On August 22, 2013, the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment promulgate Joint Circular No. 21/2013/TTLT- BGTVT-BTNMT on guiding the management of and environmental protection in inland waterway navigation activities.
Accordingly, inland waterway vehicles (below referred to as vehicles) and seagoing vessels operating in inland waterways must comply with regulations on environmental protection as follows: Vehicles must comply with current provisions of the national technical regulations on prevention of pollution caused by inland waterway vehicles; vehicles and seagoing vessels operating in inland waterways must have covering devices in order to prevent cargoes from dropping and dust from dispersing and causing environmental pollution; vehicles and seagoing vessels must not discharge wastes into inland waterways; vehicles and seagoing vessels must have plans to respond to oil and chemical pollution in accordance with current laws… Owners of vehicles and seagoing vessels must respond to oil, spills caused by their vehicles or seagoing vessels in accordance with current laws.
Also in this Circular, investors or operation lessees of inland waterway ports and landing stages in the course of their operation must have responsibility to environmental protection; they must organize the collection of wastes generated in the course of operation of ports or landing stages and wastes discharged from vehicles and seagoing vessels anchored or berthing at such ports or landing stages; to coordinate with professional organizations in receiving, transporting and disposing of wastes in accordance with current laws… Owners of inland waterway ports or landing stages that trade in petrol, oil and liquefied petroleum gas shall elaborate plans on prevention of and response to incidents caused by sources on shore or from vehicles or seagoing vessels anchored, berthing or handling cargoes at ports or landing stages, and then submit them to competent agencies for approval in accordance with current laws; they must have devices and equipment used exclusively for collection, temporary storage and transportation of hazardous wastes in accordance with current laws on hazardous waste management.
This Joint Circular takes effect on November 1, 2013.