Yaimamaru

Yaimamaru

Yaimamaru

Yaimamaru
Yaimamaru in 2026
History
Japan
Name
  • Sunflower Kuroshio
  • (さんふらわあ くろしお)
NamesakeKuroshio current
Port of registryTokyo
BuilderMHI Shipbuilding Shimonoseki shipyard
Yard number1034
Launched21 March 1997[1]
In service18 June 1997[1]
Home portTokyo
Identification
South Korea
Name
  • Panstar Dream
  • (팬스타 드림)
  • (パンスター・ドリーム)
NamesakeDream
OperatorPanstar Line Dot Com Ltd (PanStar Cruise)
Port of registryJeju
Acquired2002
In service2002–2025
Home portBusan
Identification
Panama
Name
  • Yaimamaru
  • (やいま丸)
NamesakeYaima (Yaeyama Islands)
OwnerShosen Yaima Panama SA
OperatorShosen Yaima Co Ltd (YaimaLine)
Port of registryPanama
AcquiredAugust 2025
In serviceDecember 2025 (scheduled)
Identification
General characteristics
Tonnage
Length160 m (524 ft 11 in) LOA[1]
Beam25.0 m (82 ft 0 in)[1]
Draft
  • 4.49 m (14 ft 9 in)
  • 6.05 m (19 ft 10 in) full load[1]
Installed power27,000 hp (20 MW)[1]
Propulsion2 × Pielstick-Nippon NKK18PC-6V 27,000 hp (20 MW)[1]
Speed22.7 knots (42.0 km/h; 26.1 mph)[1]
Capacity560[2]
Crew40

The Yaimamaru is a Japanese roll-on/roll-off passenger ship launched in 1997 at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Shipbuilding Shimonoseki shipyard for the Blue Highway Line (currently MOL Sunflower). She sailed under the Japanese flag as the Sunflower Kuroshio until 2001. The South Korean shipping company PanStar Cruise acquired her in 2002, and she began operating on the Busan–Osaka route as the PanStar Dream until a newer ship took her place. Since August 2025, she has been sailing under the Panamanian flag and is set to serve the Ishigaki–Keelung route by the Japanese shipping company YaimaLine.[3]

Design and construction

The Sunflower Kuroshio, built to replace the Sunflower Tosa, was constructed in yard number 1034 in Shimonoseki and launched in March 1997. She was named after the Kuroshio Current, which flows through the Pacific Ocean along her intended service route.[4] The design concept of the vessel is a "leisurely cruise in yukata" (浴衣でくつろぐ船の旅), featuring interior décor inspired by traditional Japanese inns. Passengers can enjoy wearing yukata while relaxing in the ship's communal areas.[2]

Service history

Panstar Dream, photographed in 2018

The Sunflower Kuroshio began ferry service connecting Tokyo, Nachikatsuura, and Kōchi [ja], after her delivery in June 1997. Revenues dropped significantly after passenger capacity fell sharply from around 1,100 under her predecessor. This was further impacted by upgrades to the road network, including National Route 42; the growth of air travel, with large passenger planes flying into Nanki-Shirahama Airport; and a decrease in freight transport due to weak timber demand after the rise of prefabricated materials. Consequently, annual deficits grew to 400–600 million yen, and accumulated losses exceeded 4 billion yen. As a result, the route ended scheduled service in October 2001.[5] Later, the Sunflower Kuroshio stepped in as a substitute vessel after the Star Diamond, operated by Diamond Ferry, had to suspend operations due to engine failure. From October to December 2001, she served on the Kobe–Beppu [ja] route as part of Diamond Ferry's fleet.[6]

In May 2002, she was acquired and renamed Panstar Dream by the South Korean shipping company PanStar Cruise, based in Jeju City.[7] Panstar Dream then went through a rebuild, increasing her gross tonnage significantly from 9,723 to 21,535 GT.[8] She began operating on the Busan–Osaka route later that same year, running three times per week.[7]

In October 2023, PanStar announced plans for a new ship that would begin service on the Busan–Osaka route in February 2025, replacing the Panstar Dream.[9] Meanwhile, the city of Ishigaki, struck by the COVID-19 pandemic, considered launching regular ferry services to Taiwan to boost its tourism economy and strengthen disaster resilience.[10] The city first suggested using the high-speed catamaran Natchan Rera, which had run the Ishigaki–Hualien route before, but she was sold to a Greek shipping company in January 2024. The city mentioned they were seeking other options but insisted that the route plan would stay on schedule.[11] In August 2024, officials announced plans to acquire the retiring Panstar Dream and launch new services in 2025 between Ishigaki and Keelung. In September, the city announced the launch of a new entity, YaimaLine, backed by local businesses and partnering with Taiwan's Wagon Group shipping agency, to run the scheduled service.[12][13]

YaimaLine launched its official website in mid-2025 and announced that its ferry service would begin in September, offering three trips per week. The website also revealed that the newly acquired ship would be renamed Yaimamaru (やいま丸). In June 2025, PanStar transferred the Panstar Dream to YaimaLine, and she underwent a two-month overhaul. She subsequently sailed under the Panamanian flag as the Yaimamaru, departing from Busan and arriving in Keelung on 9 August 2025. The Port of Keelung confirmed that the ship submitted its application to begin service in mid-September on that same day. Nevertheless, Wagon Group later announced that the service would be postponed until the end of October due to additional inspections and technical work.[14] During the regular session of the Ishigaki City Council on 16 September, officials told councillors that the departure date for the Yaimamaru was still uncertain, due to ongoing inspections and modifications, but insisted that efforts were being made to start operations as soon as possible. The maiden voyage of the route was postponed twice for additional work.[15] Wagon Group submitted an application to the Taiwanese port authority in late November, expecting the route to be operational by the end of the year.[16][17][18]

Renovations and administrative delays pushed the launch further to January 2026, but by March, the service still hadn't started. At a regular Ishigaki City Council meeting the same month, both ruling and opposition members voiced concerns about the timing. Mayor Nakayama, however, expressed confidence that operations would kick off in April.[19] The ferry service srtated on 28 May 2026. Mayor Nakayama expected the route to serve as a bridge that "supports tourism, logistics, economic activity, cultural exchange and education". The boat trip takes eight hours.[20][21]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Kamotsu Eigyō Annai – Fyerī Bumon Shuyōme" 貨物営業案内 フェリー部門主要目 (in Japanese). K.K. Blue Highway Line. Archived from the original on 8 February 2001. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  2. ^ a b K.K. Blue Highway Line (30 December 1997). "'Yukata' de kutsurogu fune no tabi: ōgata fyerī 'Sanfurawaa Kuroshio'" "浴衣"でくつろぐ船の旅 : 大型フェリー「さんふらわあ くろしお」 [Relaxing on a boat trip in a yukata: The large ferry "Sunflower Kuroshio"]. らん: Bulletin of the Kansai Society of Naval Architects, Japan (in Japanese) (38). Japan Society of Naval Architects and Ocean Engineers: 44–46. ISSN 0916-0981. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  3. ^ 賴淑敏; 謝政霖 (9 August 2025). "Jī Lóng Wǎng Fǎn Shí Yuán Dǎo Dù Lún 9 Yuè Qǐ Háng, Yù Jì Měi Zhōu Wǎng Fǎn 3 Bān" 基隆往返石垣島渡輪9月啟航 預計每週往返3班 [The Keelung-Ishigaki Island ferry service will commence in September, with an estimated three round trips per week.]. PTS News Network (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Archived from the original on 31 August 2025. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  4. ^ "TOPICS – Blue Highway Line" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 8 July 1997.
  5. ^ "Chōkyori fyerī kōro haishi fukkatsu e 2-sha to Suimenka de Kōshō" 長距離フェリー航路廃止復活へ2社と水面下で交渉 [Negotiations are underway with two companies to revive the discontinued long-distance ferry routes]. The Asahi Shimbun Morning Edition (Wakayama Edition) (in Japanese). 2 October 2001.
  6. ^ "Daiyamondo fyerī "Sanfurawaa Kuroshio" yōsen e. Tōnyūsen dokkuiri de. Beppu Kōbe chokkōbin ni henkō" ダイヤモンドフェリー/「さんふらわあ くろしお」用船へ.投入船ドック入りで.別府-神戸直行便に変更 [Diamond Ferry's "Sunflower Kuroshio" will be chartered. The assigned vessel is in dry dock, and the Beppu-Kobe route will be changed to a direct service.]. 日本海事新聞 (in Japanese). 22 October 2001. Archived from the original on 17 April 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
  7. ^ a b "Pansutā no "dori-mu sute-ji purojyekuto" shidō" パンスターの「ドリームステージ・プロジェクト」始動 [Panstar's "Dream Stage Project" has launched.]. WEB CRUISE (in Japanese). 28 May 2024. Archived from the original on 17 June 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
  8. ^ Raoul Fiebig; Frank Heine; Frank Lose (2016). The great passenger ships of the world: Die großen Passagierschiffe der Welt (in English and German) (8 ed.). Hamburg: Koehlers Verlagsgesellschaft. p. 132. ISBN 978-3-7822-1245-8.
  9. ^ "shinzō kokusai fyeri- ga kikō pan suta-, 25 nen nigatsu ni shūkō e" 新造国際フェリーが起工 パンスター、25年2月に就航へ [New international ferry laid down by Panstar; service to begin in February 2025.]. The Kaiji Press (in Japanese). 11 October 2023. Archived from the original on 9 June 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
  10. ^ "Pansuta-Dori-Mu mo kōho ni Ishigakishi, moto Takashi to no teiki kōro de kentō" "パンスタードリーム"も候補に 石垣市、基隆との定期航路で検討 ["Panstar Dream" also considered as a candidate; Ishigaki City is considering a regular ferry route to Keelung.]. The Kaiji Press (in Japanese). 29 May 2024. Archived from the original on 9 June 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
  11. ^ 石垣-基隆航路 候補の船他国へ 市「代替を検討」 [Ishigaki-Keelung shipping route: Proposed ship to another country; city says it is considering alternatives.]. The Okinawa Times (in Japanese). 24 March 2024. p. 16. Archived from the original on 26 March 2024. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
  12. ^ 石垣・基隆定期フェリー 韓国のパンスター社から購入へ [Ishigaki-Keelung regular ferry service to be purchased from South Korea's Panstar Company.]. The Yaeyama Daily (in Japanese). 19 November 2024. Archived from the original on 2 June 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
  13. ^ "jī lóng – shí yuán dǎo 9 yuè kāi háng! "shuì yī wǎn jiù dào", piào jià zuì biàn yí 4000 yuán qǐ, kěn dīng zhè cì zhēn de wēi xiǎn le?" 基隆-石垣島9月開航!「睡一晚就到」、票價最便宜4000元起, 墾丁這次真的危險了? [Keelung-Ishigaki Island ferry service launches in September! "Just one night's sleep away", with fares starting from as low as NT$4000. Is Kenting really in danger this time?]. BusinessNext (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 2 June 2025. Archived from the original on 3 June 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
  14. ^ "獨/基隆-石垣島渡輪「延至10月開航」!業者: 有追加整備工程" [Exclusive: Keelung-Ishigaki Island ferry service delayed until October! Operator: Additional maintenance work is underway.]. ETtoday Travel (in Traditional Chinese). 27 August 2025. Archived from the original on 27 August 2025. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  15. ^ Teruya, Daitetsu (17 September 2025). "Ishigaki Taiwan no teikisen, 9 Gatsu yotei da ga... Shūkō "mada kimatteinai" Okinawa" 石垣-台湾の定期船、9月予定だっが...就航「まだ決まっていない」 沖縄 [Regular ferry service between Ishigaki and Taiwan was scheduled to begin in September, but... "It's still undecided" in Okinawa.]. The Ryukyu Shimpo (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 24 September 2025. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
  16. ^ 蔣季容 (17 October 2025). "首航又延期!「基隆-石垣島」渡輪11月啟航 港務公司曝原因" [The maiden voyage has been postponed again! The Keelung-Ishigaki Island ferry is scheduled to depart in November. The port authority has revealed the reason.]. SETN (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Taipei. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
  17. ^ 余曉涵 (9 November 2025). "基隆石垣島航線目標年底前開航 將推淡季票價" [The Keelung-Ishigaki Island route aims to launch before the end of the year and will offer off-season fares.]. CNA (in Chinese). 台北. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
  18. ^ 胡瑞玲 (2 December 2025). "jī lóng – shí yuán dǎo dù lún 12 yuè dǐ kāi háng, shǒu háng cù xiāo piào jià zuì gāo xià shā 2000 yuán" 基隆-石垣島渡輪12月底開航 首航促銷票價最高下殺2000元 [The Keelung-Ishigaki Island ferry will launch at the end of December, with inaugural voyage promotional fares reduced by up to NT$2,000.]. United Daily (in Chinese). Taipei: UDN News. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
  19. ^ "Taiwan kōro, shigatsu shūkō naru ka? Yoyatō kara kenen, shōnenba ni – Ishigaki-shi" 台湾航路、4月就航なるか 与野党から懸念、正念場に 石垣市 [Will the Taiwan route launch in April? Concerns from both ruling and opposition parties; a critical moment in Ishigaki City.]. Okinawa Yaeyama Nippo (in Japanese). Yahoo! News. 26 March 2026. Retrieved 27 March 2026.
  20. ^ Lee, Yi-chin; Wang, Ann (29 May 2026). "Ferry service between Keelung and Ishigaki begins – Taipei Times". taipeitimes.com. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
  21. ^ Chang, Wayne (3 June 2026). "This Japanese island is closer to Taipei than Tokyo. A new ferry makes it easier to visit". CNN. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
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