According to statistics, energy used in transport sector accounts for 20.1% of total national energy consumption. Acknowledging the importance of the sector in reducing pressure on the national energy supply, the Ministry of Transport has taken action.

Implementing the first phase of the National program on energy efficiency and conservation, 2006-2010 period, the Ministry of Transport, through measures of propagation, mobilization, popularizing skills to control energy saving vehicles, has made the initial perception of officials and employees about energy-saving awareness in production, management, activities and created habits of energy saving in community.

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For the last five years, 19 projects have been effectively implemented by the Ministry in coordination with related agencies, such as the application of science and technology to save fuel for railway vehicles; design and production of fuel consumption measuring device for the management and exploitation of diesel ship engine to save fuel; construction of plans to promote public passenger transport in major cities to limit personal vehicles and reduce fuel consumption; application of electronic cabin in driver training to reduce fuel consumption.

From the management of the Ministry…

The Ministry has directed agencies and units to deploy energy saving measures in the work place and in production such as turning off electrical equipment when not in use, specifying hours of operation of the elevator system, using energy saving light bulbs, regulating the use of air conditioning in the work place, improving power supply system, lighting system, mobilizing natural light, inspecting and supervising the use of electricity used in the work place combined with movements, rewards and regulating fixed expenditure on water and electricity for units and establishments.

Creating the habit of using public vehicles to save fuel and protect the environment for capital people

The Ministry has encouraged enterprises to rationalize the management and monitoring of production, shorten the distance of transport, take full advantage of capacity and properly use functions of machinery and equipment, ensure the work of maintenance.

Besides, the Ministry has organized many conferences and seminars to disseminate the National program on energy efficiency and conservation, provided comments on the draft Law on Energy efficiency and conservation, cooperated in the management to improve the efficiency of energy use, disseminated and raised the awareness of each official and employee of well implementing energy saving measures in production, management and activities.

…to agencies, units in transport sector

According to reports, most agencies and units under the Ministry have reduced electricity consumption, used electricity in line with the requirement of production management. In Vietnam Railways Corporation, power consumption of the entire company has been lower and lower each year, specifically, 2,322,300,000 KWh was reduced in 2007, 96,625,000 kWh reduced in 2008 and in 2009, the company strived to reduce 329.873.000 kWh, equivalent to 13% of power consumption in 2008; Institute for Transport Administration and Management Cadres, Institute of Transport Science and Technology, Vietnam Multimodal Transport Company, Vietnam Motors Industry Corporation and Civil Engineering Construction Corporation No.6 reduced approximately 9% of power consumption in 2008 compared to 2007.

A typical example in the efficient use of energy in transport sector is Vietnam Airlines Corporation, which has developed a consulting package valued USD 400,000 for researching and applying management solutions and technologies to shorten international routes to save fuel. This solution has helped the corporation save 6.4% of annual fuel cost (USD25 million). Besides, Vietnam Railways Corporation, Vietnam Water Transport Corporation, Vietnam Multimodal Transport Company and Civil Engineering Construction Corporation No.4 have also promoted the efficient use of energy resources.

Moreover, Vam Cong ferry cluster under Kien Giang Maritime Administration has had the honor to receive the commendation of the Minister of Industry and Trade for outstanding achievements in the efficient use of energy and environment protection.

It is expected that, in the next phase, the Ministry will continue to implement activities to save energy through the optimum exploitation of networks of roads, waterways, railways, airways, seaways; apply energy saving solutions to means of transport through technical management and application of new scientific technologies; build and rationally adjust the technical norms in the production and maintenance of vehicles; experiment the use of biofuel and other forms of energy as the alternative fuel for a number of transport facilities and equipment and pay special attention to raising the awareness of the community of fuel saving in travelling and living.

By Minh Duc