New regulations on maritime port operations

The Ministry of Transport has just issued a Circular regulating the organization and operation of maritime port authorities.

According to the new circular, the maritime port authority is an administrative organization equivalent to a branch of the Vietnam Maritime Administration, performing the task of state management of maritime at seaports and assigned management areas.

Maritime port authorities are responsible for licensing and supervising ships arriving, departing, and operating at seaports and management areas, as well as not allowing ships to arrive, depart, or operate at seaports and management areas without sufficient conditions (Photo: Ta Hai).

The maritime port authority has legal status, its own headquarters, its own seal, and is allowed to open accounts at the State Treasury and at commercial banks (if necessary) according to regulations.

The scope of state management of maritime port authorities according to the regulations of the Ministry of Transport on the announcement of seaport waters, maritime areas and management areas of maritime port authorities (except for ports, inland waterway wharves, and anchorage areas in seaport waters that have been assigned by the Ministry of Transport to the Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration or assigned or decentralized to the inland waterway port authority under the Department of Transport or agencies and units assigned by the provincial People's Committee to perform in localities where there is no inland waterway port authority under the Department of Transport).

The maritime port authority is responsible for participating in the development or proposing the Vietnam Maritime Administration to develop, requesting competent authorities to promulgate national standards, issue national technical regulations and economic-technical norms for the maritime sector.

At the same time, propagate, disseminate, and organize the implementation of current regulations related to the maritime sector, international treaties on maritime to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a member; strategies, planning, plans, programs, projects, proposals, standards, technical regulations, and economic-technical norms of the maritime sector issued, announced, or approved by competent authorities.

In the management of maritime activities at seaports and assigned management areas, the maritime port authority shall license and supervise ships arriving, departing, and operating at seaports and management areas, and shall not allow ships to arrive, depart, or operate at seaports and management areas without meeting sufficient conditions for maritime safety, maritime security, maritime labor, fire and explosion prevention, and environmental pollution prevention according to the provisions of Vietnamese law and international treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a member.

In the work of maritime safety, maritime security, fire and explosion prevention and environmental protection in maritime activities, the maritime port authority has the role of approving and organizing the supervision of the implementation of plans to ensure maritime safety in seaport waters according to regulations.

At the same time, participate in giving opinions on granting aquaculture licenses in assigned seaport waters according to regulations.

At the same time, approve the establishment of maritime signals, put maritime signals into use according to regulations; inspect and monitor channels, maritime signal systems and other maritime support systems.

Preside over the coordination of maritime traffic activities at seaports and management areas and preside over the coordination of search and rescue activities in seaport waters; mobilize people and necessary means to conduct search and rescue or handle environmental pollution incidents.

The new regulation also adds the task of participating in developing and implementing programs, plans and tasks on climate change, developing green ports, green ships and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, converting to green energy, using energy economically and efficiently in the maritime sector.

Regarding the management of maritime works and other works in seaport waters, the Maritime Port Authority receives citizens, resolves complaints, denunciations, reflections, and recommendations from organizations and citizens; prevents and combats corruption, negativity, practices thrift, and combats waste; sanctions administrative violations and organizes the implementation of decisions on sanctioning administrative violations according to its authority.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/quy-dinh-moi-ve-hoat-dong-cua-cang-vu-hang-hai-19225011414364884.htm