In a bid to institute safe boating practice with round the clock service, ten buoys and markers have been installed since 20 August in the waterway between Mingun and Innwa (Sagaing) and over 200 more buoys will be installed in Mandalay and Nyaung-U waterway, said U Khin Maung Zaw, deputy director of navigation division (Upper Myanmar) under the Directorate from the Water Resources and Improvement of River Systems.
Installation of buoys is a part of AIRABM Project’s Component 3 for Ayeyawady riverway improvement financed by the World Bank. With the support of foreign experts and staff of the Directorate of Water Resources and Improvement of River Systems, the buoys are being placed in the waterway.
“It is to aid night navigation from Mandalay to Nyaung-U and it is also first time for inland water transport. There are four types of buoys. The sailors or seamen have to learn how to read buoys and markers. The department has to follow international Guide Line for navigation buoys. Natural route or maritime trade is the cheapest one compared to road transport and air route. Natural trade route facilitates trading”, he continued.
Vessels and ships travelling inland must practice the IALA Maritime buoyage system. The marker colour of striped red and white indicates fairway channel, red for port (left) and green for starboard (right) and isolated danger mark for symbols of hazards.
“Inland water transport used bamboo poles and other locally made goods at daytime. Having installed buoys, the vessels are safe to travel at night. Later, after carrying out waterway improvement project, container ships can also travel anytime. It will help economic development”, said U Aung Myo Khaing, director of Component 3.
In addition to this, internationally reconginzed buoys and markets are planned to be installed along about 700-kilometer waterway from Mandalay to Yangon by 2020, to ensure round-the-clock safety shipping for vessels.— Khine Set Wai
Photo: Khine Set Wai
