HCMC & Mekong Delta Waterway Transport

[GWR]

US$ 300 million for traffic development in Mekong Delta

Posted at 15h36, day 30 January, 2008

Hanoi Times – Mekong Delta provinces have started a transport infrastructure development project with a total investment of US$ 312 million.

Of the investment, US$ 207 million will come from the World Bank and US$ 25 million from the Australia International Development Agency (AusAid) while the remaining will be contributed by the Vietnamese government.

The first phase of the project, estimated to cost over US$ 100 million, will upgrade major national routes that link the region’s economic centers.

In the second phase, the project will pour over US$ 99 million into upgrading canals rated as third level and local waterways for two waterway corridors.

In the third and fourth phases, more than US$ 103 million will be transferred to the Ministry of Transport and 13 regional provinces to carry out sub-projects.

The project aims to facilitate traffic between Mekong Delta provinces, helping reduce poverty and boost socio-economic development in the region.http://www.hanoitimes.com.vn/newsdetail.asp?NewsId=2813&CatId=31

[GWR]

HCM City officials pursue boat options for commuters

23/05/2008 -- 11:16 AM
HCM City (VNA) – Local officials want more people to travel on the Ho Chi Minh City ’s waterways to climinate the burden on the city’s roads.

Under a new city zoning plan for the water transport to 2020, the city is scheduled to build more interior water traffic routes and trans-provincial routes connecting HCM City with southeast and southwest provinces.

The proposal aims to reduce the stress on city roads and develop tourism services on the city’s waterways.

Officials said currently there were only four waterway passenger stations – Ton That Thuyet Wharf in District 4 which links with Tra Vinh and Ben Tre provinces, Hiep An Wharf, Tan Binh Dong Wharf in District 8, and Bach Dang Wharf in District 1.

The most important tourist port, Bach Dang, handles 7,000 hydrofoil trips each year, with an average of 400,000 passengers.

The city Transportation Development Research Centre said it had not been managed well. The centre has proposed the city committee to build more wharves and terminals and create passenger boat routes throughout the city.

Le Huy Thao, director of Dong Song Xanh Company (Greenlines), which owns 10 hydrofoils that carry 50,000 passengers annually, said that the shortage of wharves made it more difficult to create a city boat network.

His company has plans to start a water-taxi and speedboat service in the city, but only if the city offers a financial subsidy, as it does for the bus system.

Trans-provincial waterway transport is in better shape, but higher fuel prices have eaten into his company’s budget.

The company plans to offer a water taxi service from Hon Chong to Phu Quoc Island in Kien Giang province.

Along with building boat and bus routes, departure and destination ports along Bach Dang-Thanh Da-Lai Thieu will be built for tourism and transport services.

The boats are expected to carry 1,000 passengers a day and will operate during the daytime like passenger buses on the roads. Each boat would be able to carry 15 to 20 passengers.-Enditem
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