Extending the pilot period of diving service in Nha Trang Bay

Gia hạn thời gian thí điểm dịch vụ tàu lặn tại vịnh Nha Trang - Ảnh 1. — Extend the pilot period of deploying diving service activities in Nha Trang Bay until the end of July 2024.

The Government Office has just issued Document No. 635/TTg-CN dated July 12, 2023 conveying the opinion of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha on extending the pilot period for deploying diving service activities in Nha Trang Bay.

The document states: After considering the proposal of the Ministry of Transport on extending the pilot period for implementing the submarine in Nha Trang Bay and the opinions of a number of relevant ministries and branches, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha commented:

The Prime Minister has approved in principle the pilot implementation of the submersible service in Nha Trang Bay in Official Dispatch No. 1505/TTg-CN dated October 30, 2020. According to the report of the Ministry of Transport, due to the force majeure of the COVID-19 pandemic, the actual operation time of the submersible service has been affected. Therefore, in order to have more time to assess the practical operation of the submersible service and complete the legal regulations related to the submersible service, it is agreed to extend the pilot period of the submersible service according to the proposal of the Ministry of Transport and the opinions of the Ministry of National Defense , the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the People's Committee of Khanh Hoa province until the end of July 2024.

The Deputy Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Transport to preside over and coordinate with the Ministry of National Defense, the People's Committee of Khanh Hoa province and relevant agencies to organize the management of diving service activities in Nha Trang Bay, Khanh Hoa province, in compliance with current regulations on security, national defense and relevant laws; during the pilot period, relevant agencies are required to regularly monitor and inspect the operation of vehicles and other support activities to ensure absolute safety.

Vinpearl Joint Stock Company and related agencies and units have plans to ensure safety, prevent incidents, rescue and take responsibility according to the law if there is any unsafety during the implementation of diving service activities in Nha Trang Bay.

The Ministry of Transport is responsible for presiding over and coordinating with relevant ministries and agencies to urgently summarize the pilot activities of submersible services in Nha Trang Bay, organize reviews, research and promulgate according to its authority or submit to competent authorities for full promulgation of legal regulations on submersible service activities; to be completed in July 2024.

* Diving service in Nha Trang Bay is a unique, world-class sea tourism product, first implemented in Vietnam.

According to the Ministry of Transport, Vinpearl Joint Stock Company has piloted diving services in Bai Bang area and Hon Mot area in Nha Trang Bay from February 2021 to April 2023.

Due to the force majeure of the COVID-19 pandemic and the unpredictable weather conditions, the construction progress and actual exploitation time (only 159 trips, 69 days) were affected. All passenger diving trips were carried out safely, without any incidents.

During the pilot implementation process, the Ministry of Transport has reviewed and researched relevant legal regulations.

Initial review results show that legal documents to manage the operation of this type of service are not complete, such as: The 2015 Vietnam Maritime Code only regulates registration and inspection of this type of vehicle, and does not have regulations on training crew members to work on submersibles, managing submersible operations, collecting fees for submersible operations, underwater search and rescue plans, etc.

Currently, the Ministry of Transport has completed the draft for the submarine standards and is carrying out the procedures to complete it. Regarding other contents, the Ministry of Transport is still continuing to review and research to gradually complete the regulations for the operation of submarines.

However, diving activities are only being piloted, so there is not enough time to comprehensively evaluate safety, crew training, search and rescue, etc. This is a difficulty leading to the complete completion of supplementary legal regulations on diving activities to suit the reality of maritime activities.

Based on the proposal of Vinpearl Joint Stock Company and also to have time to evaluate the practical operation of the submarine and complete the legal regulations, in the coming time, the Ministry of Transport will continue to monitor the process of piloting the diving service of the enterprise, at the same time, study and amend and supplement the contents to serve the management work. Therefore, the Ministry of Transport has proposed that the Prime Minister consider extending the pilot implementation period of diving activities.

Source