Procedure for Inland Waterway Vessels Departing from Ports and Inland Waterway Terminals

Procedures for inland waterway vessels leaving ports and inland wharves (illustrative image)

Circular 50/2014/TT-BGTVT stipulates that before a vessel leaves the port or wharf, the captain, first mate, or boat operator is responsible for presenting the original copies of the following documents to the Port Authority or Wharf Management Board:

- Transportation contract or warehouse release invoice or transportation document (for cargo vessels) or passenger list (for passenger vessels);- Documents confirming the payment of fees, charges, fines, or settlement of debts as per legal provisions;- Documents related to changes compared to the Transportation contract or warehouse release invoice or transportation document (if any).

The Port Authority or Wharf Management Board shall issue a permit for the vessel to leave the inland waterway port or wharf within 30 minutes from the time of receiving the required documents. The permit for entering the inland waterway port or wharf is according to Form 15 issued in the Appendix of this Circular. However:

- In cases where the vessel has been issued a permit to leave the inland waterway port or wharf but remains moored in the port or wharf waters for more than 24 hours, the captain, first mate, or boat operator must go to the Port Authority office to re-do the procedures for the vessel to leave the port or wharf.

- In cases where inland waterway vessels enter and stay at the port or wharf for no more than 72 hours, or the documents and materials for the procedures to leave the port or wharf have not changed since entering, the procedures for leaving the port or wharf can be done once.

For vessels entering and leaving the port or wharf more than twice a day, the Port Authority or Wharf Management Board shall only conduct a physical check the first time, and from the second time on the same day, only safety conditions will be checked according to regulations.

For newly built or repaired vessels launching for trial runs on inland waterways, the vessel owner or the owner of the new construction or repair facility must present the Port Authority or Wharf Management Board with the following documents:

- Inspection record of registration confirming that the vessel is qualified for long-distance trial runs;- Traffic safety assurance plan for launching vessels that cross the protection corridor of the navigation channel approved by the agency directly managing the regional inland waterway.

Note: Passenger transport vessels at river-crossing passenger wharves are not required to complete procedures for leaving the wharf.

Details can be found at Circular 50/2014/TT-BGTVT, effective from January 1, 2015.

Ty Na

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