Speedboats to replace old hydrofoils on Saigon-Vung Tau route

 

The modern speedboat.

 

The company will launch one new speedboat monthly for five months.

Mr. Tran Song Hai, director of the Greenline DP Company, said that the new fleet was built in Vietnam but imported engines are used. Each boat costs more than $1 million.

Of 10 speedboats, there are three vessels with 60 seats, three with 80 seats and four with 150 seats.

He also said that with two engines, passengers would not have to worry about engine break-down.

If the weather is good, the trip will be in about 70 minutes or up to 90 minutes in bad weather, Hai added.

This company plans to build 40 other speedboats of the same types for other routes across the country.

The ticket prices have not been announced officially.

Previously, hydrofoils were the main means of transport for the HCM City-Vung Tau route. However, after a hydrofoil of Vina Express with 92 passengers, both Vietnamese and foreigners, was on fire in January this year, the authorities have banned all hydrofoils in the route.

It is reported that most of the hydrofoils used in this route are very old and unsafe and many accidents occured.

So far, a lot of incidents related to the operation of hydrofoils on the HCM City-Vung Tau waterway have been reported.

In the afternoon of July 26, 2013, a hydrofoil of Greenlines carrying a hundred passengers from Vung Tau to HCM City broke down in Long Tau River in HCM City. The boat drifted and hit a marker stake, which made the boat stagger and water flowed into the vessel. The incident caused nearly 100 passengers on board, including many children, to panic.

After nearly one hour adrift, the ship's auxiliary engine was launched. At that time the rescue boat of HCM City Police arrived at the scene. The hydrofoil was escorted to the Bach Dang Wharf in District 1. The carrier had to refund 50 percent of the fare for passengers after the incident.

This was not the first time hydrofoils of Greenlines got in distress. On August 15, 2012, a Greenlines hydrofoil carrying dozens of passengers from HCM City to Vung Tau had its window glass broken by waves in Bai Truoc, Vung Tau. Water splashed into the passenger compartment, making many people soaked.

On 25/11/2009, a Greenlines hydrofoil carrying 37 passengers, including three foreigners, from HCM City to Vung Tau suddenly crashed into a hydrofoil of Petro Express 2 near the Phu My Bridge, HCM City. The crash sent eight injured passengers to hospital. The Petro Express hydrofoil was damaged in the prow.

According to the Vung Tau port authorities, from 2007 to 2013, incidents with hydrofoils were recorded every year, with six incidents in 2012 alone. Most of the incidents occurred with hydrofoils of Greenlines. A Vina Express hydrofoil caused the death of a fisherman in an accident in September 2011.

To minimize incidents of hydrofoils on the HCM City - Vung Tau route, on August 20, 2013, the Ministry of Transport suspended the operation of hydrofoils with one motor from September 1, 2013.