Chien Thang and Dao Loan
Tourists board a boat at Tuan Chau Port to cruise Halong Bay – PHOTO: PHAM VU
Quang Ninh’s Department of Information and Communications told the Daily on August 20 that the relocation from Bai Chay Port to Tuan Chau was scheduled for completion before the end of this year and that Bai Chay Port would be closed before the peak summer travel season in 2016.
Earlier, the Vietnam Maritime Administration (VMA) issued a decision allowing Tuan Chau habor to handle local and international passengers and cruise ships in Halong Bay from July 28.
Located in the southeast of Tuan Chau Island in Halong City and developed by Au Lac Co. Ltd., the international tourist harbor has one 1,443-meter-long pier and one 4,411-meter-long pier able to handle huge vessels.
The VMA requested the Quang Ninh Port Authority to oversee the port to ensure maritime safety and environmental protection as well as fee collections in line with the current regulations.
A number of tour operators have hailed the relocation of tourist boats to the new venue as it has better infrastructure than at Bai Chay Port such as large waiting lounges and floating facilities for easy access and exit. The new harbor is convenient for visitors traveling from Hanoi.
However, Asian Trails Co. CEO Bui Viet Thuy Tien said more piers should be built at Tuan Chau harbor as the venue could be soon overloaded when hundreds of boats from Bai Chay flock there.
Vu Duy Vu, deputy general director of Saigontourist Travel Service Company, said the new place would cost passengers of cruise ships more time and money as many big cruise ships cannot pass under the Bai Chay Bridge to enter the Halong Bay and must anchor near the bridge for smaller boats to transport passengers to the bay.
However, Vu said a single boat trip between cruise ships anchoring near the bridge and Tuan Chau harbor could be 45 minutes.
Tuan Chau selected as new home to Halong tourist boats Related image(s)
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