For heavy cargo in large volumes, the waterway cuts the number of trips, lowers the cost per tonne and keeps delivery schedules steady. This page explains which cargo suits the waterway, how it compares with road haulage, and how we work with shippers.
1. What is inland waterway transport?
Inland waterway transport moves cargo by vessel and barge on rivers, canals and coastal waters within one country. Cargo is loaded at the origin berth, carried along a designated channel and discharged at the receiving berth.
Vietnam has more than 3,260 km of coastline and a dense network of rivers and canals, especially in the Red River and Mekong deltas. Many ports and landings sit close to factories, quarries and construction sites, which makes the waterway a natural choice for heavy cargo over long distances.
Compared with road haulage
| Criterion | Waterway | Road |
|---|---|---|
| Load per trip | Thousands of tonnes, e.g. a Thanh Phat 4,500 t barge | About 15–30 t per truck |
| Cost per tonne | Usually lower over long distances and large volumes | Higher over long distances |
| Congestion | Low; depends on tides and channel conditions | Frequent around cities and at peak times |
| Speed | Slower | Faster, door‑to‑door |
| Best suited to | Dry bulk, heavy cargo, scheduled delivery | Small, urgent consignments |
One 4,500 t barge equals about 150 trips by a 30 t truck. The whole 13,400 t fleet equals about 450 such truck trips.
2. Advantages of shipping by water
- Large volumes in one trip. One barge voyage replaces hundreds of truck trips, so there are fewer documents and fewer handling operations.
- Low cost per tonne. The longer the distance and the larger the volume, the clearer the cost advantage over road.
- Predictable schedules. Waterways see far less congestion than roads, so arrival times are easier to plan.
- Built for heavy bulk. Coal, clinker, soil and stone go straight into the hold or onto the deck with no packaging.
- Less pressure on roads. Fewer heavy trucks on national highways means less road damage and lower accident risk.
- Lower emissions per tonne. Moving a tonne of cargo by water uses less fuel than long‑distance trucking.
3. Cargo we carry
Coal
Fine and lump coal from the Quang Ninh mines to thermal power plants, cement works and manufacturers.
Clinker
Bulk clinker for cement plants and grinding stations.
Fill soil
Fill material for construction sites, industrial parks and urban developments.
Stone
Construction aggregates for buildings, roads and concrete batching plants.
For other dry bulk, send us an enquiry and we will assess it against load capacity and handling conditions.
4. How a voyage works
Enquiry
You send the cargo type, quantity, origin, destination and delivery window by form or phone.Advice, quote and planning
We choose between the barge tow and the SB vessel, quote by route and tonnage, and agree the sailing schedule.Loading and passage
Cargo is loaded at the agreed berth and carried along the route, with updates to you as needed.Delivery and reconciliation
Discharge at the receiving berth, tonnage and documents reconciled, and support if anything arises.
5. Fleet capacity
The two 4,500 t barges sail as one tow with a pusher tug; the 4,400 t SB vessel is self‑propelled. We can take one large consignment in a single voyage or split it into two independent voyages.
Crew
Each barge carries 7 crew and the SB vessel 9, in line with Vietnam’s minimum safe manning rules for inland vessels (Circular 39/2019/TT‑BGTVT, consolidated as 01/VBHN‑BGTVT in 2023). That is 23 crew across the fleet.
6. Routes and ports
Thanh Phat operates mainly on the northern waterway corridor, where coal mines, cement plants, power stations and industrial parks are concentrated. We load and discharge in the following provinces:
- Quang Ninh: Coc 5 Hon Gai, Lang Khanh, Dien Cong, Nam Cau Trang, Km6 Cam Pha, Cua Ong, Mong Duong, Duong Nhat, Ka Long, Dien Vong. The coal‑mining region and the hub for shipping coal to the delta provinces.
- Hai Phong: Da Bac, An Hoa, So Dau, Truong Nguyen and berths on the Cam and Bach Dang rivers. The main seaport of the north, where cargo transfers between ships and barges.
- Thai Binh: Hiep Port, Tan De and Thai Binh on the Red and Luoc rivers.
- Nam Dinh: Nam Dinh Port on the Dao River.
- Ninh Binh: The Ninh Phuc, Vissai, Phuc Loc, Long Son, Hai Long, Bich Dao and Cau Yen ports and Ninh Binh Port on the Day River, serving cement plants, a power station and industrial parks that use large volumes of coal, clinker and stone.
- Ha Nam: Xuan Thanh, Yen Lenh, Nam Kinh and landings on the Day and Red rivers.
The usual route is Quang Ninh – Hai Phong – Thai Binh – Nam Dinh – Ninh Binh, about 264 km (National Inland Waterway Route No. 2), continuing up the Day River to Ha Nam. Which berths are accessible depends on draught, water level and the seasonal load limit of each berth. Send us your origin and destination and we confirm the berths and channel for each voyage.
Summary
If you need to move large volumes of coal, clinker, soil, stone or other dry bulk and want to bring transport costs down, the waterway is worth comparing. Send an enquiry below for advice and a quote.