With 3,260 km of coastline, over 3,000 islands and territorial waters three times the size of its land mass, Vietnam has a lot of potential to develop its maritime economy.
However, to do this it is essential to create and promote a national maritime trademark as soon as possible.
Vietnam ’s waters are situated in a unique position in regards to the international shipping lanes that link the Pacific and Indian Oceans . The country also boasts an enormous potential of valuable marine and coastal resources including oil and gas, coal, iron, titanium and glass sand to huge reserves of seafoods.
There are over 100 locations along the coast that could be developed into deepwater ports and international transit ports. In addition, the country also has 125 beautiful beaches, ideal for building top-end resorts.
Thanks to these advantages, a string of coastal economic zones (CEZs) have sprung up, helping to boost the country’s economic development, especially local communities. The nation now has 14 coastal economic zones with a total land and water area of over 627,000 ha. By the end of 2009, these CEZs had attracted 550 domestic and foreign projects with a total investment capital of nearly 40 billion USD.
However, several State agencies have complained that the income the country earns from its maritime resources have been limited due to unplanned and uncontrolled exploitation.
Vu Si Tuan, the Head of the Department for Sea and Islands Exploitation and Management (DSIEM), stated that despite being a maritime nation, Vietnam ’s marine products are mostly unknown in the world’s major markets. “The world does not see Vietnam as a maritime nation yet,” he added.
According to the Deputy Director of Vietnam’s General Department for the Sea and Islands (GDSI) Nguyen Chu Hoi, Vietnam only focuses on exploiting the more obvious resources such as oil, gas and seafood and is not yet aware of the functions and the value of ecosystems, the intangible values of its waters or their potential and position. The sooner the country realises that these resources could bring in much more beneficial economic outcomes than the material resources, the better.
The DSIEM said that over the past few years, t he maritime and coastal economy has contributed 47-48 percent of the country’s total GDP with most of the revenue coming from oil and gas, seafood, maritime services and marine tourism.
To raise the country’s standing as a maritime nation and ensure the country earns 53-55 percent of its total GDP from these resources by 2020, the GDSI is drawing up plans on the use of sea and islands areas so maritime businesses can adjust their development plans.
The agency has also considered creating a logo for the Vietnamese maritime trademark as well as granting green certificates to sea areas as well as maritime businesses to ensure a sustainable exploitation and development of the country’s marine resources and the environment.
The Prime Minister has already approved the National Maritime Strategy and Islands Economic Development Plans until 2020./.
However, to do this it is essential to create and promote a national maritime trademark as soon as possible.
Vietnam ’s waters are situated in a unique position in regards to the international shipping lanes that link the Pacific and Indian Oceans . The country also boasts an enormous potential of valuable marine and coastal resources including oil and gas, coal, iron, titanium and glass sand to huge reserves of seafoods.
There are over 100 locations along the coast that could be developed into deepwater ports and international transit ports. In addition, the country also has 125 beautiful beaches, ideal for building top-end resorts.
Thanks to these advantages, a string of coastal economic zones (CEZs) have sprung up, helping to boost the country’s economic development, especially local communities. The nation now has 14 coastal economic zones with a total land and water area of over 627,000 ha. By the end of 2009, these CEZs had attracted 550 domestic and foreign projects with a total investment capital of nearly 40 billion USD.
However, several State agencies have complained that the income the country earns from its maritime resources have been limited due to unplanned and uncontrolled exploitation.
Vu Si Tuan, the Head of the Department for Sea and Islands Exploitation and Management (DSIEM), stated that despite being a maritime nation, Vietnam ’s marine products are mostly unknown in the world’s major markets. “The world does not see Vietnam as a maritime nation yet,” he added.
According to the Deputy Director of Vietnam’s General Department for the Sea and Islands (GDSI) Nguyen Chu Hoi, Vietnam only focuses on exploiting the more obvious resources such as oil, gas and seafood and is not yet aware of the functions and the value of ecosystems, the intangible values of its waters or their potential and position. The sooner the country realises that these resources could bring in much more beneficial economic outcomes than the material resources, the better.
The DSIEM said that over the past few years, t he maritime and coastal economy has contributed 47-48 percent of the country’s total GDP with most of the revenue coming from oil and gas, seafood, maritime services and marine tourism.
To raise the country’s standing as a maritime nation and ensure the country earns 53-55 percent of its total GDP from these resources by 2020, the GDSI is drawing up plans on the use of sea and islands areas so maritime businesses can adjust their development plans.
The agency has also considered creating a logo for the Vietnamese maritime trademark as well as granting green certificates to sea areas as well as maritime businesses to ensure a sustainable exploitation and development of the country’s marine resources and the environment.
The Prime Minister has already approved the National Maritime Strategy and Islands Economic Development Plans until 2020./.
