Taipei, April 17 (CNA) A ceremony marking the maiden voyage of a new ferry that will help transport passengers and cargo between Taiwan proper and the outlying archipelago Matsu was held in Keelung Port on Sunday.
The government-purchased New Taima vessel will partially replace the existing Taima and Taima Star, two ferries currently plying between Taiwan and Matsu, Yeh Hsieh-lung (葉協隆), director-general of the Maritime Port Bureau under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, said during the ceremony.
The new ferry's total tonnage is 5,341 and it can carry 642 passengers and 45 vehicles as well as four 20-foot freezers to transport fresh vegetables, fruits, and other goods to the Matsu Islands, according to Yeh.
After Sunday's maiden voyage ceremony, the new ferry will be making one trip daily between Matsu's Nangan and Dongyin islands, the route currently served by the aging Taima, which is scheduled to be retired this year, according to Yeh.
The New Taima, which is operated by All Ports Transportation Co., Ltd., will also sail between Keelung and Nangan on Tuesdays when the Taima Star that plies the route undergoes its weekly maintenance, according to Yeh.
Starting on June 1, the New Taima will begin regular services from Keelung in Taiwan proper to the islands of Nangan and Dongyin, Yeh added.
The Taima and Taima Star are currently the two main means of marine transportation between Keelung and the two ports in Matsu.
Addressing the ceremony, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said that the new ferry will not only offer Matsu residents a more comfortable mode of transportation, but will also help boost the development of tourism in Keelung and Matsu.
After the launch of the new ferry services, the second edition of Matsu Biennial, an event which features projects in art, education, and architecture, will be held in September and is expected to attract more people to visit the Matsu Islands, Tsai added.
Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁), who also attended the Sunday event in Keelung, noted that the central government spent NT$1.14 billion (US$37.39 million) to fund the purchase of the new ferry, as part of efforts to promote infrastructure construction in Matsu.
