Hanoi (VNA) – Facing the challenge of high logistics costs in import-export activities, Vietnam encourages and supports the development of its shipping fleet and shipbuilding industry, while expanding cooperation with international partners in maritime transport, National Assembly (NA) Vice Chairman Nguyen Duc Hai told Gabriel Petridis, Honorary Consul of Vietnam in Greece’s Piraeus and chairperson of the Aries Energy & Transport Corp., at their meeting in Hanoi on November 10.
Highly valuing Greece’s potential and achievements in maritime transport and shipbuilding, Hai expressed his hope that cooperation between Aries and Vietnamese partners will soon be realised.
He invited Petridis to explore investment and cooperation opportunities in the northern port city of Hai Phong and other localities of Vietnam, noting that the country is developing large, synchronised seaport and logistics complexes across the northern, central, and southern regions.
Vietnam is also prioritising marine tourism as a spearhead sector in coastal localities such as Hai Phong and Quang Ninh, and planning the development of high-end marinas in Da Nang, Khanh Hoa, and several southern provinces.
Regarding seafarer cooperation, Hai noted that Vietnam and Greece could work together to tap the former’s abundant labour. The senior legislator affirmed that the Vietnamese NA is willing to listen to and address any related institutional or legal obstacles.
Hai also asked the Vietnam Maritime Corporation, through its managing agency, to propose initiatives to foster bilateral maritime economic ties, thereby attracting foreign capital, technology, markets, and customers in this key sector.
For his part, Petridis stressed that the relationship between Vietnam and Greece has expanded across multiple fields, including politics, economy, trade, health, education, and culture. With its matching long coastline, Greece is willing to cooperate with and support Vietnam in developing its shipping fleet, port systems, and shipbuilding industry./.
