VESSELS CONDUCT PASSAGE THROUGH VIETNAM’S TERRITORIAL SEA SHALL
On October 30, 2013 the Government issued Decree No. 146/2013/ND-CP on announcement of sea lanes and traffic separation in the territorial sea of Vietnam.
Accordingly, when passing through the territorial sea of Vietnam, vessels shall fly the national flag of Vietnam on the top of the highest mast, run constantly and fast and fully observe related provisions of Vietnamese law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, unless they suffer marine incidents, force majeure events or accidents or they rescue people, vessels or airplanes in distress. Captains of vessels that pass through the territorial sea of Vietnam without entering the internal waters of Vietnam shall notify maritime administrations of the regions these vessels pass through via appropriate communication devices. Contents of a notice includes: Name, flag state, call sign and IMO number of the vessel; length, breadth, height and paint color of sides of the vessel; volume and type of cargo onboard (if any); numbers of crewmembers, passengers and other people onboard; names of the port of last call and the nearest port of next call; request for assistance or indication (if any).
Also in this Decree, before conducting survey or exploration, building works, establishing safety belts of works or carrying out other activities on sea lanes in the territorial sea of Vietnam, organizations or individuals must obtain written approval of the Ministry of Transport. When their use duration expires, equipment and works in the territorial sea of Vietnam must be dismounted. Investors of equipment and works at sea which have not been dismounted for technical reason or due to force majeure events shall notify regional maritime administrations of the positions, sizes, shapes and depths of these equipment and works and install maritime signs and signals under regulations.
This Decree takes effect on January 1, 2014.
