HẢI PHÒNG – Gót-Cái Viềng Ferry Port in northern Hải Phòng City needs to be expanded and upgraded to ease overloading, local transport experts have said.

The port is the only port pick up and drop off point for passengers to Cát Bà Island.

Nguyễn Văn Hiệp, deputy director of Hải Phòng Waterway Transport JSC, said the overloading began after the Tân Vũ-Lạch Huyện Bridge was put into use early last month, connecting Hải Phòng City and Cát Hải Island.

Previously, residents and tourists had to take two ferries -- from Hải Phòng City to Cát Hải Island and then from Cát Hải Island to Cát Bà Island. Passengers usually had to wait for their turn to get the ferry to the island.

However, since the bridge was built, a large number of passengers have been visiting Cát Hải Island, causing serious overloading on Gót-Cái Viềng Ferry Port, especially on weekends. The line of cars waiting for their turn to get on the ferry to Cát Bà Island was reportedly one kilometre long.

Hiệp said the company has mobilised five more ferries, raising the total number of ferries of nine, to curb overloading. However, the situation has not improved.

Nguyễn Thành Nghiệp, head of Gót-Cái Viềng Ferry Port, said that the number of passengers has significantly increased, therefore the port mobilised all its employees, with co-operation from the local authority and local police, to ensure smooth traffic.

The distance between ticket booths to the waiting house was only 200m; however, the road was very narrow, causing serious congestion when vehicles entered or left the area.

Worse, the port’s capacity was only two ferries at a time. Thus, the waiting house was always full, he said.

The other ferries had to anchor near the port, affecting the waterway traffic.

Experts said it was necessary to upgrade the road connecting the ticket booths to the waiting house of the port at the earliest. The port was also in need of expansion for more ferries to anchor and pick up/drop off passengers. – VNS