Circular No. 02/2024/TT-BGTVT Amending and supplementing certain articles of Circulars stipulating standards, tasks, and authorities of leaders, inspection officers, and technical staff of inland waterway vessel inspection units

CIRCULAR

Amending and supplementing certain Articles of the Circulars stipulating standards,duties,

and powers of leaders, inspectors, and technical staff

of inland waterway vessel inspection units

__________________

Pursuant to the Law on Inland Waterway Transport dated June 15, 2004;

Pursuant to the Law amending and supplementing certain Articles of the Law on Inland Waterway Transport dated June 17, 2014;

BASED ON THE DECREE NO. 56/2022/ND-CP dated August 24, 2022 of THE GOVERNMENT stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT;

The Minister of Transport issues this Circular stipulating the standards for Railway Inspection Officers and requirements for the material and technical facilities of railway inspection organizations.

The Minister of Transport hereby promulgates this Circular amending and supplementing certain Articles of the Circulars stipulating standards, duties, and powers of leaders, inspectors, and technical staff of inland waterway vessel inspection units.

Article 1. Amending and supplementing certain Articles of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT dated September 22, 2015 of the Minister of Transport stipulating standards, duties, and powers of leaders, inspectors, and technical staff of inland waterway vessel inspection units (hereinafter referred to as Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT), Circular No. 42/2018/TT-BGTVT dated July 30, 2018 of the Minister of Transport amending and supplementing certain Articles of Circulars in the field of inspection (hereinafter referred to as Circular No. 42/2018/TT-BGTVT), and Circular No. 27/2023/TT-BGTVT dated September 29, 2023 of the Minister of Transport amending and supplementing certain Articles of Circulars in the field of inland waterway vessel inspection and marine vessels (hereinafter referred to as Circular No. 27/2023/TT-BGTVT).

1. Amending and supplementing Clause 4, Article 3 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT as follows:

"4. An inspector performing design review work (hereinafter referred to as a design review inspector) is an inspector who reviews various types of design documents established according to the provisions of national technical regulations and national standards for the purpose of building new, converting, repairing, restoring, importing, and operating inland waterway vessels, and performs reviews of guidance materials."

2. Amending and supplementing Clause 1, Article 4 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT as follows:

"1. Graduated from a college or higher level."

3. Amending and supplementing Article 5 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT (which has been amended and supplemented by Clause 1, Clause 2, Article 9 of Circular No. 42/2018/TT-BGTVT) as follows:

"Article 5. Standards for inspectors performing Class III inspection work

1. Hold a diploma from a college or higher level in a relevant field of study that meets the job requirements.

2. Have completed the training program for Class III inspection work as specified in Point 1.2, Section I, Appendix I attached hereto.

3. Have completed at least 12 (twelve) months of internship in inspection work at an inspection unit according to the internship program for vessels within the scope of responsibilities of inspectors performing Class III inspection work as specified in Point 2.2, Section II, Appendix I attached hereto.

4. Possess basic computer skills and be able to use a foreign language as required by the job position.
5. Meet the requirements for practical inspection skills testing before initial recognition."

4. Amending and supplementing Article 6 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT as follows:

"Article 6. Standards for inspectors performing Class II inspection work

1. Hold a bachelor's degree or higher in a relevant field of study that meets the job requirements.

2. Have completed the training program for Class II inspection work as specified in Point 1.3, Section I, Appendix I attached hereto.

3. Be a Class III inspector with a total time holding the rank of at least 12 (twelve) months.

4. Possess basic computer skills and be able to use a foreign language as required by the job position.

5. Have completed internship in inspection work at an inspection unit according to the internship program for vessels within the scope of responsibilities of inspectors performing Class II inspection work as specified in Point 2.2, Section II, Appendix I attached hereto.

6. Meet the requirements for practical inspection skills testing before initial recognition."

5. Amending and supplementing Article 7 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT as follows:

"Article 7. Standards for inspectors performing Class I inspection work

1. Be a Class II inspector with a total time holding the rank of at least 24 months.

2. Have completed the training program for Class I inspection work as specified in Point 1.4, Section I, Appendix I attached hereto.

3. Possess basic computer skills and be able to use a foreign language as required by the job position.

4. Have completed internship in inspection work at an inspection unit according to the internship program for vessels within the scope of responsibilities of inspectors performing Class I inspection work as specified in Point 2.2, Section II, Appendix I attached hereto.

5. Meet the requirements for practical inspection skills testing before initial recognition."

6. Amending and supplementing Article 8 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT as follows:

"Article 8. Standards for design review inspectors

1. Hold a bachelor's degree or higher in a relevant field of study that meets the job requirements.

2. Possess basic computer skills and be able to use a foreign language as required by the job position.

3. Have completed the training program for design review inspectors of inland waterway vessels as specified in Point 1.5, Section I, Appendix I attached hereto.

4. Have completed at least 06 (six) months of internship in design review work for vessels within the scope of responsibilities of design review inspectors of inland waterway vessels as specified in Point 2.3, Section II, Appendix I attached hereto.

5. Meet the requirements for practical design review skills testing before initial recognition."

7. Amending and supplementing Article 9 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT as follows:

"Article 9. Standards for leaders of inspection units

1. Meet the criteria for leadership positions as prescribed by the competent authority.

2. The leaders of inspection units of Class I and Class II must have a bachelor's degree or higher; they must be inland waterway vessel inspectors or marine vessel inspectors.

3. The leader of an inspection unit of Class III must have an associate degree or higher; they must be inland waterway vessel inspectors or marine vessel inspectors."

8. Amend and supplement Article 11 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT as follows:

"Article 11. Tasks and scope of implementation for Class III inspection officers

1. Tasks

a) Initial inspection, periodic inspection, extraordinary inspection, and conversion of vessels;

b) Copying and reviewing sample templates;

c) Establishing and issuing inspection files for inspected objects;

d) Guiding practical training for Class III trainee inspection officers;

đ) Inspecting the quality of industrial products used in new construction, conversion, and installation on vessels;

e) Technical appraisal of vessel conditions and participation in accident investigations within the scope of their tasks upon request from competent authorities;

g) Inspecting the technical capacity of facilities engaged in new construction, conversion, repair, and restoration of inland waterway vessels in accordance with regulations;

h) Calculating service fees and inspection fees for inspected objects in accordance with regulations;

i) Performing other tasks assigned by the unit leader.

2. Scope of Implementation

a) Implementing tasks as stipulated in Clause 1 of this Article according to the specialized field of training for inland waterway vessels with a total volume under 500 GT, inland waterway vessels with a total engine power under 300 horsepower, inland waterway vessels with a carrying capacity under 50 people (excluding VR-SB class vessels, multi-hull vessels, container ships, high-speed passenger ferries, hovercrafts, hydrofoils, oil tankers, dangerous chemical carriers, liquefied gas carriers, and dangerous goods carriers);

b) In cases where Class III inspection officers specializing in hull inspection have been trained in supplementary program 2 as specified in Section III of Appendix I or those specializing in machinery inspection have been trained in supplementary program 1 as specified in Section III of Appendix I issued together with this Circular and have undergone relevant vocational training and internship, meeting the requirements for practical inspection skills, they may conduct periodic and extraordinary inspections according to their supplementary training fields for the vessels mentioned in point a of this clause."

9. Amend and supplement Article 12 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT as follows:

"Article 12. Tasks and scope of implementation for Class II inspection officers

1. Tasks

a) Performing the tasks specified in Clause 1 of Article 11 of this Circular;

b) Participating in vocational training for Class III and Class II inspection officers;

c) Guiding practical training for Class II trainee inspection officers;

d) Conducting practical skill inspections to recognize Class III and Class II inspection officers.

2. Scope of Implementation

a) Implementing tasks as stipulated in Clause 1 of this Article according to the specialized field of training for all types of inland waterway vessels (excluding oil tankers with a total volume of 3000 GT or more, VR-SB class cargo vessels with a total volume of 3000 GT or more, or VR-SB class passenger vessels with a carrying capacity of 100 people or more, dangerous chemical carriers, liquefied gas carriers, and dangerous goods carriers);

b) In cases where Class II inspection officers specializing in hull inspection have been trained in supplementary program 2 as specified in Section III of Appendix I or those specializing in machinery inspection have been trained in supplementary program 1 as specified in Section III of Appendix I issued together with this Circular and have undergone relevant vocational training and internship, meeting the requirements for practical inspection skills, they may conduct periodic and extraordinary inspections according to their supplementary training fields for the vessels mentioned in point a of this clause."

10. Amend and supplement Article 13 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT as follows:

"Article 13. Tasks and scope of implementation for Class I inspection officers

1. Tasks

a) Performing the tasks specified in Clause 1 of Article 12 of this Circular;

b) Participating in vocational training for Class I inspection officers;

c) Guiding practical training for Class I trainee inspection officers;

d) Conducting practical skill inspections to recognize Class I inspection officers.

2. Scope of Implementation

a) Implementing tasks as stipulated in Clause 1 of this Article according to the specialized field of training for all types of inland waterway vessels;

b) In cases where Class I inspection officers specializing in hull inspection have been trained in supplementary program 2 as specified in Section III of Appendix I or those specializing in machinery inspection have been trained in supplementary program 1 as specified in Section III of Appendix I issued together with this Circular and have undergone relevant vocational training and internship, meeting the requirements for practical inspection skills, they may conduct periodic and extraordinary inspections according to their supplementary training fields for the vessels mentioned in point a of this clause."

11. Amend and supplement Article 14 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT as follows:

"Article 14. Tasks and scope of implementation for design review inspection officers

1. Tasks

a) Reviewing design documentation and guidance materials as stipulated in Article 3 of Circular No. 48/2015/TT-BGTVT dated September 22, 2015 (amended and supplemented at Clause 1 of Article 1 of Circular No. 16/2023/TT-BGTVT dated June 30, 2023 of the Minister of Transport amending and supplementing certain articles of Circulars regulating inland waterway vessel inspection);

b) Preparing related documents for design reviews;

c) Calculating service fees and design review fees in accordance with regulations;

d) Guiding practical training for design review trainee inspection officers;

đ) Conducting practical skill inspections to recognize design review inspection officers.

2. Scope of Implementation: according to the content of the internship and meeting the requirements for practical inspection skills of design review inspection officers for inland waterway vessels."

12. Amend and supplement point a of Clause 1 of Article 16 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT as follows:

"a) Refusing to issue inspection files and design review files when organizations or individuals fail to submit service fees and inspection fees as prescribed;"

13. Amend and supplement Clause 1 of Article 19 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT as follows:

"1. Shall sign the design review file and the inspection registration file in accordance with the provisions."

14. Amend and supplement Article 21 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT as follows:

"Article 21. Authority to Recognize Inspection Registrars and Revoke Inspection Registrar Certificates

The Director of the Vietnam Registration Bureau shall decide on recognizing inspection registrars and revoking inspection registrar certificates in accordance with the provisions of this Circular."

15. Amend Clause 2 of Article 22 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT as follows:

"2. Members of the council include: The representative of the leadership of the Vietnam Registration Bureau as the Chairman of the Council, the secretary of the Council, and other members."

16. Amend and supplement Article 23 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT as follows:

"Article 23. Application for Recognition of Inspection Registrars

1. Initial recognition application package

a) Application form of the inspection organization according to the model prescribed in Appendix III attached to this Circular (original);

b) Professional curriculum vitae of the inspection registrar according to the model prescribed in Appendix IV attached to this Circular (original);

c) Certified copy or copy issued from the original record book or electronic copy issued from the original record book or certified electronic copy from the original of the relevant professional certificates and diplomas;

d) Certified copy or copy issued from the original record book or electronic copy issued from the original record book or certified electronic copy from the original of the practical training report of the person proposed for recognition as an inspection registrar according to the model prescribed in Appendix V attached to this Circular.

2. Re-recognition application package

a) Application form of the inspection organization according to the model prescribed in Appendix III attached to this Circular (original);

b) Professional curriculum vitae of the inspection registrar according to the model prescribed in Appendix IV attached to this Circular (original) if there are changes compared to the initial recognition application package.

3. Application for Promotion of Inspection Registrar Rank

a) Application form of the inspection organization according to the model prescribed in Appendix III attached to this Circular (original);

b) Professional curriculum vitae of the person proposed for promotion of inspection registrar rank according to the model prescribed in Appendix IV attached to this Circular (original);

c) Certified copy or copy issued from the original record book or electronic copy issued from the original record book or certified electronic copy from the original of the relevant professional certificates and diplomas if there are changes compared to the initial recognition application package;

d) Certified copy or copy issued from the original record book or electronic copy issued from the original record book or certified electronic copy from the original of the practical training report of the person proposed for promotion of inspection registrar rank according to the model prescribed in Appendix V attached to this Circular."

17. Amend and supplement Article 24 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT as follows:

"Article 24. Initial Recognition of Inspection Registrars

1. The inspection organization shall directly send or send through the postal service or through the online public service gateway to the Vietnam Registration Bureau one set of application package in accordance with Clause 1 of Article 23 of this Circular. The Vietnam Registration Bureau shall accept and check the components of the application package; within one working day from the date of receipt of the application package, if the components of the application package are incomplete, it shall guide the inspection organization to supplement in accordance with the regulations.

2. Within five working days from the date of receiving the complete application package as prescribed, the Vietnam Registration Bureau shall coordinate with the inspection organization regarding the time, place, and allocation of inspection registrars to conduct practical skill assessment of the person proposed for recognition as an inspection registrar. Within five working days after completing the practical skill assessment of the person proposed for recognition as an inspection registrar, the inspection registrar and the inspection organization must complete the practical skill assessment report of the inspection registrar according to the model at Appendix VI attached to this Circular. The maximum time for completing the practical skill assessment is three months from the date of receiving the complete application package as prescribed.

3. Within three working days from the date the Vietnam Registration Bureau receives the practical skill assessment report as prescribed in Clause 2 of this Article, the Recognition Council shall base on the standards for inspection registrars prescribed in this Circular and the results of the practical skill assessment: if the requirements are met, it shall propose the Director of the Vietnam Registration Bureau to decide on recognizing the inspection registrar and issuing the Inspection Registrar Certificate; if the requirements are not met, it shall notify the inspection organization proposing the recognition of the inspection registrar in writing. The Inspection Registrar Certificate for inland waterway vessels has a validity period of five years according to the model prescribed in Appendix VII attached to this Circular.

4. The inspection organization has the right to request the Vietnam Registration Bureau to re-assess the practical skills of the person proposed for recognition as an inspection registrar after a minimum period of one month from the date of the non-compliance assessment. The inspection organization shall directly send or send through the postal service or through the online public service gateway to the Vietnam Registration Bureau one set of application package in accordance with point a of Clause 1 of Article 23 of this Circular. The Vietnam Registration Bureau shall implement the procedures and formalities for recognizing inspection registrars as prescribed in Clauses 2 and 3 of this Article.

5. The result of recognizing the inspection registrar shall be delivered to the inspection organization and the person proposed for recognition of the inspection registrar directly at the office of the Vietnam Registration Bureau or through the postal service or through the online public service gateway."

18. Amend and supplement Article 25 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT as follows:

"Article 25. Re-recognition of Inspection Registrars

1. The inspection organization shall directly send or send through the postal service or through the online public service gateway to the Vietnam Registration Bureau one set of application package in accordance with Clause 2 of Article 23 of this Circular. The Vietnam Registration Bureau shall accept and check the components of the application package; within one working day from the date of receipt of the application package, if the components of the application package are incomplete, it shall guide the inspection organization to supplement in accordance with the regulations.

2. In case the Inspection Certificate of the inspector has expired but not more than 12 (twelve) months, within 03 (three) working days from the date of receiving all required documents as prescribed, the Recognition Council of Inspectors shall propose the Director of the Vietnam Maritime Administration to decide on re-recognition of the inspector and issue an Inspection Certificate for the inspector with the term specified in Clause 3, Article 24 of this Circular. In case the Inspection Certificate of the inspector has been expired for over 12 (twelve) months, the procedure for re-recognition shall be carried out according to the provisions of Clauses 2, 3, 4, and 5, Article 24 of this Circular.

3. In case the re-recognition is requested to supplement the scope and type of inspection without changing the category of the inspector or the inspector's Inspection Certificate has been revoked, the procedure for re-recognition shall be carried out according to the provisions of Clauses 2, 3, 4, and 5, Article 24 of this Circular.

4. The result of re-recognition of inspectors shall be delivered directly to the inspection unit and the person proposed for recognition at the office of the Vietnam Maritime Administration or through the postal service or through the online public service portal.

19. Amend and supplement Article 26 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT as follows:

"Article 26. Recognition of upgrading the category of inspectors performing inspection work

1. The inspection unit shall submit directly or through the postal service or through the online public service portal to the Vietnam Maritime Administration one set of documents as prescribed in Clause 3, Article 23 of this Circular. The Vietnam Maritime Administration shall accept and check the components of the documents; within 01 (one) working day from the date of receipt of the documents, if the components of the documents are incomplete, it shall guide the inspection unit to supplement them according to the regulations.

2. The Vietnam Maritime Administration shall implement the procedures and formalities for upgrading the category of inspectors according to the provisions of Clauses 2, 3, 4, and 5, Article 24 of this Circular."

20. Amend and supplement Article 27 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT as follows:

"Article 27. Recognition of inspectors in special cases

1. Marine inspectors who have been recognized in accordance with the law and whose Marine Inspector Certificate is still valid or marine inspectors of international classification societies that are members of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), after undergoing training in inland waterway vessel inspection work, will be recognized as inspectors performing inland waterway vessel inspection work corresponding to the appendices of their Marine Inspector Certificate for inspecting vessels (high-level marine inspectors will be recognized as inland waterway vessel inspectors of Category I, marine inspectors will be recognized as inland waterway vessel inspectors of Category II); after six months from the date of recognition as an inland waterway vessel inspector of Category II, if they undergo training in inland waterway vessel inspection work of Category I and pass the practical skills assessment, they will be recognized as inland waterway vessel inspectors of Category I.

2. Persons who have from 01 (one) to 03 (three) years of experience in technical or ship operation fields and have completed a minimum of 06 (six) months of internship, after undergoing training in inland waterway vessel inspection work, will be assessed for practical skills to recognize them as inland waterway vessel inspectors of Category III.

3. Persons who have more than 03 (three) years of experience in technical or ship operation fields and have completed a minimum of 03 (three) months of internship, after undergoing training in inland waterway vessel inspection work, will be assessed for practical skills to recognize them as inland waterway vessel inspectors of Category III.

4. Marine inspectors who have been recognized for performing marine design review work in accordance with the law and whose Marine Inspector Certificate is still valid, after undergoing training in inland waterway vessel design review work, will be recognized as inland waterway vessel design reviewers with corresponding duties and scopes.

5. Persons who have worked for a minimum of 02 (two) years in ship design at ship design units or inspectors performing inspection work meeting the requirements stipulated in Clause 1 and Clause 2, Article 8 of this Circular, after undergoing training in inland waterway vessel design review work and completing a minimum of 03 (three) months of internship, will be assessed for practical skills to recognize them as inland waterway vessel design reviewers.

6. Documents and procedures for requesting recognition of inspectors

a) In cases mentioned in Clauses 1 and 4 of this Article: The inspection unit shall submit directly or through the postal service or through the online public service portal to the Vietnam Maritime Administration one set of documents as prescribed in Point a, Point b, and Point c, Clause 1, Article 23 of this Circular. Within 05 (five) working days from the date of receiving all required documents as prescribed, the Recognition Council of Inspectors shall base on the standards of inspectors stipulated in this Circular to propose the Director of the Vietnam Maritime Administration to decide on recognizing the inspector and issuing an Inspector Certificate;

b) In cases mentioned in Clauses 2, 3, and 5 of this Article: The application documents for recognizing inspectors shall comply with the provisions of Clause 1, Article 23 of this Circular. The procedure for recognizing inspectors shall be carried out according to the provisions of Article 24 of this Circular."

21. Amend and supplement Article 28 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT as follows:

"Article 28. Reissue of Inspector Certificate

In case the Inspection Certificate is still valid but lost or damaged, the inspection unit shall submit a request for reissue according to the form attached as Appendix VIII of this Circular. The Vietnam Maritime Administration will issue a new Inspection Certificate within three working days from the date of receipt of the request. If the reissue is not granted, a detailed reason must be provided in writing. The validity period of the newly issued Inspection Certificate will be equivalent to the remaining validity period of the lost or damaged Inspection Certificate.

22. Amend and supplement Article 29 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT as follows:

"Article 29. Revocation of the Inspection Certificate

The Inspector's Inspection Certificate shall be revoked in the following cases:

1. Distorting the inspection results of vessels or failing to comply with regulations, procedures, standards, technical norms, and related guidelines on vessel inspection, causing serious consequences related to vessel safety, as concluded by the competent authority.

2. Fabricating documents to obtain an Inspection Certificate.

3. Being convicted by a court judgment due to violations in the field of inland waterway vessel inspection.

4. Losing or being restricted in civil capacity."

23. Add Article 31a after Article 31 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT as follows:

"Article 31a. Responsibilities of the Inspection Unit

1. Organize the assignment of tasks to Inspectors at the unit in accordance with their capabilities stated on the Inspection Certificate and consistent with the unit’s authority and responsibilities.

2. Ensure human resources serving the inspection work at the unit in accordance with regulations.

3. Be responsible for the contents in the practical training report of individuals proposed by the unit in accordance with this Circular."

Article 2. Supplement and replace some appendices issued together with Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT (amended and supplemented by Circular No. 27/2023/TT-BGTVT)

1. Supplement Appendix VIII to Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT with Appendix IV issued together with this Circular.

2. Replace Appendices I and VII issued together with Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT respectively with Appendices I and III issued together with this Circular.

3. Replace Appendix III issued together with Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT (which has been replaced by Appendix II issued together with Circular No. 27/2023/TT-BGTVT) with Appendix II issued together with this Circular.

Article 3. Transitional Provisions

1. Inspectors holding an Inland Waterway Vessel Inspection Certificate Category III issued before the effective date of this Circular may continue to perform their duties until the end of the remaining validity period of the Inspection Certificate without needing to reissue the Inspection Certificate, specifically as follows:

a) For Inspectors conducting inspections within the scope specified in point b, Clause 2, Article 11 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT, they may continue to perform their duties for the objects and types of inspections listed in the Appendix of the Inspection Certificate.

b) For Inspectors conducting inspections within the scope specified in point a, Clause 2, Article 11 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT, they may perform their duties for the objects and types of inspections listed in the Appendix of the Inspection Certificate within the scope specified in Clause 8, Article 1 of this Circular.

2. Inspectors holding an Inland Waterway Vessel Inspection Certificate Category II issued before the effective date of this Circular may continue to perform their duties until the end of the remaining validity period of the Inspection Certificate for the objects and types of inspections listed in the Appendix of the Inspection Certificate within the scope specified in Clause 9, Article 1 of this Circular without needing to reissue the Inspection Certificate.

3. Inspectors holding an Inland Waterway Vessel Inspection Certificate Category I issued before the effective date of this Circular may continue to perform their duties until the end of the remaining validity period of the Inspection Certificate.

4. Inspectors holding an Inland Waterway Vessel Inspection Certificate performing design review work issued before the effective date of this Circular may continue to perform their duties until the end of the remaining validity period of the Inspection Certificate.

5. Inspectors who have completed internships before the effective date of this Circular, if meeting the internship duration, categories specified in this Circular, and requirements for practical skills testing, may be issued an Inspection Certificate in accordance with this Circular.

6. Within five years from the effective date of this Circular, leaders of Category III inspection units and Inspectors performing Category III inspection work as stipulated in Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BGTVT must meet the standards for leaders of Category III inspection units and Inspectors performing Category III inspection work as stipulated in this Circular.

Article 4. Implementation provisions

1. This Circular takes effect from March 20, 2024.

2. The Director of the Ministry's Office, the Director of the Ministry's Inspectorate, Heads of Departments, Directors of the Vietnam Maritime Administration, Directors of Provincial Departments of Transport under central cities and provinces, Heads of agencies, organizations, and individuals concerned are responsible for implementing this Circular./.