Waterway transport on the Hau River in Can Tho city (Photo: VNA)Can Tho (VNA) - The Mekong Delta city of Can Tho is implementing measures to ensure the safety of waterway transport.
Can Tho city shares a border with five provinces including An Giang in the north, Hau Giang in the south, Kien Giang in the west, Dong Thap and Vinh Long provinces in the east.
As the transportation hub of the Mekong Delta, raising awareness of safety issues plays an important role in maintaining waterway transportation safety, especially during the rainy season.
The Traffic Safety Committee of Can Tho city has collaborated with relevant authorities to provide more than 1,000 pairs of lifejackets for primary schools' disadvantaged students who go to school by boat.
Nearly 1,000 items of safety equipment have been presented to vehicle owners.
Training courses have also been organised to provide information on waterway transportation for locals.
Huynh Van Thom, owner of a dock at Phong Dien district's Nhon Nghia commune said awareness of these issues was on the rise, creating a positive change in the observance of law and contributing to safe transportation.
"Under the guidance of local authorities as well as the traffic safety committee, people have been made aware that they have to wear a life jacket while travelling on boats," Thom said.
Nguyen Van Ut, who resides in Can Tho city's Ninh Kieu district, said many docks in the city, including Ninh Kieu dock, had been upgraded.
Huynh Van Huong from Can Tho city's Waterway Police Department said the department was working with relevant authorities to facilitate transportation. In addition, transportation for tourists by boat on Ninh Kieu dock as well as sand exploitation on Hau river will be rearranged.
The Waterway Police force will intensify inspection and handle violations, Huong said.
He also said they would concentrate on raising awareness of vehicle owners and passengers so they could know the regulations on waterway transport safety.
With a dense network of rivers and canals, the Mekong Delta is an area with a high risk of waterway accidents compared with other regions.
According to the national Traffic Safety Committee, Vietnam now has more than 2,400 docks with more than 6,000 vehicles using them per day.
The Mekong Delta alone has more than 1,500 docks where more than 3,000 vehicles travel daily, accounting for 61 percent of docks and vehicles in the country.-VNA
