Taiwan to launch ferry services to Ishigaki before end of December

台灣將於12月底前開通前往石垣島的渡輪服務。

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Ferry services between Keelung and the Japanese island of Ishigaki will start before the end of the month, with the average minimum ticket price for a one-way trip set at NT$2,800 (US$89), the Maritime Port Bureau said Tuesday.

The operator said that during the low season from November to February, the minimum rate for a one-way journey might drop to NT$2,000, per CNA. The royal suite would go for NT$10,500 for a one-way trip, with plans for eight different fare levels.

Ferry operator Wagon Group said the list of fares had been submitted to the Maritime Port Bureau and was expected to be approved this week. A precise launch date still needed to be determined, but late December was the most likely, the company said.

Special fares for the launch period could be NT$1,000 to NT$2,000 lower than the regular fare.

The ship plying the route, the Yaima Maru, will be able to ferry 545 passengers, 70 vehicles, and 90 containers. Three sailings per week are planned, with the ferry leaving Keelung in the evening for the eight-hour journey to the Japanese island more than 300 kilometers away.