NLT Group installs smart inland waterway channel marker buoys in Ninh Thuan

On 24 November 2023, NLT Group coordinated with the Ninh Thuan Department of Transport to deploy a smart inland waterway channel marking buoy system in Vinh Hy Bay. The goal is to structure and regulate inland waterway traffic routes within the bay to ensure navigational safety and promote digital transformation in waterway transport management across the province.

Vinh Hy Bay, located in Vinh Hai Commune, Ninh Hai District, Ninh Thuan Province, is one of the four most beautiful bays in Viet Nam. Its geographical position and natural conditions are highly favorable for tourism and aquaculture, helping the local socio-economic landscape grow strongly in recent years.

To exploit Vinh Hy Bay in a safe and sustainable way, the locality has implemented a number of projects to facilitate economic activities, protect the natural environment and support local livelihoods. However, issues related to managing water areas, traffic channels, berths and construction activities on the bay have not yet received adequate investment. In order to ensure safe and sustainable development, it is essential to properly zone water areas and navigation channels, providing a foundation for managing waterway traffic safety, aquaculture, fisheries activities, tourism and construction on the bay’s water surface.

Former Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The has also highly valued Viet Nam’s potential for waterway transport, considering it a competitive advantage that few countries possess. Leveraging inland waterway transport is seen as one of the most effective solutions for reducing logistics costs for businesses. The Ministry of Transport’s 2022 report clearly points out several limitations in the development of inland waterway transport:

• First, coordination between road and waterway transport remains limited due to the lack of synchronised infrastructure.
• Second, although waterway traffic routes are dense, they lack standardisation, particularly in terms of depth and width.
• Third, there is an absence of adequate signaling systems and positioning technologies to assist night-time navigation.

In this context, buoy and sign systems play a particularly critical role in ensuring inland waterway safety. They provide essential information about navigable waters and safe routes, and warn of shallow areas, submerged obstacles or floating structures under construction on the water. However, previous surveys and the deployment of older-generation channel marker buoys have in some cases resulted in buoys being placed incorrectly. At certain locations, buoys end up resting on exposed shoals during low water, creating risks for navigational safety.

To address these issues by applying modern maritime technology, NLT Group has developed a smart inland waterway channel marking buoy system based on 4.0 technologies: IoT, AI and GIS Cloud. The NLT smart channel marking solution is designed in full compliance with QCVN 39:2020/BGTVT, using high-grade composite material with a service life of up to 20 years. This significantly reduces maintenance and overhaul costs compared with traditional steel buoys. The signaling system is powered by solar energy, ensuring 24/7 continuous operation and real-time alerts to the control center.

The intelligent buoy signaling system continuously determines and monitors the position and operating status of each buoy, transmitting data back to the central management system via a 3G network. The smart platform at the control center supervises the entire buoy system: any malfunction in the lantern or buoy drift is detected and reported immediately. The software is designed with role-based access control and multi-level management, and can be accessed via both web and mobile app, enabling authorised personnel to monitor and manage the system anytime, anywhere.

Transport infrastructure quality plays a crucial role in ensuring traffic order and safety. NLT Group believes that installing an inland waterway channel marking system will promptly address existing shortcomings in traffic organisation, help prevent objective risks leading to waterway accidents, and create momentum for local socio-economic development.

NLT Group

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