Ha Long Bay Passenger Boats to Undergo New Safety Procedures

Ha Long Bay Passenger Boats to Undergo New Safety Procedures

In accordance with the Viet Nam Standard 5801-2005, boat owners in {attraction_Ha_Long_Bay:”Ha Long Bay”} are now required by the government to follow specific safety procedures. It is now compulsory for passengers boats to have the following equipment: global positioning systems; radios (to hear weather forecast updates); anti-lightning mechanisms; life jackets; and a fire-fighting and prevention system.
 
Moreover, wooden passenger boats are now required to change the color of their hulls from what has always been brown to white. The white passengers boats on the other hand will now have hulls made of iron or composite, materials much safer and sturdy than wood. In fact, the province of Quang Ninh has now banned the construction of wooden passenger boats.
 
The government will also begin discouraging businesses from offering overnight accommodation packages to visitors at the Ha Long Bay. This, following a tragic accident last year of the sinking of the Truong Hai 06 which claimed 12 lives of tourists at the Ha Long Bay.
 
An estimated 2.4 million tourists visited Ha Long Bay in the first quarter of 2012. This is equivalent to a 20 percent increase compared to last year’s statistics. The new safety procedures are expected to be finished before April 30 to ensure the safety of its visitors. To ensure further safety, the boats will be checked by assigned sectors and will even be given new operation licenses.