Empire of the Ring

The car ferry that carried drone parts finally arrived at Arirang Wharf.

Kazakh media sources crowded in competing with each other to cover the story.

Although the factory was not a large scale business compared to other foreign-invested businesses in Kazakhstan, the drone business gained popularity majorly because of the government’s influence. Because the business incorporated a cutting-edge technology that was invested by an American company, it had a symbolic meaning.

The government wanted to induce the investments of rich Russians in Kazakhstan and it also warned them that Kazakhstan could have a technology partnership with America.

However, the heated attention of the media was not what Youngho wished for. He worried that Arirang Farm’s exposure would be harmful to the farm since it had not yet to be stabilized.

It would be the same anywhere that if someone was successful, there would be people who would follow him. It would only cause problems to Arirang Farm if other investors decided to establish farmland around it. The farm’s site covered the whole area of a branch of the Ural River and the government could require a territory that had a waterway from the river branch or he might have to share the wharf and river branch with other investors. Since the water was not enough for the whole site of the Arirang Farm’s territory, if the waterway was shared with others, it would only hinder the farm’s development.

So, Youngho had a hard time convincing the media source staffs and reporters not to expose the farm by only covering the factories near the wharf. He could stop them from exposing Arirang Farm only after handing around envelops of money and mobilizing government officials. Because of his effort, it was reported that an American drone company D Drones, established a drone factory as a joint-venture with Kazakhstan.

The delivery of the components was a meaningful first step that would become an indicator of the operation of Arirang Shipping in the future.

‘Zeynep 1′ that had left New York Harbor unloaded them at the Port of Istanbul so that the components were transferred to a car ferry. The car ferry, then, passed through Volga-Don Canal to ascend the Ural River before arriving at Arirang Wharf.

It seemed like a complicated route, but because everything was delivered by Arirang Shipping’s private carriers, it was the fastest way to transport cargo.

Many neighboring countries of the Caspian Sea had trouble with the distribution of freights because they only relied on rough land routes. In order to use canals and sea, they needed to secure large ships, but those ships were hard to get in the Caspian Sea. Many shipping companies owned large ships, but they were old and not in good shapes, so they were not trusted by shippers. There was no shipper who would entrust his precious cargo to an old ship which might sink at any time, especially when the waves of the Caspian tended to be heavy as the ones in the Atlantic.

D Drones highly valued the fact that Zeynep Corporation could mobilize its shipping company, Arirang Shipping to transport components to Arirang Farm. The company not only drastically reduced costs and time but also did not have to struggle to arrange ships to safely transport its goods. Some of the freight was also transported by land after being unloaded at Poti Sea Port in Batumi, Georgia.

***

A bulk ship in the 5000-ton class and two general freighters each in the 2000-ton class and 3000-ton class was adopted by Arirang Shipping.

The 3000-ton class general freighter was equipped with a body and engine of an icebreaker that it could be driven in any type of weathers. It was a ship that Youngho specially ordered to make after considering the climatic situations of the northern part of the Caspian, the Volga-Don Canal, and the Ural River since they froze up during the winter. He paid about 1.5 more times than a regular ship in its class, but it was perfect for his taste.

With these ships added, Arirang Shipping became a top-level company in the shipping industry of the Caspian, equipped with an icebreaker-class car ferry and huge freighters.

In the beginning, Youngho was going to make a 1,000-ton class passenger ship, but he changed his mind because of Jong-il’s insistence to make a ship that could carry cargo and cars, so he made a 3,000-ton car ferry. Car ferry was indeed more versatile than a mere passenger ship.

It had more than enough room to load small drone components as they could fit in a few containers. Just in time, the fourth-generation team of technicians who went to D Drones’ headquarters had finished their training and was ready to return. So, Youngho mobilized the car ferry to transport the team and the components at the same time. This proved the usefulness of the car ferry.

If the weather permitted, it could cross the Atlantic and could go to the coast of Europe and Youngho had many expectations for it.

Although the Volga-Don Canal was only limited to vessels sized equal or less than 5,000-ton class, it seemed that the limitation could offer a great turning point to Arirang Shipping. Many shipping companies were reluctant to make medium-size vessels and they did not dare to cross the canal since it belonged to Russia, since Russia was an uneasy country to deal with.

“Mr. Choi. How is it?”

“The two bulk freighters are pretty new and it would be a waste if they are used to transport minerals. Many people remodel grain carriers that had been used more than a decade to ship minerals.”

H Corporation wanted Youngho to deliver minerals to the Black Sea, so he was going to use grain carriers that were launched recently. However, Choi Sunkil was opposing him since the ships were new.

“Would it be possible to convert a mineral freighter to a grain carrier?”

“If its holds are thoroughly cleaned and painted with special paints afterward, it is not at all an impossible story, but that’s an unusual thing to do in general.”

He still was indirectly opposing Youngho’s opinion. After pondering upon it, he suggested a different way to Youngho.

“Mr. Lee. According to my sources, grain carriers in the Caspian are usually small and old that they can’t endure the high waves of the sea, but if they’re only used to deliver minerals to the Black Sea, shippers would not oppose to using those. How about using those ships to deliver the minerals? And we could replace those ships’ jobs with our new bulk freighters.”

It was an excellent idea.

Most of the grains in Azerbaijan were imported from Kazakhstan. The grain carriers that shuttled between the two countries were at most about 2-000 ton size and since they were about 30 years old, some of the ships often became the sacrifice of the notorious waves of the Caspian Sea.

***

The Caspian Sea boasted waves as rough as the Atlantic Ocean. The strong waves were caused by heavy winds.

Youngho experienced storm-like winds in the neighboring countries of the Caspian Sea, as Baku was called as the City of Winds and as Kazakhstan was famous for its continental winds. The whole Caspian coast suffered from typhoon-level winds. The northern winds coming down from the Ural Mountains and continental winds that passed the vast plains of Central Asia covered the whole Caspian Sea. The winds that reached the sea became stronger above the sea water and rushed toward the west, and Azerbaijan was located in their destination.

There was also a windy region in Korea, which is Samgeun-ri in Uljin.

Although it was an exaggerated expression, the place was named because the winds were so heavy in the region that a rock that weighed three geuns*, or Sam geuns, could be blown away. So, Youngho nicknamed Baku ‘Samgeun-Baku.’

When he first came to Baku, he thought that there was no place like this. In the strong winds, young couples still enjoyed dates outside.

Recently, there had been a fire at the off-shore oilfield site and it caused many casualties because help could not reach the site soon enough due to heavy waves. This incident could explain the severe winds of the Caspian Sea.

The ship owners who had been sailing in this harsh environment with their small vessels welcomed Youngho’s suggestion. To deliver the minerals to the Black Sea, they would sail through the Ural River to stay at the Caspian Sea for a little bit and enter the Volga-Don Canal, and there was no reason for them to reject it. They would meet the lake-like Sea of Azov after passing through the waveless, peaceful canal. From there, they would unload minerals and repeat the route again. It was like a dream-like sea route.

Judging that the route would be safer and more profitable than delivering grains in the Caspian Sea, the ship owners agreed to Youngho and signed a charter contract with Arirang Shipping and their ships soon went under a remodeling work to be turned into minerals carriers.

As small grain bulk vessels of the Caspian Sea all turned to mineral carriers, the exporters of Kazakhstan and importers of Azerbaijan were troubled since they could only deliver grains by land now.

They hastily tried to arrange Russian shipping companies, but they asked for ridiculous shipping costs. Meanwhile, grains at ports in Kazakhstan were piling up to the point where there was no more storage room.

Among those grain importers, there was Shamakhi who had bought gold bars from Youngho in the past. He had become a billionaire from his grain import business, but he did not own a single bulk freighter. Other traders were the same. It seemed that they had been gaining wealth by being cheapskates. Since owning vessels were followed by fixed expenses, they did not want to deal with such costs. They were only relying on chartered ships.

“Mr. Lee. I heard that you have bought two-grain bulk freighters recently. I’ll pay you whatever you ask for shipping costs. Could you deliver my wheat? Please, you and I go way back.”

Just as Youngho thought, Shamakhi who had been inquiring about grain carriers, came to Zeynep Corporation’s office after hearing that Youngho had bought two bulk freighters in the 5,000-ton class.

He must have thought that since he had bought Youngho’s gold bars at a high price and gave him the hotel in Baku at a cheap price, he would be able to negotiate with Youngho with ease. However, Youngho had nothing to be sorry for him since he had disguised himself as Yaniv’s agency when selling his gold bars. Also, he did not force the high price for the gold bars. It was Shamakhi who had bought out the gold bars paying a high price to prepare for a falling dollar in the future.

“I’m only in charge of the bulk freighters as Mr. Yaniv’s agency. It’s the same as the off-shore oilfield. My title only serves me as the face of the business. Mr. Yaniv bought those for another purpose and I can’t use them for my own purpose.”

Youngho played the innocent and refused to help him by making an excuse of Yaniv. He assumed that Shamakhi would not dare to negotiate with the mafia boss himself.

“Then, wouldn’t you be able to speak on my behalf to him? I said I’m going to pay for the shipping cost as much as he wants. If I can’t make money now in the harvest season, it’s going to be really bad. Ice will start to form soon and then I’ll have to transport grains by train.”

If that happened, the price of grain would soar because it would cost him several more times for the shipping cost and the shipping time would be delayed. As the supply would be short for its demand, the market price of grain would rise. It seemed that it would be beneficial for Shamakhi in anyways. However, it was strange for Shamakhi to fret over benefits.

“The price of wheat and flour will skyrocket as the shipping cost rises. Phew, should I buy out flours now, for my farm family?”

As Youngho turned the subject, Shamakhi gulped down water as if he was frustrated.

“I am currently being pressured by the government for playing tricks with grain prices. If I said that I could not rent vessels in the harvest season, the officials won’t believe me. They will only suspect me more, that I didn’t arrange vessels on purpose.”

“Mr. Shamakhi. Why don’t you tell your situation and ask help from officials you made connections with and reward them? There’s no other option.”

“Mr. Lee. Don’t turn your back on me, but can you please help me? I’ll reward you as much as I can.”

“Well then, I’ll try to convince Mr. Yaniv.”

As Youngho stepped out of the reception room leaving Shamakhi behind, his face twisted. In order to hold his laughter, he had pinched his thigh too hard that he frowned because he was in pain.

*geun- a Korean unit of weight, a geun approximates 1.323 lbs