Vietnam halts licensing of foreign ships

Vietnam has ordered the cessation of licensing for foreign container ships, in an effort protect the domestic shipping industry.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Transport has ordered the cessation of licensing for foreign container ships beginning January 1, 2013, in an effort protect the domestic shipping industry.

The Vietnam Maritime Administration was assigned to inform owners of foreign container ships operating in Vietnam in time to prepare for the change in regulations. The administration will also be in charge of monitoring shipping vessels in Vietnamese waters and report violations to the Ministry of Transport. The aim of this measure is to ease traffic at seaports.

Passenger ships will still be eligible for licenses for routes that Vietnamese ships are unable to service.

The licensing of foreign vessels in Vietnam has been a source of controversy to local sipping companies, who fear that international shipping firms will out-compete them. Also, many Vietnamese companies have complained that foreign firms can get around the 15-year rule for the age of ships by registering them abroad while licensing them here.