Tourist boats in Cai Rong Port
The letter came after the management board at Cai Rong Port announced that they would temporarily close from April 5 for maintenance until further notice.
Explaining their refusal to move to the newly-built Ao Tien port, some boat owners said that the design of the new port was not suitable for their boats. Even when the water rises to its highest level, their boats with a capacity of fewer than 100 passengers are still between 2.5-3 metres lower than the wharf, posing safety risks for passengers.
Answering local media, an official of Van Don District admitted there was a problem and said they had asked the investor to fix it.
At present, there are 20 high-speed boats and 15 other vessels transporting local people and tourists from Cai Rong Port to neighbouring communes and popular tourist destinations including Quan Lan, Minh Chau, Ngoc Vung, and Ban Sen. Travel on these routes would be badly affected when boats halt operation.
Ao Tien Port, which serves tourists travelling from Van Don to islands and attractions in Bai Tu Long Bay and Ha Long Bay, was put into use on March 1. The port covers nearly 30 hectares and has the capacity to serve up to 2,600,000 passengers a year during 2020-2025 and would be expanded to 3,200,000 passengers a year through to 2030.
