In 2016, the People's Committee of Nghe An province issued a plan for the development of inland waterway transport until 2020, with a vision to 2030. This is considered a long-term solution to turn Nghe An's inland waterway transport into an important transport route, contributing to promoting the province's socio-economic development. However, up to this point, the implementation of the plan has encountered many difficulties, requiring breakthrough solutions to implement.
According to the assessment, inland waterways in Nghe An still have many problems, mainly the means of waterway traffic are not registered and inspected, the operators do not have professional certificates. Most of the vehicles in circulation still lack safety equipment such as life buoys, life preservers, carry more than the safe waterline, carry more than the prescribed number of people, which poses many potential risks of accidents. Regarding waterway safety, inland waterways have not been dredged for many years. In addition, violations of waterways and traffic safety corridors such as sand and gravel mining, which distort the flow, cause landslides on the banks and yards of traffic works, and pollute the ecological environment, still occur.
Faced with that situation, on October 25, 2016, the People's Committee of Nghe An province issued Decision No. 5206/QD-UBND approving the planning for inland waterway transport development in Nghe An province to 2020, with a vision to 2030. Then, on May 4, 2020, it issued Decision No. 1367/QD-UBND approving adjustments and supplements to the planning for inland waterway transport development in Nghe An province to 2020, with a vision to 2030.
The objective of this plan is to synchronize with the national inland waterway planning, the master plan for socio-economic development, the master plan for transport development of Nghe An province and the socio-economic development planning of related sectors such as land use planning; planning for exploration, exploitation and use of minerals as common construction materials in the province. Connecting the system of ports, inland waterway wharves, anchorage areas and other auxiliary works on inland waterways in the province, ensuring seamless connectivity in the region; between regions with provinces and with economic zones nationwide, ensuring smooth, safe and effective transportation.
Accordingly, the total number of kilometers of rivers and canals included in the planning is 436.3km/1159.6km, reaching a rate of 37.6%. The planning for the development of the inland waterway port system includes 4 ports, including: Ben Thuy tourist port, Nam Dan general port, Soi market cargo port (Do Luong), Trang Son cargo port (Do Luong).
The inland waterway ports planned from now until 2020, with a vision to 2030, are a total of 239 ports. Of these, there are 35 passenger ports (23 across-river ports and 12 along-river ports); 200 cargo ports; 3 specialized ports for repairing and building new ships and boats, and 1 general port that handles both loading and unloading of goods, picking up and dropping off passengers, and providing other services.
By 2020, according to Decision 1367 adjusting and supplementing the planning for inland waterway transport development in Nghe An province to 2020, with a vision to 2030, 1 more domestic passenger terminal along Giang River was adjusted; for cargo terminals, 21 terminals from the 2020-2030 period were adjusted to the 2016-2020 period; 18 terminals from 2016-2020 were added; and 14 terminals in the old planning were eliminated, including 4 cargo terminals on Hoang Mai River, 9 cargo terminals on Nha Le Canal and 1 passenger terminal on Lam River.
According to Mr. Nguyen Que Su - Deputy Director of Nghe An Department of Transport: The construction and implementation of the inland waterway development plan in the province today, in addition to contributing to the improvement of river routes in the province, serving the needs of freight transport, passenger transport, tourism, reducing the load on roads and railways, reducing transportation costs and also promoting socio-economic development between regions from upstream to downstream of rivers. However, according to Mr. Su, the implementation of this plan is currently facing many difficulties due to lack of funding, so up to now, only 74 cargo terminals and 14 passenger terminals have been announced for operation.
To ensure the safety of people when traveling across ferry piers, many opinions say that in the long term, there needs to be a policy of investing in building bridges to replace them, and eventually completely eliminating ferry piers.
Good news for the people of Do Luong and Thanh Chuong on both sides of Cung ferry is that at the 7th Session of the 18th Provincial People's Council recently, the Provincial People's Council passed a Resolution to adjust the project to build Do Cung bridge across Lam river. Previously, at the 2nd Session, the 18th Provincial People's Council also included this project in the public investment portfolio with a capital of 150 billion VND.
To prevent accidents on waterways, routes, and inland waterways, ensuring safety for tourists and people. Recently, the Provincial People's Committee has directed the Transport Inspectorate to preside over and coordinate with departments, branches, units, and localities to effectively carry out propaganda and dissemination of laws on inland waterway traffic safety. Conduct surprise inspections in areas with signs of violations in the field of waterway traffic, and strictly handle violations.
The Provincial People's Committee has also requested units managing and maintaining waterway works to review and supplement all signals; promptly detect, handle or propose solutions to handle incidents causing unsafe waterway traffic. In particular, direct the police agencies of districts, towns and functional units to strengthen inspection and strictly handle violations of order and safety of inland waterway traffic. Handle violations of regulations on operating conditions of vehicles; regulations on safety equipment and tools of vehicles; professional certificates; regulations on transporting people and passengers.
Propaganda, mobilization, and recommendation for tourists not to use transportation, sightseeing, and water entertainment services that do not ensure safety and do not meet the prescribed conditions.
Mr. Nguyen Viet Hung - Chief Traffic Inspector, Nghe An Department of Transport said: In the coming time, Nghe An Department of Transport will continue to strengthen inspection and strictly handle violations of the law on inland waterway traffic safety and order. Resolutely suspend the operation of unlicensed tourist transport terminals, vehicles that do not meet the conditions for transport exploitation, and do not ensure safe operation within the scope of the waterway terminal; do not allow departure of vehicles that do not ensure safety conditions such as carrying more people than prescribed, lacking safety equipment, life-saving equipment, and not having a passenger list according to regulations.
Require business owners and individuals engaged in waterway passenger transport to inspect and maintain their vehicles. Publish hotline numbers at water ports and on waterway passenger transport vehicles in the province to promptly receive feedback and recommendations from the people.
According to Mr. Hung, the Department of Transport has coordinated with the People's Committees of districts, cities, towns and relevant departments, branches and sectors to thoroughly handle the situation of aquaculture, seafood, bottom fishing, etc. violating the safety corridor of inland waterway traffic. Strengthen coordination with relevant departments, branches and localities to regularly inspect the compliance with legal regulations in exploration activities and measures to exploit minerals on inland waterways not according to approved records.
“In the past, we have also resolutely suspended sand mining activities that have negative impacts on the flow, navigation channels, causing erosion of works, waterway infrastructure and other related works. We have reviewed the number of wharves and inland waterway vehicles in the area, promptly handling organizations and individuals who have violated the regulations by arbitrarily changing the size of the wharf, narrowing the flow,” Mr. Hung emphasized.
