Decision No. 2687/2000/QĐ-BGTVT On the issuance of standards, responsibilities, and tasks of inland waterway vessel inspection officers

Pursuant to …;

ISSUED BY THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION

||| Regarding the issuance of standards, responsibilities, and tasks of inland waterway vessel inspectors

|||

_______________________

THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION

||| - Pursuant to Government Decree No. 22/CP dated March 22, 1994, stipulating the tasks, authorities, responsibilities for state management, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Transport;

||| - Pursuant to Government Decree No. 40/CP dated July 5, 1996, on ensuring traffic order and safety on inland waterways;

||| - Based on the proposals of the Heads of the Legal Affairs Department and the Director of the Vietnam Inspection Bureau,

Pursuant to …;

||| Article 1. ||| The standards, responsibilities, and tasks of inland waterway vessel inspectors are hereby issued together with this Decision.

||| Article 2. ||| This Decision shall take effect from the date of signature. All previous regulations that conflict with the provisions of this Decision are abolished.

||| Article 3. ||| The Heads of the Ministry's Office, the Heads of the Legal Affairs Department, the Organization-Cadres-Labor Department, the Director of the Vietnam Inspection Bureau, the Director of the Vietnam Inland Waterway Transport Bureau, the Directors of Provincial Departments of Transport and Public Works, and the Heads of organizations and individuals concerned shall implement this Decision within their respective jurisdictions and responsibilities.

||| STANDARDS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND TASKS

||| OF INLAND WATERWAY VESSEL INSPECTORS

||| (Issued pursuant to Decision No.: 2687/2000/QD-BGTVT

||| dated September 14, 2000 of the Minister of Transport)

________________________

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. ||| These standards apply to the recruitment, training, appointment, dismissal, and management of activities of inland waterway vessel inspectors under the Vietnam Inspection Bureau, provincial transport departments, and public works departments throughout the country.

12/2025/TT-BNNMT dated June 19, 2025 issued by the Minister of Agriculture and Environment ||| An inland waterway vessel inspector (referred to as an inspector) is a technical civil servant who performs inspection activities at inspection units; they must have graduated from a technical college or higher in ship hull, marine engine, marine electrical, or ship machinery engineering; they must be trained in inspection procedures, possess good moral qualities, honesty, objectivity, diligence, and be appointed according to the provisions of these standards.

Article 3. ||| Inland waterway vessel inspectors are classified into the following categories:

||| - Inspector Category I;

||| - Inspector Category II;

||| - Inspector Category III.

||| Depending on the category of inspector and the tasks permitted as recorded in the inspector certification, an inspector may perform one or more assigned fields.

Article 4. ||| Inspectors have the following basic tasks:

||| 1. Conducting on-site technical inspections and establishing inspection records for objects requiring inspection in accordance with relevant regulations, standards, and technical guidelines suitable for the tasks recorded in the inspector certification;

||| 2. Reviewing designs related to new construction, repair, modification, re-equipment of vessels, manufacturing materials, or products used on vessels in accordance with the tasks recorded in the inspector certification;

||| 3. Participating in scientific research, compiling technical regulations and standards, training, and guiding inspection procedures.

Article 5. ||| Inspectors have the following basic authorities:

||| 1. Requesting owners of vessels or shipyards to provide technical documentation and create necessary conditions at the site for conducting technical inspections to ensure safety during the performance of tasks;

||| 2. Reserving and reporting to superiors opinions differing from decisions made by unit heads regarding the assessment of the technical condition of vessels or products;

||| 3. Signing and using professional seals when establishing inspection records for vessels or products in accordance with current professional regulations.

Article 6. ||| Inspectors must conduct technical inspections of inland waterway vessels objectively, in compliance with the law, and in accordance with professional requirements and assigned tasks. Any abuse of authority or intentional violation of regulations will be handled according to current laws.

PART II

||| STANDARDS FOR EACH CATEGORY OF INSPECTOR

Article 7.  ||| Inspector Category III

||| 1. Responsibilities:

||| Inspector Category III is a technical civil servant performing inspection activities in accordance with the inspector certification, consistent with the functions and tasks of the unit.

||| 2. Specific Tasks:

||| a) Reviewing construction design, final acceptance during new construction, modification, and repair of river vessels;

||| b) Inspecting and evaluating the initial, periodic, annual, and irregular technical conditions of river vessels, except those carrying 50 passengers or more and ferries with a load capacity of 50 tons or more;

||| c) Inspecting dry-docking, waterline measurements;

||| d) Inspecting materials, machinery, equipment installed on river vessels;

||| e) Establishing and issuing inspection records for inspected objects;

||| f) Calculating inspection fees for inspected objects;

||| g) Researching and providing comments on the development, supplementation, and amendment of technical regulations, standards, and inspection procedure guidelines;

||| h) Guiding inspection procedures for probationary inspectors.

||| 3. Knowledge Requirements:

||| a) Proficient in the Party and State’s policies, guidelines, and industry regulations related to inland waterway vessel inspection activities;

||| b) Proficient in inspection procedures, technical regulations, standards, and procedural guidelines to perform tasks as specified in Clause 2 of Article 8 of these standards;

||| c) Understanding the inspection objects, familiar with the practical operations of production facilities; having methods and the ability to express through writing and speech to perform tasks.

||| 4. Qualification and Work Experience Requirements:

||| a) Graduated from a technical college or higher in one of the following specialties: ship hull, marine engine, marine electrical, or ship machinery;

||| b) Completed the training course for Inspector Category III;

||| c) Completed a minimum of 24 months of practical training in inspection activities at inspection units for those with a technical college degree, or 12 months for those with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Article 8. Class II Inspector            

||| 1. Responsibilities:

A Class II Inspector is a technical specialist who performs inspection activities as specified in the inspector's registration certificate, in accordance with the functions and tasks of the unit.

||| 2. Specific Tasks:

In addition to the duties of a Class III Inspector, they also perform the following tasks:

a) Review design modifications and restoration designs for inland river vessels and small sea-going vessels' technical files.

b) Inspect and evaluate the initial, periodic, annual, and abnormal technical conditions of inland river vessels and small sea-going vessels.

c) Inspect the manufacture of materials, machinery, and equipment installed on vessels.

d) Measure and determine the displacement and freeboard of vessels.

e) Inspect boilers, pressure vessels, cargo handling equipment with lifting capacity of one ton or more installed on vessels, at ports, and within transportation industry factories.

f) Conduct technical appraisals and investigate accidents involving inland river vessels and small sea-going vessels.

g) Provide training in inspection procedures for Class III Inspectors and probationary inspectors.

h) In addition to the above tasks, if a Class II Inspector, who is an engineer in one of the ship hull, marine engine, marine electrical, or marine mechanical engineering fields, has been further trained in areas outside their original field by the Vietnam Marine Inspection Bureau, they may conduct the entire annual and abnormal inspections of non-self-propelled inland river vessels under 200 tons displacement, self-propelled inland river vessels with main engine power under 135 horsepower, inland river vessels carrying fewer than 50 passengers, and small sea-going vessels.

||| 3. Knowledge Requirements:

In addition to the requirements for a Class III Inspector, they must also be able to lead and organize technical inspections and assess the overall technical condition of vessels.

For Inspectors performing tasks as described in Point h, Clause 2, Article 9, they must understand technical standards, legal regulations, and operational guidelines related to their specialized fields.

||| 4. Qualification and Work Experience Requirements:

a) Graduated from a college level or higher in one of the ship hull, marine engine, marine electrical, or marine mechanical engineering fields.

b) Completed the Class II Inspector vocational training course.

c) Possess English language proficiency at level A or higher.

d) Be a Class III Inspector with a continuous tenure of at least three years for those with a bachelor's degree, and five years for those with a college degree.

Article 9. Class I Inspector

||| 1. Responsibilities:

A Class I Inspector is a technical specialist who performs inspection activities as specified in the inspector's registration certificate, in accordance with the functions and tasks of the unit.

2. Specific Duties:

In addition to the duties of a Class II Inspector, they also perform the following duties:

a) Engage in scientific research, participate in the development, supplementation, or modification of technical regulations, standards, technical guidance, and teaching materials for inspector vocational training.

b) Review new construction designs, modifications, and technical file approvals for inland waterway vessels.

b) Inspect and evaluate the initial and periodic technical conditions of inland waterway vessels according to the specialized field studied at the university level.

d) Conduct the entire annual and abnormal inspection workload of inland waterway vessels.

e) Participate in technical appraisals and accident investigations of inland waterway vessels.

f) Participate in training for various classes of inspectors when required.

g) Advise the unit head on technical and operational inspection issues when requested.

||| 3. Knowledge Requirements:

In addition to the requirements for a Class II Inspector, they must also:

a) Fully understand the development policies and social needs of the unit, the inspection sector, and society.

b) Master technical standards, legal regulations, and operational guidelines related to ship hulls, marine engines, and marine electrical systems to perform their duties.

c) Have the ability to develop technical regulations and operational guidelines for inspection.

4. Qualifications and Work Experience Requirements:

a) Graduated from a university in one of the ship hull, marine engine, or marine electrical engineering fields, and have the necessary expertise in other relevant fields (ship hull, marine engine, marine electrical) to inspect various types of vessels.

b) Possess English language proficiency at level B or higher.

c) Complete the Class I Inspector training program.

d) Be a Class II Inspector with a continuous tenure of at least three years.

CHAPTER III

APPOINTMENT AND REMOVAL OF INSPECTORS

Article 10. The appointment of inspectors of all classes must comply with the provisions of this standard, based on the unit's recommendation and the inspector's academic and work performance. Inspectors appointed in accordance with this standard will be issued an inspector registration certificate.

Article 11. Inspectors will be removed and their inspector registration certificates revoked if they are disciplined with a warning or higher due to:

1. Violating technical standards and current regulations of the inspection sector while performing their duties.

2. Engaging in corrupt behavior, harassment, or causing difficulties for customers during the execution of their duties.

Article 12. The Director of the Vietnam Marine Inspection Bureau is responsible for reviewing and deciding on the appointment and removal of inspectors.

PART IV

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 13. This standard takes effect fifteen days after the date of signature. Previous regulations that conflict with this standard are hereby abolished.

Article 14. The Vietnam Marine Inspection Bureau is responsible for:

1. Developing plans, programs, and content for inspector training and issuing certificates in accordance with this standard.

2. Regularly guiding, inspecting, identifying, and addressing violations of this standard at inland waterway vessel inspection units nationwide.

Article 15. Inspectors currently working at inspection units before this decision takes effect shall be reviewed and appointed to the appropriate inspector class by the Vietnam Marine Inspection Bureau based on their qualifications and capabilities. Within three years, these inspectors must complete the inspector vocational training program. If they fail to meet the requirements and do not hold the appropriate professional qualifications after the training period, they will be removed from their position as an inspector.