Dozens of tourist and restaurant boats at Bach Dang Wharf in the center of HCMC may be forced to suspend operations next year as the city’s relevant authorities have yet to renew the operation license of the wharf.

A restaurant boat is operational at Bach Dang Wharf.

The HCMC Department of Transport has informed the boat operators of the city’s plan to halt the wharf’s operations from tomorrow. 

If the license of the wharf expires, it will be off-limits to boats. Boat owners have complained about the city’s ad hoc decision, calling for the repeal of the decision.

An Son Lam, director of Indochina Junk Co. Ltd., told the Daily that the company was shocked to learn about the abrupt move and that it would have no other choice but to dishonor the long-term contracts it had signed with their customers years ago.

Lam estimated if the wharf is shut as planned, the operator of a boat would lose hundreds of millions of dong.

Lam said the boat operators supported the city’s plan to close the wharf for upgrade but they should have been informed much earlier so that they could have time to adjust and look for an alternative place.

Currently, nine restaurant boats and around 40 tourist vessels, motor boats and cruise ships at Bach Dang Wharf serve thousands of guests a day.

Boat operators have sent a petition to the HCMC government seeking an extension of the wharf’s license to prevent massive layoffs and many business closures.

A representative of the Transport Department told the Daily that the city government wanted to suspend Bach Dang Wharf to make room for an upgrade project. The municipal authorities will then decide which firms will operate at the wharf.

One year ago, the city government assigned Saigontourist Holding Company to develop the place into a tourism wharf.

SGT/VNN