Develop a scenario to respond to collisions between vehicles and river crossing structures

In the face of the unusual flood situation after storm No. 10 affecting waterway traffic activities, with a high risk of collisions between vehicles and river crossing structures, the Director of the Vietnam Maritime and Waterways Administration has just issued urgent dispatch No. 5111/CD-CHHDTVN to ensure the safety of people, vehicles, maritime and waterway infrastructure assets in the flood situation after storm No. 10 and to be ready to respond to storm No. 11.

Cargo ship and barge stuck under Vinh Phu bridge. Photo: Ta Toan/VNA

The Director of the Vietnam Maritime and Waterways Administration requested the Traffic Safety Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities to direct functional forces, local authorities and relevant agencies to strengthen inspection and supervision of compliance with regulations on safe operating conditions of ports, wharves and vehicles, especially the provision and use of life jackets and life-saving buoyancy devices on vehicles and at cross-river passenger wharves in the management area, not allowing passenger vehicles to operate in bad weather and not ensuring safety conditions. At the same time, inspect, supervise and not allow wharves that do not meet safety conditions and unlicensed wharves to operate.

The Northern and Southern Maritime and Waterways Sub-Departments and the Departments of Construction managing national inland waterways continuously monitor weather developments, hydrological regimes, air clearance of river crossings, route and channel conditions, and promptly notify traffic restrictions when necessary.

Agencies and units urge inland waterway maintenance units to proactively have plans to ensure safety or recall and preserve buoys, signals and accessories in the face of unusual flood developments; promptly deploy buoy and signal systems immediately after floods. At the same time, inspect and urge units to prepare and deploy plans for natural disaster prevention and search and rescue, traffic regulation and guidance, anti-collision, ensuring safety for people, vehicles and river crossing bridges at key locations on national inland waterways.

Regional Maritime Port Authorities and Inland Waterway Port Authorities coordinate with Maritime and Waterway Sub-Departments, functional forces and local authorities to inspect, monitor, and not grant operating licenses to vehicles when there is a traffic restriction notice from competent authorities. Continuously monitor the situation of floods, weather, hydrological regime, air clearance of river crossings, route and channel conditions, promptly notify the captain before granting licenses to proactively respond.

The Maritime and Waterways Sub-Department, functional forces and local authorities are ready to deploy the disaster prevention and search and rescue plans that have been developed; regularly monitor the developments of storm No. 11 to guide ships to avoid entering dangerous areas; in case ships leave the port, advise ships not to enter the disaster danger zone, especially pay attention to level 3 restricted ships (operating areas no more than 20 nautical miles from shore or shelter) and inland waterway vehicles in water areas managed by the Port Authority.

Agencies, units and localities must inspect, review and guide safe anchoring and sheltering places for vehicles and take measures to tie down, reinforce and ensure safety for people and vehicles when an emergency occurs; require vehicles anchored near river crossings to promptly move to safe locations, absolutely do not let vehicles collide with river crossing structures.

For the Department of Construction of provinces and centrally run cities, the Vietnam Maritime and Waterways Administration requests coordination with Maritime Port Authorities and Inland Waterway Port Authorities in the area in ensuring safety of maritime and inland waterway traffic and protecting maritime and waterway infrastructure assets according to regulations. In addition, direct the affiliated Inland Waterway Port Authorities to pay attention when granting permits for inland waterway vehicles (especially inland waterway vehicles with VR-SB class) to leave ports and inland waterway wharves to avoid entering areas affected by storm No. 11.

The Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center is on duty 24/7 to monitor the developments of storm No. 11; promptly handle any situation that may arise. In addition, the regional Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centers are directed to maintain their forces and means to be ready to participate in natural disaster prevention and search and rescue when required.

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Source: https://baotintuc.vn/van-de-quan-tam/xay-dung-kich-ban-ung-pho-su-co-dam-va-giua-phuong-tien-va-cong-trinh-vuot-song-20251004212554842.htm