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| Cruise ships on Ha Long Bay may be repainted white |
The committee's decision would require around 500 cruise boats on the bay to paint their hulls white. Sails would have to be brown, and the dragon-shaped head would be allowed to be painted in the traditional colour of brown.
The new paint jobs would have to be completed by April 30, and any ship that fails to meet the deadline would either have it's license revoked, or be refused a new one.
According to the provincial authorities, the move is meant to create a new image for the ships and improve aesthetics on the bay, which was recently listed among the New Seven Natural Wonders of the World.
Nevertheless, the boat owners have voiced their opposition to the decision, saying that the such changes are both costly and do not reflect the tradition of Halong Bay.
Speaking with DTiNews, Nguyen Anh Duc, Deputy Director of Bai Tho Tourist Transportation Company, said, “The overhauls change the traditional brown colour of wood that ships have always had. White should only be used on boats with iron hulls which are more resistant to water. White paint on wooden boats would make them more vulnerable to discolouration from the water and other environmental factors. Also, it would be quite expensive. It would cost at least VND15-20 million (USD714.2-952.3) per ship. We have around 50 ships, which means the total cost will be VND1 billion.”
Duc added that it takes several months to repaint a hull, which would affect operations.
“We have sent our proposal to the provincial authorities asking that they reconsider the decision”, said Duc.
According to the ship owners, furniture is suitable for the traditional colour of brown
