Companies in the realm of ransport will continue to withdraw capital from non-core businesses, according to Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Ngoc Dong.

Addressing a meeting reviewing the accomplishments of the first six months of 2015 and outlining tasks for the next sixth months, Dong said from the beginning of 2015, the ministry completed capital divestment from 19 companies, collecting a total amount of almost 1.49 trillion VND (68 million USD).

Corporations were also given the green light to withdraw capital from 27 of their affiliates and associated companies besides removing State capital from two local inland waterway management and maintenance companies, he said.

The ministry recommended the Prime Minister approve capital divestment via tenders and at a larger amount than stipulated in Decision No 37/2014/QD-TTg for 23 enterprises, totalling 5.5 trillion VND (252 million USD).

Regarding the rearrangement, reform and equitisation, Dong confirmed the ministry would step up the restructuring of nine corporations, including the Shipping-Building Industrial Corporation; Vietnam National Shipping Lines; Vietnam Expressway Corporation; Cuu Long Corporation for Investment, Development and Project Management of Infrastructure; the Aviation Corporation of Vietnam; and the Central Transport Hospital, among others.

In the next six months, Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang said the ministry would strive to complete the equitisation of all enterprises where the State does not need to hold 100 percent of capital in 2015.

After 2015, the ministry should only have control of four corporations and two companies: the Vietnam Railways, Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation, Northern Vietnam Maritime Safety Corporation, Southern Vietnam Maritime Safety Corporation, Vietnam Maritime Communication and Electronics LLC and the Transport Publishing House.-VNA