VR-SB standard - a step forward in the Vietnamese shipping industry
In the field of cruise ship operations in Ha Long Bay, safety is always a top priority. With the rapid increase in the number of ships and increasing tourism demand, standardizing technical criteria - especially maritime safety standards - has become extremely necessary. In particular, the VR-SB ship granting standard is currently considered the highest level for inland waterway vehicles, allowing operations in allapolises of Vietnam no more than 12 nautical miles from shore.
According to the regulations of the Vietnam Register, VR-SB (S well-known) vessels are allowed to operate in all territories no more than 12 nautical miles from shore, surpassing VR-SI vessels that only operate in limited waters. To meet VR-SB standards, cruise ships must meet many strict requirements on structural design, stability, maritime equipment and safety systems.
Strict technical requirements
Achieving VR-SB standards is not only a testament to the technical capacity and safety commitment of cruise exploitation units, but also opens up opportunities to expand the cruise to coastal waters such as Cat Ba, Quan Lan or connect domestic tourist ports. This is also a step forward for the Vietnamese cruise industry to approach international cruise ship operation standards.
In the face of unusual and unpredictable weather developments at sea, the VR-SB standard is not only a technical regulation, but also a comprehensive measure of safety, professionalism and sustainability in the sea tourism service industry. From structural design, weather resistance to maritime systems, life jackets and fire prevention and fighting all factors must reach international inspection level.
Currently, very few cruise ships operating in Vietnam's sea areas meet VR-SB standards from design to operation. Up to now, according to the management agency of the Grand Pioneers cruise ship, it is the only resort cruise ship pair operating in Ha Long and Bai Tu Long Bay that meets this standard.
According to VR-SB standards: Regarding structure and storm-tolerance, the boat's body must withstand waves up to 2.5 meters high, 2.0 meters higher than the VR-SI level. Factors such as dry surface height, wind pressure 324 Pa, wind speed 24 m/s are all carefully inspected to minimize the risk of the ship tilting or overturning. Regarding maritime equipment, ships are required to be equipped with modern positioning and communication systems including radar, AIS, NAVTEX, steering wheel accelerator, deep measuring devices, VHF handheld and EPIRB. All devices must operate 24/7 with the ability to respond quickly to incidents.
Regarding the lifebuoy system on the ship, there must be enough self- blowing rafts, life boats, and life jackets for all passengers and crew, arranged appropriately to ensure quick escape. There are regulations for fire prevention and fighting systems in each area and floor, including partitions, standard fireproof doors, automatic fire detection and extinguishing systems...
Experience the Grand Pioneers cruise pair
Achieving VR-SB standards not only demonstrates technical capacity and safety commitment, but also opens up opportunities to expand the route to coastal waters, or connect domestic tourist ports.
This is also a step forward for the Vietnamese cruise industry to approach international cruise ship operation standards. In Ha Long Bay, Grand Pioneers is a pair of resort yachts that meet this standard. The ship is 109.9m long, 18.68m wide with 55 overnight rooms, and a capacity of 320 guests. Aiming at the criteria of putting people at the center, Grand Pioneers Halong Bay Cruise always focuses on ensuring absolute safety for tourists as well as labor safety for service staff and crew.
Grand Pioneers with VR-SB ships are active in all coastal waters under the control of Vietnam. This is the first super yacht to stay in Vietnam to ensure requirements according to international standards on green environment, technical safety of overnight sleeping on Ha Long and Lan Ha bays and be eligible to carry out long coastal journeys such as Cat Ba, Co To, Quan Lan, Da Nang, Nha Trang...
The superyacht uses a water supply system for daily life on the boat to ensure 100% through a filtering and treatment system for softening. The power system is provided from a transformer that isolates - isolates between high-voltage and low-voltage power - reduces the addition of electric waves to the equipment used on the ship, ensuring maximum safety for the user and 100% LED lights help minimize electricity consumption. Tourists can also be completely assured of the fire prevention and fighting and rescue system on the boat because it has been inspected and licensed by the Fire Prevention and Fighting Department to ensure the safety of the system for the cruise ship...
In the context of increasingly unpredictable weather, owning a yacht that meets the highest safety standards is considered the key to maintaining trust and international service standards in the heritage bay.
According to Clause 4, Article 3 of the Law on Inland Waterway Traffic, it is clearly regulated: "Inland waterways are canals, boat docks, works that bring vehicles through dams, waterfalls on rivers, canals, ditches or streams on lakes, lagoons, ditches, canyons, bays, along the coast, to islands, connecting islands inland waterways of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam that are organized for management and exploitation of transportation". Therefore, routes located in bays or river mouths, and banks leading to islands within 12 nautical miles are all considered inland waterways. In Appendix I of the National Technical Regulation on decentralization and packaging of inland waterway vehicles, which has been supplemented and amended many times, the vehicle is divided into different levels of vehicles including VR-SB, VR-SI, VR-SII, VR-SIII. Specifically, the VR- SB coastal route has a wave height of 2.5m, the VR- SI is 2m and the VR-SII is 1.2m. Similarly, the train level is also classified according to the largest wave height corresponding to each level: VR-SB: 2.50 m; VR-SI: 2.00 m; VR-SII: 1.20 m.
Based on the regulations in the above national technical regulations, Ha Long Bay is the VR-SII river area (area with a wave height of 1.2m). Therefore, inland waterway vehicles of VR-SII, VR-SI, VR-SB class are suitable to operate in Ha Long Bay. However, many experts believe that it is necessary to review, adjust and supplement the Law on Inland Waterways and regulations on ships in the face of extreme weather developments.
