Detailed review, tightening regulations
Mr. Le Van Hung - Deputy Head of the Department of Transport Management, Vehicles and Drivers, Quang Ninh Provincial Department of Construction - said that the Department has sent documents to relevant units, departments, and branches to send personnel to participate in the delegation. The delegation is divided into 2 groups, expected to deploy work from next week and will be completed within half a month.
Also according to Mr. Hung, according to the direction, the inter-sectoral delegation will comprehensively inspect all contents related to the operation of tourist ships, from registration, inspection, safety and hygiene, human resources..., not just the issue of fire prevention and fighting.
Currently, the tourist boat fleet operating in Ha Long Bay has over 500 boats. However, according to Mr. Tran Van Hong - Head of Ha Long Tourist Boat Association - the number of registered boats is about 400, because many boats are being repaired or being replaced...
Previously, on the afternoon of February 27, 2026, the overnight accommodation ship Signature Royal, registration number QN 7269, had a ship fire incident. The incident did not cause casualties, but caused great property damage to vehicle owners and passengers, and also affected the image and tourism business environment in Ha Long Bay.
The cause of the fire is still being verified by functional agencies.
Need joint efforts to minimize risks
Over the past time, Quang Ninh province has raised the standards of the Ha Long Bay tourist boat fleet higher than the standards of the old Ministry of Transport. In which, it is required that newly built or replaced tourist boats must be steel-hulled boats. Some businesses and boat owners initially complained because the regulations were not mandatory, but over time, boat owners gradually replaced wooden boats with steel-hulled boats.
Mr. Nguyen Hong Minh, a cruise ship owner, shared: "Many groups of tourists require to send ship photos before booking tours. Many tourists only choose to take steel-hulled ships even though the price is higher. Therefore, in addition to safety, durability, and beauty, ship owners still switch to steel-hulled ships to compete.
According to the Quang Ninh Provincial Department of Construction, since then, there have been almost no tourist boat fire incidents until the Signature Royal ship incident.
According to Mr. Tran Van Hong - Head of Ha Long Tourist Boat Association - the number of wooden-hulled tourist boats has decreased significantly and those boats that are still the oldest and operate the most according to regulations will only end by 2030. However, so far there is still no regulation prohibiting wooden-hulled boats from operating in Ha Long Bay.
The Department of Construction also requested ship owners to proactively prevent possible situations and incidents. In which, focus on re-examining the entire electrical system in the engine room, kitchen area, fuel warehouse, underground power lines in the walls, connection positions, power outlets and heat generating equipment must meet standards according to regulations; absolutely do not leave or install flammable or flammable materials near areas at risk of fire, explosion, or short circuits.
Regularly clean industrial areas with potential safety risks; promptly detect and overcome locations with potential risks of fire and explosion, especially for wooden-hulled tourist boats.
