VietNamNet Bridge – Ha Noi police will tighten inspection of ferries and waterway vessels from next week to improve safety during the coming stormy season.

Ha Noi Police inspect a cargo vessel on the Hong (Red) River. Inspections of ferries and other vessels will be launched next week to enhance safety during the stormy season.

Chief inspector of the city's Transport Department, Nguyen Hoang Giap, said traffic inspectors, police and local authorities would be used to detect and punish violations.

They will focus on stopping illegal ferries and other river craft that do not have proper life jackets and fire extinguishers.

Captains of vessels without navigation licences will also be targeted.

Giap said the inspection team and local authorities would remove illegal boat shelters along rivers as they threatened transport and the dyke system.

He said that hot spots for waterway traffic violations included Phuc Tho, Thuong Tin, Phu Xuyen and Dong Anh.

According to the Waterway Traffic Police Division, Ha Noi has about 195km of waterway as six rivers run through the city, including the Hong, Da, Day, Duong, Cau and Ca Lo.

While there are 34 river ferries operating around the Ha Noi- region, most are not equipped with proper safety equipment.

Waterway police will also check illegal sand mining along river banks and land improperly used to store or sell building materials along river banks.

In the last five months, transport inspectors found 533 waterway violations and collected fines of more than VND900 million (US$42,300).

VNS/VNN