Promoting investment and exploiting advantages of inland waterway transport

This afternoon (December 24), the Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration held a conference to deploy tasks for 2025. Minister of Transport Tran Hong Minh attended and gave a speech.

Promoting natural potential, promoting investment

Speaking at the conference, Minister of Transport Tran Hong Minh acknowledged and highly appreciated the efforts of the leaders, officers, civil servants, public employees and workers of the Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration in recent times, contributing positively to the outstanding results of the entire transport sector.

The Minister emphasized the glorious 68-year tradition of the inland waterways industry (1956-2024) as well as the great contributions of the inland waterways industry throughout the history of the anti-American resistance war, national construction after unification, and the period of economic innovation and development in recent years.

"Waterway officers and workers need to promote tradition, continue to make efforts, and exploit the advantages and potential of natural conditions with a total length of about 41,900km of rivers and canals and more than 3,600km of coastline to exploit and promote water transport," said the Minister.

Minister of Transport Tran Hong Minh asked the collective of cadres and workers in the inland waterway sector to promote tradition, advantages, and develop transportation (Photo: Ta Hai).

Orienting specific tasks in the coming time, the Minister emphasized the review and supplementation of legal documents to make them convenient for businesses and beneficial for the people.

At the same time, strengthen the connection of waterways with other modes of transport according to the master plan of other modes of transport and investment roadmap to promote efficiency, reduce logistics costs because water transport has the lowest price. From there, investment will be made to promote the development of water transport in advantageous areas such as the North and the Mekong Delta, ensuring investment efficiency.

The Minister also requested to maintain a transparent, effective, and modern management system. The written request for opinions from agencies must be responded to within one week at the latest. Any agency or individual who is "difficult" will be held responsible. At the same time, attention must be paid to the work of preventing corruption and negativity.

Receiving the direction of the Minister, Mr. Bui Thien Thu, Director of Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration reported to the Minister the existing problems affecting the development of waterways in recent times.

Accordingly, the state budget for investment in inland waterway infrastructure is still low, accounting for less than 2% of the entire transport sector. There are no strong enough policies to attract private investment and foreign investment in inland waterway infrastructure, such as: There is no policy to bind the proportion of inland waterway cargo at seaports; the fee regime needs to have a stronger incentive orientation; investment priorities are not suitable for the large scale, not suitable for the inland waterway sector; investment activities still have some difficulties in planning, land, land allocation, and works outside the dike.

On the other hand, there are still many unlicensed and expired inland ports and wharves. Although the Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration has coordinated with localities to overcome these problems, the results have not been as expected.

The system of legal documents, standards and specialized regulations is not yet synchronized and needs to be further improved in the coming time. Digital transformation and the construction of specialized databases are still slow and need to be further promoted.

"In the coming time, the Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration will implement solutions to overcome limitations, further strengthen the connection of inland waterways with other modes, ensuring smooth multimodal transport. Improve port and wharf management, work with localities to effectively handle the situation of unlicensed and expired wharfs.

At the same time, there are solutions to attract private capital investment, foreign capital and other capital sources. The system promotes the work of preventing corruption and negativity...", Mr. Thu emphasized.

Transport growth, enhanced international cooperation

Previously, at the conference, Mr. Bui Thien Thu, Director of the Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration, said that in 2024, the Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration had synchronously and strongly implemented solutions and completed tasks in all aspects of work. Of which, more than 4,000 official dispatches, more than 1,800 decisions, 19 telegrams, and 33 concluding notices were issued in the spirit of reform, innovation, decentralization, and maximum reduction of administrative procedures.

Mr. Bui Thien Thu, Director of Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration, emphasized the solutions that need to be implemented to promote waterway development (Photo: Ta Hai).

The results achieved by the inland waterway transport industry have significantly contributed to the overall development of the transport industry, promoting the trend of shifting goods from road to waterway, reducing congestion, traffic accidents, and environmental pollution.

Specifically, the management of transport activities and ensuring traffic safety are carried out regularly and continuously with many solutions to promote the development of inland waterway transport activities. The Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration continues to complete the contents of the project on the model waterway transport route ICD Que Vo - Hai Phong seaport; proactively develop a pilot project to expand the scope of operation of VR-S1 vehicles on the route from Van Uc estuary - Lach Huyen seaport and the route from Cua Tieu - Cai Mep - Thi Vai seaport.

At the same time, coordinate to organize a dialogue conference with about 300 enterprises in the maritime and inland waterway sectors. Regarding waterway transport activities under the Agreement between Vietnam and Cambodia, the Department has compiled 10 remaining contents and problems and reported to the Ministry of Transport to send a document requesting ministries, branches and localities to give their opinions on the contents of recommendations and proposals of enterprises and associations.

Regarding transport output in 2024, passenger transport is estimated to increase by 11.1% and freight transport by 11.2% compared to 2023. Of which, transport output on the Vietnam - Cambodia route continues to grow strongly, with container cargo alone reaching about 490,000 Teus, an increase of 23% compared to 2023.

In the work of ensuring traffic safety, the Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration has issued many documents directing units and localities to ensure order and safety of inland waterways during the holidays and Tet in 2024, focusing on dangerous locations on the routes. Organized 4 delegations to propagate disaster prevention and search and rescue work in the field of inland waterways, 9 delegations to urge traffic safety work and 3 interdisciplinary inspection delegations in the provinces: Hoa Binh, Son La, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Tuyen Quang, Khanh Hoa, Phu Yen, Dong Nai, Ba Ria - Vung Tau.

Training of crew members and inland waterway vehicle drivers is carried out seriously, strictly and in accordance with regulations.

Conference summarizing the work of the Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration in 2024 (Photo: Ta Hai).

The management and maintenance of traffic infrastructure; flood and storm prevention and control, and overcoming the consequences of natural disasters are focused on and implemented promptly and effectively. In 2024, the Department has deployed 10 dredging projects to ensure traffic; 4 embankment repair projects; 4 obstacle clearance projects; 8 signal repair and replacement packages; and additional and replacement of signal lights with a total budget of 974 billion VND. It is expected that in 2024, the disbursement of career resources will reach 97%.

Science, technology - international cooperation and environment work has been proactively implemented with many innovations. In which, bilateral and multilateral international cooperation activities such as: Organizing the 2024 annual bilateral conference between the two groups to facilitate waterway transport in Vietnam - Cambodia in Siem Reap - Cambodia; participating in organizing the 2nd meeting of the Vietnam - China Joint Committee in Guilin, Guangxi, China. Attending the 58th ASEAN Senior Transport Officials Meeting (STOM 58), the 30th ASEAN Transport Ministers Meeting (ATM 30) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Organizing the implementation of the project "Harmonization of standards and regulations among Mekong - Lancang countries" on waterway transport...

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/thuc-day-dau-tu-khai-thac-loi-the-van-tai-duong-thuy-noi-dia-192241224190028143.htm