With 3,260 km of coastline, over 3,000 islands and territorial watersthree times the size of its land mass, Vietnam has a lot ofpotential to develop its maritime economy.
However, to do this it is essential to create and promote a nationalmaritime trademark as soon as possible.
Vietnam’s waters are situated in a unique position in regards to theinternational shipping lanes that link the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The country also boasts an enormous potential of valuable marine andcoastal resources including oil and gas, coal, iron, titanium and glasssand to huge reserves of seafoods.
There areover 100 locations along the coast that could be developed intodeepwater ports and international transit ports. In addition, thecountry also has 125 beautiful beaches, ideal for building top-endresorts.
Thanks to these advantages, a string ofcoastal economic zones (CEZs) have sprung up, helping to boost thecountry’s economic development, especially local communities. The nationnow has 14 coastal economic zones with a total land and water area ofover 627,000 ha. By the end of 2009, these CEZs had attracted 550domestic and foreign projects with a total investment capital of nearly40 billion USD.
However, several State agencieshave complained that the income the country earns from its maritimeresources have been limited due to unplanned and uncontrolledexploitation.
Vu Si Tuan, the Head of theDepartment for Sea and Islands Exploitation and Management (DSIEM),stated that despite being a maritime nation, Vietnam ’s marineproducts are mostly unknown in the world’s major markets. “The worlddoes not see Vietnam as a maritime nation yet,” he added.
According to the Deputy Director of Vietnam’s GeneralDepartment for the Sea and Islands (GDSI) Nguyen Chu Hoi, Vietnam onlyfocuses on exploiting the more obvious resources such as oil, gas andseafood and is not yet aware of the functions and the value ofecosystems, the intangible values of its waters or their potential andposition. The sooner the country realises that these resources couldbring in much more beneficial economic outcomes than the materialresources, the better.
The DSIEM said that overthe past few years, t he maritime and coastal economy has contributed47-48 percent of the country’s total GDP with most of the revenue comingfrom oil and gas, seafood, maritime services and marine tourism.
To raise the country’s standing as a maritime nation andensure the country earns 53-55 percent of its total GDP from theseresources by 2020, the GDSI is drawing up plans on the use of sea andislands areas so maritime businesses can adjust their development plans.
The agency has also considered creating a logo forthe Vietnamese maritime trademark as well as granting green certificatesto sea areas as well as maritime businesses to ensure a sustainableexploitation and development of the country’s marine resources and theenvironment.
The Prime Minister has already approvedthe National Maritime Strategy and Islands Economic Development Plansuntil 2020./.
However, to do this it is essential to create and promote a nationalmaritime trademark as soon as possible.
Vietnam’s waters are situated in a unique position in regards to theinternational shipping lanes that link the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The country also boasts an enormous potential of valuable marine andcoastal resources including oil and gas, coal, iron, titanium and glasssand to huge reserves of seafoods.
There areover 100 locations along the coast that could be developed intodeepwater ports and international transit ports. In addition, thecountry also has 125 beautiful beaches, ideal for building top-endresorts.
Thanks to these advantages, a string ofcoastal economic zones (CEZs) have sprung up, helping to boost thecountry’s economic development, especially local communities. The nationnow has 14 coastal economic zones with a total land and water area ofover 627,000 ha. By the end of 2009, these CEZs had attracted 550domestic and foreign projects with a total investment capital of nearly40 billion USD.
However, several State agencieshave complained that the income the country earns from its maritimeresources have been limited due to unplanned and uncontrolledexploitation.
Vu Si Tuan, the Head of theDepartment for Sea and Islands Exploitation and Management (DSIEM),stated that despite being a maritime nation, Vietnam ’s marineproducts are mostly unknown in the world’s major markets. “The worlddoes not see Vietnam as a maritime nation yet,” he added.
According to the Deputy Director of Vietnam’s GeneralDepartment for the Sea and Islands (GDSI) Nguyen Chu Hoi, Vietnam onlyfocuses on exploiting the more obvious resources such as oil, gas andseafood and is not yet aware of the functions and the value ofecosystems, the intangible values of its waters or their potential andposition. The sooner the country realises that these resources couldbring in much more beneficial economic outcomes than the materialresources, the better.
The DSIEM said that overthe past few years, t he maritime and coastal economy has contributed47-48 percent of the country’s total GDP with most of the revenue comingfrom oil and gas, seafood, maritime services and marine tourism.
To raise the country’s standing as a maritime nation andensure the country earns 53-55 percent of its total GDP from theseresources by 2020, the GDSI is drawing up plans on the use of sea andislands areas so maritime businesses can adjust their development plans.
The agency has also considered creating a logo forthe Vietnamese maritime trademark as well as granting green certificatesto sea areas as well as maritime businesses to ensure a sustainableexploitation and development of the country’s marine resources and theenvironment.
The Prime Minister has already approvedthe National Maritime Strategy and Islands Economic Development Plansuntil 2020./.
