The seventh International Exhibition of Shipbuilding, Maritime Technology and Transportation 2014 (Vietship 2014) kicked off on February 26 in Hanoi.

The opening ceremony of the biennial exhibition was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai, who voiced his expectation for the event to expand communication channels between buyers and manufacturers, directly serving market development in the maritime and shipbuilding fields.

Vietship 2014, hosted by the Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (SBIC), is showcasing the latest products and technology in the shipbuilding industry across more than 200 stands by 115 leading global shipbuilders and maritime groups from Japan, the Republic of Korea, China, the US, Russia and the Netherlands.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang said that Vietship 2014, which takes place during a period of economic difficulty for Vietnam and the world, is expected to foster investment and trade exchanges between the country and foreign businesses.

Thang said he hopes that through the fair, the SBIC will grow strongly and can sign many commercial contracts.

Vietship 2014 will last until February 28.-VNA