Dong Nai tightens management of inland waterway ports and wharves

The network of inland waterway wharves and ferry terminals along the Dong Nai River plays an important role in the socioeconomic development of localities across Dong Nai City. These wharves and ferry terminals serve not only cargo transport and trade but also residents’ daily travel needs.

Phuoc An Port, a major deep-water seaport in Dong Nai City. Photo: Hoang Loc

However, with the growth of inland waterway transportation activities, stricter management of inland waterway wharves and cross-river passenger ferry terminals has become an urgent requirement to ensure traffic safety.

63 inland waterway ports and wharves in operation

The Department of Construction has been assigned by the City People's Committee to manage 15 inland waterway routes with a total length of nearly 154 km. According to the department’s report, regarding the system of inland waterways (rivers, streams, canals, and creeks) managed by commune- and ward-level People's Committees, there are currently 534 routes with a total length of more than 2,400 km. In addition, there is one national inland waterway route on the Dong Nai River, extending from Dong Nai Bridge to the confluence with the Be River, including branches passing through Rua and Bach Dang islets, with a length of approximately 72 km. The Ministry of Construction has delegated the management of this route to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee.

The city currently manages 63 inland waterway ports and wharves. Of these, the department manages one cargo port, while commune- and ward-level People's Committees manage 62 inland waterway wharves, including 46 cargo terminals and 16 passenger terminals and cross-river ferry landings.

A supervisory delegation from the City People's Council inspects the riverside ferry terminal area in Ta Lai Commune.

Some localities with a large number of inland waterway ports and wharves include Trang Dai Ward, which has 22 inland waterway ports and wharves and one announced/renewed ferry landing serving cross-river passenger and tourist ferry services; Tran Bien Ward, which has 9 inland waterway ports and terminals and two ferry landings serving cross-river passenger and tourist ferry services; and Nhon Trach Ward, which has 8 inland waterway ports and wharves.

Inland waterway wharves and cross-river ferry landings serve as essential connection points for riverside residential areas. Inland waterway wharves facilitate cargo transport, particularly for minerals and construction material stockpiles transported by river. Meanwhile, ferry landings support the travel needs of residents, workers, and students in areas where bridges have not yet been constructed.

According to Nguyen Duc Dan, Head of the Infrastructure Management and Traffic Safety Division under the Department of Construction, the operations of inland waterway ports and wharves have generally been managed in a coordinated manner, in accordance with legal regulations and directives from the Central Government and the City People's Committee. The Department of Construction has proactively advised on the issuance of directives and guidance documents, carried out planning, infrastructure management, and supervision of port and wharf operations, and strengthened coordination with local authorities and relevant agencies in inspections and handling violations to ensure the safety of inland waterway infrastructure and the public.

The general orientation of Dong Nai City is to continue studying and reorganizing the system of ports and wharves along the Dong Nai River. This includes promoting a centralized and rational distribution of terminals while considering the functional conversion of small, scattered port areas or those no longer suitable for the city's long-term riverside urban development objectives.

Enhanced management needed to prevent incidents

Although inland waterway wharves and riverside ferry landings are generally managed in a coordinated manner, objectively, legal compliance among some organizations and individuals engaged in inland waterway activities remains limited. Violations involving inland waterway protection corridors and the unauthorized operation of inland waterway wharves that fail to meet regulatory requirements continue to occur. In addition, many wharves remain small and fragmented, while technical infrastructure generally lacks synchronized investment, preventing the full realisation of local potential.

In response to this situation, the City People's Council recently organized a survey and supervisory delegation on state management of the inland waterway wharves and ferry terminals across communes and wards. According to Huynh Viet Cuong, Head of the Economic-Budget Committee of the City People's Council, the survey identified several shortcomings, including a lack of coordinated management, particularly in planning and land use, with some wards and communes failing to maintain strict management. Therefore, localities need to review their systems of inland waterway ports, wharves and ferry terminals and conduct licensing procedures in accordance with current legal regulations to ensure stricter compliance. At the same time, operators of riverside ferry landings must be regularly reminded to comply with safety regulations to minimize incidents, especially as the storm season approaches.

According to Huynh Ngoc Kim Mai, Head of the Culture-Social Committee of the City People's Council, in addition to strengthening the management of inland waterway wharves and riverside ferry landings, the planning and development of riverside corridors should also be considered to fully capitalize on the functions and value of the Dong Nai River for the city's economic and tourism development.

Regarding local implementation, leaders of the Trang Dai Ward People's Committee said the ward recently conducted two inspection tours, during which competent authorities promptly detected and addressed several violations, preventing them from being prolonged. The ward has also requested that relevant city agencies provide support and professional guidance to local authorities in managing and supervising the port and terminal system to ensure security, public order, and inland waterway traffic safety.

By Vuong The – Translated by Minh Hong, Thu Ha