Cambodia, Vietnam open up cross-border river trade

(CAAI News Media)

20/12/2009

VietNamNet Bridge - Cambodia and Vietnam have signed a treaty that will allow freedom of navigation on Mekong waterways between the two countries and increase access to the river system for foreign vessels.

The Treaty on Waterway Transportation legally binds Cambodia and Vietnam to reducing the official restrictions that have existed for cross-border navigation, the Mekong River Commission said.

The move will free-up regional and international trade, help avoid delays and make river-based customs and immigration procedures more efficient and straight-forward, it added.

The agreement also introduces a range of other measures that should improve efficiency and safety for vessels using the more than 65 Cambodian and Vietnamese registered internal ports.

“This agreement, along with the recent development of Cai Mep Port in Viet Nam provide exciting opportunities for economic growth in Cambodia and development of Phnom Penh Port,” said Hei Bavy, Delegate of the Royal Government of Cambodia, Chairman and CEO of Phnom Penh Port.

“We can now realise the full potential of the Mekong River by transporting goods directly to the United States, Europe and Australia through Cai Mep Port,” he added.

The Mekong River Commission facilitated the agreement by assisting a legal task force in both countries, with funding provided by the governments of Belgium and Australia.

According to the commission, the new treaty will open up Mekong waterways to a range of new possibilities for generating trade revenue.

This will help all vessels, including, river cruise ships by allowing better access to ports in the Mekong Delta, HCMC, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and many more sites that attract tourists.

The agreement will also put in place a range of measures for ensuring river traffic safety and regulating the transportation of dangerous goods by river. The new regulations cover the Mekong River, the Tonle Sap Lake, Bassac and Vam Nao rivers, as well as a number of canals in Viet Nam. It will apply to all kinds of vessels, including sea-going ships under foreign flags.

The commission said that improving river transport infrastructure will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions normally associated with land-based transport. River freight produces on average about one fifth of the greenhouse gas CO2 per ton per km that is produced by trucking goods on the road.

VNN/Thanh Nien