What are regulations on the pricing framework for pilotage service provided to international vessels in Vietnam?

What are regulations on the pricing framework for pilotage service provided to international vessels in Vietnam? - image from internet

Pursuant to Article 10 of the Decision 3946/QD-BGTVT in 2016 on the pricing framework for services of pilotage and utilization of wharfs, docks and mooring buoys at Vietnamese seaports issued by the Minister of Transport, the regulations on the pricing framework for pilotage service provided to international vessels in Vietnam are stipulated as follows:

1. The pricing framework for pilot service below is defined for the following routes and types of vessel:

2. The prices of pilot service provided beyond Section 1 of this Article, on Vung Ro routes (Phu Yen province), at sand transshipment zones (Binh Dinh province, Phu Yen province), Duyen Hai (Tra Vinh province), Ba Ngoi (Khanh Hoa province) are defined below in progressive order:

3. Specific provisions

a) A carrier has to notify the maritime pilotage organization at least 06 hours prior to its use of the pilotage service and at least 24 hours prior to its use of the pilotage service at an offshore oil rig. The pilotage organization shall be informed of a change to the time of pilotage or the cancellation of the service request at least 03 hours or 08 hours, if the service proceeds at an offshore platform, prior to the expected time of pilotage.

The carrier shall incur a wait charge of USD 11/person/hour or USD 22/person and vehicle/hour when cancelling a request for pilotage in less than 03 hours or less than 08 hours, if the service proceeds at an offshore platform, prior to the expected time of pilotage. The wait time shall be hence determined in the following manner:

- The pilot has not departed: 01 hour;

- The pilot departed: the duration of wait starts upon departure until the pilot's return to the original position. In this event, the minimum duration of wait shall be 01 hour;

- If the pilot is retained after completing the pilotage, the captain of the vessel shall incur an additional wait charge for the duration during which the pilot is retained.

A pilot shall only wait at the vessel pickup position in no more than 04 hours after the requested time of pilotage. The request of pilotage service shall be deemed cancelled after such wait time and the vessel shall be subject to 80% of the charge for pilotage service commensurate with the requested distance of pilotage according to the pricing framework defined in Section 1 and Section 2 of this Article.

b) The price of pilotage service for a vessel that voyages to test its machinery or to calibrate its compass shall be 110% of that defined in the pricing framework in Section 1 and Section 2 of this Article;

c) The price of pilotage service for a vessel that is inoperable due to technical issues shall be 150% of that defined in the pricing framework in Section 1 and Section 2 of this Article and shall be subject to the actual distance of pilotage.

d) The price of pilotage service requested ad hoc (beyond Point a, b and c of this Section) shall be 110% of that defined in Section 1 and Section 2 of this Article.

dd) The charge for pilotage service in the event that the pilot has arrived at the proper position but the vessel is inoperable due to force majeure (with a confirmation of the port authority) shall be USD 330;

e) A carrier that does not voyage straight to the port and demands to anchor midway (except for the routes on which night voyage is not allowed) shall incur an additional charge for the conveyance of the pilot. Such charge shall not exceed USD 33/vessel/trip;

g) The pilot shall pay a wait charge of USD110 per hour, for the actual number of hours during which a vessel is kept waiting, to the owner of the vessel if such vessel arrives at the pilot wait position punctually and a representative of the owner obtains an approval from the port authority but the pilot is absent and keeps the vessel waiting.

h) In the event that a vessel (except passenger vessels) has entered and exited a maritime zone on more than 3 visits per vessel per month, its 4^th visit in the same month shall be subject to the price of pilotage which is 80% of that defined in Section 1 and Section 2 of this Article; however, the charge for an act of pilotage shall not be lower than USD 330;

i) An organization or individual in possession of a vessel that carry passengers into and out of 1 maritime zone on at least 04 visits in 1 month shall incur the pilotage service price which is 50% of that defined in the pricing framework in Section 1 and Section 2 of this Article; however, the charge for an act of pilotage shall not be lower than USD 330;

k) The price of pilotage for a passenger vessel of 50,000 GT and upwards, upon its entry into and departure from a maritime zone, shall be 40% of that defined in the pricing framework in Section 1 and Section 2 of this Article; however, the charge for an act of pilotage shall not be lower than USD 330;

l) The price of pilotage for a vessel that moves between the wharfs in a port at the request of the director of the port company shall equal that for domestic maritime vessels moving inside a port;

m) The price of pilotage for an oil carrier in Van Phong bay - Khanh Hoa shall be 50% of that defined in Section 1 and Section 2 of this Article;

n) The price of pilotage for a vessel that enters and exits a maritime zone for fuel, food, drinking water, crew replacement, repair, dismantling or test run shall be 70% of that defined in Section 1 and Section 2 of this Article provided that it does not load or unload commodities or does not embark or disembark passengers after being repaired or newly built;

o) The pilotage service charge shall not be levied on the vessels that enter or leave a port to hand over victims rescued at sea without commodity handling, discharge or embarkation of passengers, provided that the event is confirmed by the port authority. Moreover, the pilotage service charge shall not be imposed on the vessels that participate in rescue and salvage or in combating against a storm, flood or natural disaster under an order or endorsement of a competent government authority.

Above are regulations on the pricing framework for pilotage service provided to international vessels in Vietnam. Please refer to the Decision 3946/QD-BGTVT in 2016 for more details.

Best regards!