A container ship enters Tan Vu Port in the northern port city of Hai Phong. The Hai Phong Ferry Port needs an upgrade to meet rising demand. — VNA/VNS Photo Lam Khanh
Got-Cai Vieng Ferry Port in northern Hai Phong City needs to be expanded and upgraded to ease overloading, local transport experts have said.
The port is the only port pick up and drop off point for passengers to Cat Ba Island.
Nguyen Van Hiep, deputy director of Hai Phong Waterway Transport JSC, said the overloading began after the Tan Vu-Lach Huyen Bridge was put into use early last month, connecting Hai Phong City and Cat Hai Island.
Previously, residents and tourists had to take two ferries — from Hai Phong City to Cat Hai Island and then from Cat Hai Island to Cat Ba Island. Passengers usually had to wait for their turn to get the ferry to the island.
However, since the bridge was built, a large number of passengers have been visiting Cat Hai Island, causing serious overloading on Got-Cai Vieng Ferry Port, especially on weekends. The line of cars waiting for their turn to get on the ferry to Cat Ba Island was reportedly one kilometre long.
Hiep said the company has mobilised five more ferries, raising the total number of ferries to nine, to curb overloading. However, the situation has not improved.
Nguyen Thanh Nghiep, head of Got-Cai Vieng Ferry Port, said that the number of passengers has significantly increased, therefore the port mobilised all its employees, with co-operation from the local authority and local police, to ensure smooth traffic.
The distance between ticket booths to the waiting house was only 200m; however, the road was very narrow, causing serious congestion when vehicles entered or left the area.
Worse, the port’s capacity was only two ferries at a time. Thus, the waiting house was always full, he said.
The other ferries had to anchor near the port, affecting the waterway traffic.
Experts said it was necessary to upgrade the road connecting the ticket booths to the waiting house of the port at the earliest. The port was also in need of expansion for more ferries to anchor and pick up/drop off passengers. — VNS