Accidents in Port Waters and Inland Waterway Terminals: How to Handle?

In Article 29 of Circular 11/2016/TT-BQP provides guidelines on handling accidents in the waters of ports and inland wharves under the management authority of the Ministry of National Defense as follows:

Illustration (source: internet)

- The rescue of persons and watercraft in the event of an accident in the waters of ports and inland wharves is a mandatory duty for captains, crew members, operators of watercraft, and organizations and individuals operating at the ports and wharves.

- Upon detecting an accident or the risk of an accident, the captain or operator of the watercraft involved must immediately send a distress signal as prescribed and promptly take measures to rescue persons and property, while also notifying the direct management unit of the port or wharf to handle the situation promptly.

- The head of the direct management unit of the port or wharf has the authority to mobilize all forces, equipment of the port or wharf, and available means in the area to rescue persons, property, and watercraft in distress. Related organizations and individuals are obliged to comply with the dispatch order of the head of the direct management unit of the port or wharf to rescue persons, property, and watercraft in distress according to Form No. 11 in the Appendix issued together with this Circular.

- In case of a sunken watercraft, after rescuing persons and property, the captain or operator of the sunken watercraft must place signals as prescribed and immediately report to the competent authorities and the owner of the watercraft for salvage operations. The watercraft owner must organize the salvage within the prescribed time limit and can only proceed when safety measures for navigation as stipulated by law have been implemented.

See additional regulations in Circular 11/2016/TT-BQP, effective from April 10, 2016.

Thu Ba

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