Close-up of more than 500 cruise ships lying on the shores of Ha Long Bay

The COVID-19 pandemic swept across Quang Ninh’s tourism industry, causing more than 500 cruise ships to lie on the shores of Ha Long Bay.
Video: More than 500 cruise ships lie ashore in Ha Long Bay

From May 6, the People’s Committee of Quang Ninh province issued an order to suspend tourism activities to prevent the COVID-19 epidemic, and the Ha Long international passenger port was immediately empty. More than 500 cruise ships are moored “waiting for death” as Mr. Nguyen Van Phuong – Deputy Head of Ha Long Cruise Ship Association – shared with PV VTC News. Ha Long international passenger port is usually reserved for welcoming international superyachts to visit Ha Long Bay. But now, it is an anchorage for overnight passenger ships on the bay without knowing when it will reopen due to the raging COVID-19 in many provinces and cities. More than 300 cruise ships of all kinds from several billion dong to tens of billion dong lie dormant in Tuan Chau international passenger ship port. Tourist trains are anchored close to the bridge. Among these, there are more than 100 ships with great value from several tens of billion to more than 200 billion. This yacht costs about 100 billion VND. Or overnight cruise ships on Ha Long Bay cost several tens of billions of dong. All ship owners have to borrow money from banks to invest. Therefore, when COVID-19 broke out, the ship could not be operated, the ship owner suffered a loss of revenue, no money to pay back the capital and repay the bank debt. The passenger room on the train is now empty. Famous ships (hourly cruise ships) costing 3 billion-6 billion VND/vessel, which have just been built by ship owners since the end of 2020, now have to “cover mats” at the Tuan Chau international passenger ship port. The ships are anchored with their doors bolted. Or now only the ship owner and staff take turns to watch over the day. The train has no customers, but businesses still have to pay for maintenance and operation, 2 days to start up for the engine to run. Each fleet now has only 1-2 employees who take turns looking after, maintaining and operating. Parked for a long time without running, the hull of the ship was heavily attached. Ha Long international passenger port terminal, where usually pick up passengers to buy tickets for cruise ships – the door is closed and bolted Tuan Chau international passenger port, when there was no COVID-19 epidemic, was always full of passenger cars and cars of tourists. Behind the operator of Tuan Chau Passenger Port is the place to pick up and drop off passengers, now there are only 2 speedboats parked dormant. Once crowded, bustling, packed with people and vehicles every tourist season, now the roads in Tuan Chau international tourist area are cold and empty.