Technical Report No. 8 PORT AND SHIPPING

5 SHIPPING DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES
5.1 Strengthening Maritime Administration
I-5-1
Vietnam National Transport Strategy Study (VITRANSS)
Technical Report No. 8
Shipping and Ports
Vietnam’s shipping industry is composed of various service sectors including:
• State-owned enterprises under VINALINES
• State-owned enterprises under the MOT
• Local government-owned enterprises
• Joint venture companies
• State-owned corporation
• Private corporation
• Private companies
• State-owned enterprises under the Ministry of Industry
• State-owned enterprises under the defense force
In general, shipping activities and port operation are conducted individually by
each sector. Thus, overall administrative control is required to implement a
nationwide policy in the maritime subsector, excluding national defense.
Although the MOT and VINAMARINE have issued Directive No. 356/1998/CT-
BGTVT and Notification 1950/TB-CHHVN to intensify administrative reform in
management activities, there has been no distinct change. It has been presumed
that some sectors in the industry might have close relations with government
authorities thus undermining VINAMARINE’s authority. As far as the whole
shipping administration is concerned, VINAMARINE should be an exclusive
organization with control over all maritime activities as authorized by government
and the MOT.
It is expected that in the coming years, the maritime subsector in Vietnam will
have to address its problems to enable it to expand, modernize and rehabilitate
its shipping fleet and port facilities. This would also require government to
enforce uniform and consistent policies for the subsector.
The maritime subsector of Vietnam needs to regulate itself in accordance with
international requirements as stipulated in related conventions. VINAMARINE’s
cooperation is highly expected, particularly since the Government of Vietnam has
agreed with and signed the MOU on port state control in the Asia-Pacific region
(Tokyo MOU) in 1996, and which took effect on 1 January 1999. The main
objectives of this MOU are:
1) to establish an effective port state control regime in the Asia-Pacific region
through cooperation and harmonization;
2) to eliminate substandard shipping to promote maritime safety; and
3) to protect the marine environment and safeguard working and living
conditions on board the ships.
Toward this end, the role of the VMSA should be intensified to enable the country to