Six operators of tourist and restaurant boats have petitioned the government of HCMC to allow them to return to Bach Dang Wharf in the center of the city.

Bach Dang Wharf.

The six firms are Tau Ben Nghe Co. Ltd., My Canh Travel Service Co. Ltd., 168 Floating Restaurant Co. Ltd., Ben Du Thuyen Co. Ltd., Vina Express JSC and Quang Hung Transport Service Co.

They said in a document sent to leaders of the city in mid-June that they had been struggling with a host of difficulties since the city decided to not renew the operation license of Bach Dang Wharf and ordered boat operators to leave the wharf from March 30.

Restaurant boats have not found new berths while hydrofoil operators have had difficulty looking for appropriate piers to pick up their passengers. Some have had to go to other provinces or sold their boats to cut losses.

Tau Ben Nghe, My Canh Travel Service, 168 Floating Restaurant and Ben Du Thuyen have asked the Saigon Port Authority for assistance but to no avail. These firms said they would have to dismantle their boats if they hit the dead end.

They proposed the city government and relevant agencies consider permitting boat operations at Bach Dang Wharf. They wanted the local government, the HCMC departments of transport and planning-architecture to help them find a passenger pier for their boats in the daytime and a place for restaurant boats to operate at Bach Dang Wharf at night until work starts on an upgrade project at the wharf.

At the end of last year, the transport department informed the operators of tourist and restaurant boats at the wharf that the city government would not renew the wharf’s operation license upon expiry on December 31. However, the city government later told the department to allow the boats to stay until the middle of January.

The department said the decision was to upgrade Bach Dang Wharf in line with a zoning plan for the area. After the upgrade project is finished, the government of HCMC will decide whether to let tourist boats operate at the wharf or not.