Queen Beetle
13:40 JST, September 18, 2024
The Transportation Ministry has ordered JR Kyushu Jet Ferry Inc. to fire its safety and operations managers after it was found to have covered up a water leak on its high-speed ferry between Japan and South Korea.
It is the first time in the country that such an order has been issued under the Maritime Transport Act.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has also ordered the company, a subsidiary of Kyushu Railway Co., to ensure transportation safety.
JR Kyushu Jet Ferry, which operates the Queen Beetle between Hakata Port in Fukuoka Prefecture and Busan Port in South Korea, confirmed that water had leaked into the ferry’s hull in February. However, the company has failed to inspect or repair the vessel as required by law.
The ferry service continued to operate the ferry without reporting the incident to authorities until the leak worsened in May.
The company falsified the data in the ship’s logbook by writing that there were “no abnormalities” and moved an alarm that recorded the amount of water so that the alarm did not sound.
The cover-up came to light in August during an unexpected audit of the ministry.
The ferry also sprung a leak in February last year, but JR Kyushu Jet Ferry continued to operate the vessel without the need for a special inspection.
In June last year, the ministry ordered the company to ensure the safety of the transport after the company continued to operate the ferry despite the leak. The company had to submit an improvement report to the ministry.
