Oceans minister nominee highlights contingency plans for Hormuz disruption

Oceans Minister nominee Hwang Jong-woo speaks during his confirmation hearing at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

Oceans Minister nominee Hwang Jong-woo said Monday he will ensure the safety of crewmembers stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, allowing them to leave their ships in an emergency.

He also pledged to mobilize civilian vessels to transport crude oil and other resources through alternative routes to address the petroleum shortage following the war in Iran.

“The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries is prepared to help crewmembers disembark,” Hwang said during his confirmation hearing at the National Assembly, after being asked about communication channels with crew and trainees concerned about possible disadvantages if they leave their ships.

In response to the monthlong suspension of crude shipments from the Middle East, he mentioned the potential use of “nationally essential ships.”

Under the Act on Maintaining Marine Transportation and Port Functions to Prepare for Emergencies, the government can designate ships to deliver munitions and other goods critical to the national economy in times of war or other emergencies. The oceans ministry must provide compensation to the owners of such ships if they incur losses due to government mobilization.

“Once the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources secures alternative import sources, the oceans ministry will deploy nationally essential ships to support transportation,” he said.

For fishermen affected by rising prices of tax-free fuel for fishing, which was excluded from the government’s price cap system, Hwang vowed to ensure the government uses part of the proposed extra budget to limit costs for such fuel.

“I will do my best to minimize losses for fishermen,” he added.

Born in Busan, the veteran bureaucrat with nearly three decades at the ministry also pledged to frequently visit other port cities and fishing villages nationwide to avoid gaps in regional maritime policy.

“I am aware of concerns about Busan-centered maritime policies following the ministry’s relocation,” he said. “I will develop region-specific policies in cooperation with local governments.”

Last December, the ministry moved its headquarters from Sejong to Busan to ensure the timely development of Arctic shipping routes.

Hwang said he aims to develop the southeastern region into a maritime hub to prepare for the era of Arctic shipping, while stressing that the initiative is intended to foster other regions as well, including Yeosu and Gwangyang in South Jeolla Province, along with Jeju Island.