HIGHLIGHTS
- Different localities still have no consensus on the management of commodities circulation by waterway, which causes many obstacles for means of transport, leading to many ports having to stop operating.
- The Department of Inland Waterways of Vietnam will develop a unified water transport process among provinces and cities nationwide during the COVID-19 epidemic to ensure smooth circulation of goods.
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Lack of synchronization in the management stage at localities
More than a week ago, a barge carried commodities from Viet Tri (Phu Tho) to Dinh Vu seaport (Hai Phong) through Hanoi, Bac Ninh and Hai Duong, in which Hanoi has implemented social distancing according to Directive 16. Although vehicles traveling through Hanoi and Bac Ninh were not checked, Hai Duong province’s epidemic control checkpoint requires all crew members to have a negative test certificate for COVID-19 to be able to travel through the area.
Some localities do not apply social distancing according to Directive 16 such as Quang Ninh, Hai Duong, and Bac Giang, they still require all people on ships when delivering and receiving goods at ports and factories must have a PCR medical test valid for 72 hours.
Similarly, in the southern region, while provinces such as Long An and Binh Duong do not check medical documents for vehicles, two provinces of Dong Thap and An Giang strictly check them. In addition, An Giang and Kien Giang banned vehicles from circulating from 6pm the previous day to 5am the next morning, however, An Giang later allowed vehicles carrying rice, rice, fish, vegetables and fruits to circulate.
The means of water collection and purchase of rice were also hindered by not being able to circulate through quarantine checkpoints on the river, Ca Mau Department of Transport said. Therefore, the Department of Waterways has written to the Department of Transport of Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, Hau Giang and Kien Giang to advise the Provincial People’s Committee to take measures to create conditions for water vehicles to transport rice and agricultural products through the province, ensuring the transportation of essential goods to serve the lives of people in epidemic-affected areas.
According to the Port Authority of the Southern region, transportation difficulties lead to many ports and wharves having to temporarily stop operating. Specifically, in the first week of August 2021, there are above 2,650 out of more 2,900 ports and wharves, under the management of the Central Port Authority, stopped operating. On average, there are only more than 200 turns of vehicles entering and leaving the port every day.
Urgently open the “green channel” of waterways
Following the direction of the Ministry of Transport, the Department of Inland Waterways of Vietnam will develop a unified water transport process among provinces and cities nationwide during the COVID-19 epidemic to ensure smooth circulation of goods.
Accordingly, the Department cooperates with the Department of Transport of localities to announce the “green channels” of inter-provincial waterways. The local Department of Transport announced the “green channel” of local waterways.
Watercraft are registered and issued by the Vietnam Inland Waterway Administration and the Department of Transport via the network of priority identification cards with QR Codes, then pasted on the vehicles for convenient circulation on the “green channel”. On the transport journey, vehicles with valid identification cards will not be inspected on the route or at the quarantine checkpoint. In case the vehicle does not have a card or the card has expired, all crew members are checked for medical declarations and test certificates for SARS-CoV-2.
When the vessel is in the port, the crew can only stay on the ship and authorize the person ashore to carry out the port authority procedures. If there is no authorized person, only one person will be appointed to carry out the procedures and must comply with the regulations of the Ministry of Health on epidemic prevention.
Software for issuing and managing cards and watercraft circulating on the “green channel” is being urgently completed. It is expected that this week will announce the “green channel” routes nationwide.
Minh Ngô
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