Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines) andBelgian Rent-A-Port N.V signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on August 30on the possibility to cooperate in grain specialised port, processing zone andlogistics system projects in Lach Huyen port and Dinh Vu industrial zone, in HaiPhong city.

Rent-A-Port is an engineering andinvestment company, specialised in the development of marine infrastructuresand industrial zones worldwide. It offers services ranging from consultancy andfull project management to co-investment in marine related projects andindustrial zones.

Under the MoU, the two companies will seek collaboration opportunities in ajoint venture company to develop grain handling port in Hai Phong InternationalGateway Port. They are also keen on another joint venture firm to construct a250 hectare logistic centre opposite the grain port, facilitating grainloading, storage, processing and distributing.

Along with joining the construction of a 630-metre port in Dinh Vu industrialpark, which is currently invested by Vinalines Dinh Vu JSC, the Belgianenterprise can buy 10 percent of Vinalines’s charter capital when the company becomesprivatised in April, 2018.

Thus, Rent-A-Port N.V will attach its long-term benefits to Vinalines as wellas support the Vietnamese company in advanced technology transfer, humanresources training, financial capacity improvement, business management,service supply and market development.

With adorable port infrastructure and logistic system coupledwith considerable management experience and financial capacity, collaborationbetween the two enterprises is expected to enhance competitiveness and maintaincrucial roles of both sides in marine port and logistic sectors in Vietnam.

Vinalines is a leading marine business in Vietnam, especially in port andmarine services in Hai Phong city. The firm will make an initial publicoffering (IPO) in December this year. Under the IPO plan, the State will hold65 percent of the company’s registered capital of 12.3 trillion VND (541.2million USD) while it will sell 35 percent to domestic and foreign businesses.

Vinalines is also allowed to hold 65 percent of registered capital at keyports, including Hai Phong, Sai Gon and Da Nang.

Vinalines currentlymanages a fleet of off-shore vessels with total capacity of nearly two milliontonnes, occupying some 25 percent of the national fleet’s capacity. It hascontributed capital to 14 sea port businesses, which have a total length ofmore than 13,000 metres, 30 percent of the total length of ports nationwide.They include a number of deep-water harbours that can receive 190,000 tonnevessels.-VNA