All activities undertaken by the waterways transport in 2016 were aimed to create a breakthrough for the sector toward cheap prices with safety, said an official.
People travel on Hong (Red) River in the north. The Transport Ministry wants to create a breakthrough for the sector toward cheap prices with safety this year. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA)𝕴 – All activities undertaken by the waterways transport in 2016 were aimed to create a breakthrough for the sector toward cheap prices with safety, said an official.
"One of the most notable breakthroughs that the Transport Department recorded in 2015 was the opening of a new North-South coastal line transport – running from northern Quang Ninh province to southern Kien Giang province," Director General of the Transport Department, under the Ministry of Transport, Tran Ngoc Bao, said.
In one year of operation, Bao said, more than six million tones of cargo were transported, of which most of the cargo were oversize and overweight.
He added that in 2016 his department will do its best to bring into full play the comparative advantages in the inland waterways transport sector.
Pham Van Binh, Chairman of the Ha Trung Transport Ldt Company in Nam Dinh province, said his company had five ocean going ships operating in the Quang Ninh-Kien Giang route. Thanks to the low transportation costs compared with road transportation costs, 2015 was a successful year for his company.
Reviewing activities of the inland waterways transport in 2015, Hoang Hong Giang, Director of the Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration (VIWA), said some 200,000 tones of cargo were transported – an increase of 9 percent compared with that of the previous year.
"What's more, the cost of the inland waterways transport was only about 30 percent of that of road transport," Giang said.
In a near future, Giang said, VIWA would open new international waterway routes from Vietnam to Cambodia and China.
It is projected that in 2016 and the following years, the Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration will record many more successes following the separation of the State management function with the task of maintenance service.
In the long run, Giang said the maintenance service would be tendered in a hope to maintain the maintenance fund and improve the quality of the transport service.
According to Giang, in 2015, his department organided more than 100 conferences and inspection visits to help transport enterprises solve their difficulties and challenges in order to create a more amicable atmosphere between State management agencies with enterprises and the general public.
"2015 was the first year that the Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration launched a hotline to receive comments/suggestions from enterprises and people to help them improve their services," said Giang.
"In addition, the VIWA introduced IT in their administration service in hopes of giving its best services to its clients," Giang added.-VNA
Domestic waterways play a critical role in passenger and cargo transport in the Mekong Delta, but the rate of accidents remains at a high level due to lack of attention from local and related authorit
Activities to mark the start of the Traffic Safety Year 2016 took place in Hanoi on January 9, which aims to raise public awareness of observance of traffic rules.
Work on a number of major traffic projects under the Public-Private- Partnership model in Ho Chi Minh City are expected to begin in 2016, said the municipal Department of Transport.
Vietnam has over 4.8 million people exposed to AO/dioxin, including hundreds of thousands in the second, third, and even fourth generations. Many live with severe disabilities, facing high medical costs and loss of earning capacity.
Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang reaffirmed that amnesty is a humanitarian policy of the Party and State, reflecting the Vietnamese tradition of compassion and winning attention and high praise both domestically and internationally.
Vietnam officially grants limited-term visa-free entry to high-profile foreigners whose presence is deemed beneficial to the country’s socio-economic development.
With support from the Vietnamese Association in Ufa, Vietnamese language classes for children have been offered for many years. Currently, 60 children of various ages are attending two classes taught by Duc Anh, free of charge.
Vietnam ranked among the top four countries and territories at the 2025 International Olympiad on Artificial Intelligence (IOAI), reaffirming its strong position in international academic competitions.
All 20 crew members aboard the Vietnamese oil tanker GT Unity were successfully rescued from a fire in the vessel’s engine room, thanks to the swift response of the Liberian-flagged ship Androusa and Vietnamese maritime rescue teams.
Describing Agent Orange as one of the most severe and enduring legacies of the war in Vietnam, Vietnam's former Honorary Consul to Belgium Joseph-Michel de Grand Ry warned that its impact – still affecting generations more than five decades later – could last another two to three decades.
Running from August 4 to September 2, under the hashtag #TuHaoVietNam, the campaign invites participants in two categories: “I Love My Country” video clips and “I Love My Country” check-in photos.
Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP, which took effect on the issuance date, introduces amendments that integrate the procedure for reporting and explaining the demand for foreign workers into the process of submitting applications for work permits.
With a tight 13-month deadline, the move is under a strategic and urgent policy to bridge educational gaps, train the local workforce, and shore up territorial sovereignty in some of the country’s most remote areas.
The parade and personnel send-off ceremony will officially take place on August 10 at the area surrounding the Statue of King Ly Thai To and Dinh Tien Hoang street of Hoan Kiem ward, with the participation of nearly 3,000 officers, soldiers, and local residents.
According to national technical regulations, AIS installation is mandatory for boats carrying more than 50 passengers. However, operators of smaller vessels (under 50 seats) in Ha Long Bay have voluntarily committed to completing installation by the deadline to enhance operational safety.
The activities include a Vietnamese language teaching training course for overseas Vietnamese teachers from August 13 to 28 in Hanoi, Ninh Binh, and Thai Nguyen.
Specifically, the ships will carry out patrols from 7am to 6pm daily along the main tourist routes in Ha Long Bay, with one ship permanently stationed at Ti Top island. From 6pm to 7am the following day, the mobile vessels return to Tuan Chau island to maintain a 24/7 on-call duty shift, ensuring constant readiness.
The Ministry of Construction (MoC) plans to open to traffic 208km of expressways of six key projects by August 19, bringing the country’s total expressway network to 2,476km.
As of July 1, a two-tier local government model started in 34 provinces and cities, streamlining administration but creating a surplus of public properties. If not promptly addressed, these assets could become a financial burden.
Whether they grow up to become journalists, diplomats, or professionals in other fields, these children can one day become bridges of friendship and cooperation, telling new and inspiring stories of Vietnam – China relations, said Ambassador Pham Thanh Binh.
A 21-year-old Indian tourist was successfully resuscitated and treated by doctors at Hoan My Da Nang Hospital after a near-drowning incident left him in critical condition. After three days of intensive care, the man was discharged from the hospital and has since returned to India.
In an document issued on August 5, the PM emphasised the need to stablise living conditions for people hit by floods, landslides, and flash floods in late July and early August in northern and north-central provinces, especially Dien Bien, Son La, and Nghe An which suffered some of the worst damage.
Although millions of Vietnamese were affected by AO, only over 626,000 individuals, including war veterans and their children suffering from dioxin-related conditions, are currently receiving state benefits.
People travel on Hong (Red) River in the north. The Transport Ministry wants to create a breakthrough for the sector toward cheap prices with safety this year. (Photo: VNA)
