HCMC – The HCMC Department of Transport has written to the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Department of Transport proposing cooperation in launching the HCMC-Con Dao express ferry service to meet the travel demand.
The Con Dao airport will be closed for repair for nine months, from April to December, while the island is mainly accessible by air for tourists in HCMC, the local media reported.
The launch of the waterway tourism service is necessary to facilitate travel between HCMC and Con Dao off the coast of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, according to the HCMC department.
To put the high-speed ferry service into operation soon, HCMC proposed Ba Ria-Vung Tau provide it with information about investment in the Ben Dam harbor expansion and Con Dao passenger terminal projects.
The HCMC department also wanted to know when the wharves in Con Dao District will be put into service.
The HCMC department told the Ba Ria-Vung Tau department to work with the government of Con Dao District and relevant agencies to decide which means of water transport are allowed to operate at the terminal so that firms can register for passenger transport.
Greenlines DP and Phu Quoc Express JSC will operate on the HCMC-Con Dao waterway route. The two firms have prepared their express ferries to transport passengers, but the boat service is pending procedures associated with the Ben Dam harbor and Con Dao passenger terminal projects done by Con Dao District.
In June last year, HCMC Chairman Phan Van Mai sent a dispatch to the Ba Ria-Vung Tau government proposing launching an express ferry service linking the city and Con Dao Island.
