Legal Framework and Its Implications for Environmental Risk Management in Inland Waterway Transport of Dangerous Goods: The Case of Vietnam Legal Framework and Its Implications for Environmental Risk Management in Inland Waterway Transport of Dangerous Goods: The Case of Vietnam

Transporting dangerous goods (DG) poses significant environmental and safety challenges on inland waterways, which play a pivotal role in Vietnam’s logistics network. This paper analyzes Vietnam’s legal framework that impacts the management of these risks on inland waterways based on survey and assessment results. By comparing Vietnam’s relevant regulations with international regulations like UN Model Regulation, ADR, and the IMDG Code, it is found that although Vietnam has made significant improvements in the classification and labeling of DG, as well as in the structure of licensing procedures, certain limitations remain, including enforcement capacity, digital monitoring, and professional training. Finally, the paper proposes necessary steps for modern risk management, thus accompanied by legal updates and enhanced institutional cooperation, as well as the application of modern tools such as AIS, GPS, and IoT to enhance monitoring and surveillance capabilities. These recommendations are expected to support future policy directions towards safer and more sustainable inland waterway transport in Vietnam. Transporting dangerous goods (DG) on inland waterways (IWT) has caused significant environmental and safety failures, especially in Vietnam, where inland waterways play a vital role in the country’s logistics network. This study analyzes Vietnam’s current practices in managing environmental risks during the transport of DG, and compares these regulations with international standards such as the UN Model Regulations, ADR, and the IMDG Code. Although Vietnam has made significant improvements in the classification, labeling, and licensing structure of transport, there are still limitations in enforcement, digital monitoring, and professional training. The paper uses data collected from the Ministry of Transport’s Survey and Price Assessment Study, and applies a qualitative analysis method to compare Vietnam’s legal regulations with international standards. Finally, the paper proposes necessary steps to improve modern risk management capabilities through legal updates and enhanced operational rationalization, along with the application of modern technological tools such as AIS, GPS and IoT to enhance monitoring and management capabilities. These recommendations are expected to support future-oriented policies, contributing to the creation of a safer and more sustainable inland waterways operation system in Vietnam.