Da Nang pushes waterway transport

                                                                Photo: Duc Anh

Central city adopts planning to devleop waterway transport routes.

The Da Nang City People’s Committee has recently approved detailed planning to bolster the development of local waterway transport in the central city by 2025 and vision to 2030.

In 2017 it will maintain four existing sightseeing boat tours. All depart from the Han River and visit Han River Bridge - Tran Thi Ly Bridge, Han River Port - the mouth of the Han River - Son Tra Peninsula, Han River - Ruby Island, or Han River - Cham Islands.

Four new routes will be added next year: Han River - Ngu Hanh Son District, Han River - Cam Le District - Tuy Loan River - Thai Lai Village in Hoa Vang District, Cu De - Truong Dinh River, and Han River - Vinh Dien Town.

By 2018 the city will use tourist vessels that are popular in other countries. Coastal routes will use river-sea compatible boats (VR-SB), with each accommodating between 30 and 50 passengers.

First-class river boats (VR-SI) will operate on tours around the Son Tra Peninsula, while speedboats will be used on the Han River - Cham Islands route, boats carrying between 50 and 250 passengers will operate on sightseeing tours on the Han River, and vessels accommodating between 20 and 30 passengers will tour local rivers to popular attractions.

Boats currently operating on the Han River must be equipped with an automatic identification system (AIS), which tracks their location by electronically exchanging data with other nearby ships, AIS base stations, and satellites.

City authorities will also develop plans to ensure inland waterway traffic safety, improve the professional skills of crew members, and tighten the management of the operation of waterway transport.

Under recently-approved plans, a total of 38 passenger pick-up and drop-off points will be set up. Anchorages designated for tourist boats will be established along seaside streets such as Truong Sa, Vo Nguyen Giap, and Hoang Sa, near the Bien Dong Resort, and at local bathing areas, including My Khe and Sao Bien. Appeals will be made for public investment into the construction of these anchorages.

Special attention will be paid to developing new boat tours on the Cu De, Cam Le, Han, Tuy Loan, Yen, Vinh Dien, Qua Giang and Co Co Rivers.

Early this year Da Nang aimed to turn the city’s tourism into leading industry from 2016 to 2020. It set a target of welcoming 8 million tourists, including 2 million foreign tourists, and to earn VND27.4 trillion ($1.23 billion) in revenue by 2020. In order to reach its targets it will try to prompt aviation routes to and from key international markets, actively organize tourism, culture, and sports events, and create unique and highly-competitive tourism products in line with cultural values and environmental protection.

by Khanh Chi / VET