Thursday, March 10, 2016

All aboard the updated hydrofoil to Vung Tau.. Update on reinstated service.

Status of Hydrofoil travel to Vung Tau from Saigon

  

A hydrofoil bound from Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Tau caught fire on January 20. Photo: Cong Nguyen
A hydrofoil bound from Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Tau caught fire on January 20. 2014 Photo: Cong Nguyen



15 minutes out of Saigon on it's way to Vung Tau a fire broke out . The captain piloted the craft into shallow waters where the 85 passengers and crew waded to safety.  On examination the government found the craft to be 20 years old, prompting examination of the remaining fleet were found to be in the 19 - 25 years old range.  The fleet  of hydrofoils plying this route have been  in service since 1993. During their service they where making somewhere between 19 and 26 one and a half hour trips daily, carrying 800,000 passengers per year. The government suspended all hydrofoil service.





Vina
                                                     A Greenlines DP's hydrofoil boat - Thanh Nien New



This past January I made the trip to Vung Tau on Vina Express but it could have been petro Express as the boats all look the same, both leave from the same place in district 4 arriving at the same terminal in Vung Tau. Wanted to try the Green Line's but could find them.


Vina express boat - Saigon
Vina Express - terminal Saigon


Preparing to board - Saigon


Terminal - Vung Tau

Harbor area - Vung Tau




Thanks for stopping by.................  Doug