24 containers of 20’ standard (including 16 refrigerated containers) and vehicles. The crew fully consists of DPRK nationals.

According to the agreements, the passenger flow will mostly consist of Chinese tourists willing to visit the Korean city of Rason and to travel to Vladivostok and back. As foreign partners insist, one third of places will be booked for seasonal workers from North Korea. About 60 places will be booked for Russian businessmen and tourists. The entry to the trade economic zone of Rason is visa-free. If necessary, Russian tourists can stay there unlit later calls of the Man Gyong Bong.  

InvestStroiTres was registered in 2013. Key profile of the company is forwarding of cargo at the port of Rajin (cargo delivered from the South-East Asia to Europe by Transsib via the stations of Hasan (Russia) and Tumen (China).