How do tourist speedboats in Vietnam's Nha Trang ensure safety of thousands of visitors each day?

Tuoi Tre (Youth) online newspaper reporters on Monday observed thousands of tourists boarding speedboats at the Nha Trang tourist boat terminal in Nam Nha Trang Ward, Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam for island tours around Nha Trang Bay.

Preparing for adverse weather in Nha Trang Bay

Island tours around Nha Trang Bay are currently operating actively.

According to figures from the terminal, around 7,000 to 9,000 tourists take island tours each day, with more than 300 vessel trips departing and arriving at the venue.

Several speedboat operators said that although visitor numbers are high, passengers are assigned to different boarding areas and guided onto the boats.

Some domestic and international tour groups are also accompanied by tour guides, helping prevent crowding while passengers board.

Vo Dai Nam, 57, owner of Thien An tourist speedboat service, said the company only takes tourists to the islands when weather conditions are suitable.

If the weather deteriorates and the sea becomes rough, the company will not accept passengers.

If a storm suddenly develops while a speedboat is underway, captains will immediately steer the vessel toward the nearest island or mainland area for shelter, Nam said.

“We also use waist-worn life jackets that automatically deploy when they come into contact with water,” Nam said.

“We carry additional life jackets and remind tourists to limit their consumption of alcoholic beverages while on the speedboats.”

Huynh Van Nguyen, 52, owner of Minh Nguyen Ocean tourist speedboat service, said all passengers using the service are provided with life jackets and captains’ blood alcohol levels are also checked before departure.

“We also equip the boats with fire extinguishers in case of a fire," Ngueyn said. 

"All speedboat operators are members of groups where information about weather conditions at sea is shared,” he added.

Enforcing safety regulations  

A leader of the Nha Trang Tourist Boat Terminal Management Division, under the Nha Trang Bay Management Board, said the terminal regularly coordinates with waterway traffic police and border guards to strictly enforce safety regulations on passenger transport.

The Nha Trang Bay Management Board has also established social media groups and coordinates with the meteorological and hydrological agency and other relevant parties so that information about unusual weather is immediately shared and timely response measures can be implemented.

“In the coming period, we will develop a closed-loop weather forecasting system for Nha Trang Bay that is closely linked to speedboat and other vessel operations,” the official said.

Meanwhile, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Tran Dong Ly, deputy head of the Traffic Police Division under the Khanh Hoa Provincial Police, said the unit has organized training for boat operators and captains carrying passengers in Nha Trang Bay on response plans for sudden weather events and waterway incidents.

The authorities are also stepping up patrols and inspections of violations involving waterway traffic order and safety, including violations related to vessel registration and inspection, carrying passengers beyond the safe load line, and alcohol concentration regulations.