Vietnam’s largest high-speed ship ceases operations after two months

The operator, Phu Quoc Express Boat Company, has announced the suspension to its partners and ticket sales outlets. It is not yet known when the vessel will be put back into service.

The ship set sail on May 13 and makes three trips per week, every other day.

Hiep Phuoc Port leaves Con Dao Ben Dam Port at 7am and Con Dao Ben Dam Port at 1pm.

Tickets sold by agents, ticket counters and websites cost VND 615,000 – 1.1 million (US$24 – 43), depending on ticket class and departure time.

After two weeks of operation, the number of passengers on the high-speed vessel was less than 50 percent of capacity due to inadequate services.

Many passengers said that the service and amenities on the country’s largest passenger ship are great, but the road from downtown to Hiep Phuoc Port, where the ship departs, is far away, causing inconvenience.

Vu Van Khuong, general manager of the company, previously admitted that the company had difficulties in transporting passengers from the city centre to Hiep Phuoc port and the long distance prevented passengers from using the service.

According to the operator, the ship carries an average of 200 passengers per trip on weekdays and as many as 600 to 700 people on weekends.

It has a top speed of 35 nautical miles (more than 60 kilometers) per hour and takes four hours to travel between HCMC and Con Dao, a tourist island off the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau.

The Con Dao archipelago, located about 230 kilometers southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, comprises 16 islands and was formerly known for its large prison, first built by the French and later used by the Americans during the Vietnam War.

Today, Con Dao, with its white sandy beaches and clear blue waters, is on the global tourism map.