A new direct ferry service between Keelung, Taiwan, and Ishigaki Island, Japan, officially launched on May 28, 2024 [1].
The restoration of this maritime link provides a cost-effective alternative to air travel and reconnects two regions that have lacked a direct sea route for 18 years [3, 6].
Operated by Yaimamaru, the service began as a trial with one weekly sailing [4]. The overnight journey takes between seven and eight hours to complete [3]. To encourage tourism and travel, the cheapest fares for the route are set at NT$2,000, which is approximately U.S.$63 [2].
Officials from both Taiwan and Japan attended the launch at Keelung Port to mark the occasion. The event featured ceremonial activities, including a lion dance, to celebrate the renewed connection between the port and the Okinawa Prefecture [1, 2].
The current weekly frequency is intended as an initial testing phase. According to the operator, plans are in place to expand the sailing schedule starting in July 2024 [5].
This new route aims to simplify travel for tourists and residents by offering an overnight option that maximizes daytime hours in either destination. By bypassing the need for flights, the ferry provides a different logistical approach to regional transit in the East China Sea [3, 6].
“The restoration of this maritime link provides a cost-effective alternative to air travel.”
The revival of the Keelung-Ishigaki route signals a strategic effort to boost regional tourism and people-to-people exchanges between Taiwan and Japan. By introducing a low-cost, overnight maritime alternative, the operators are targeting a demographic that may find air travel too expensive or inconvenient, potentially increasing the volume of short-term visitors to Okinawa's outlying islands.
