AETIN Trade mission to Vietnam, 18 – 25 March 2015

Aim at introducing, exchanging and seeking opportunities for cooperation in the oil & gas sector between businesses of the Netherlands and Vietnam, a Trade mission to Ho Chi Minh City, Vung Tau, Hai Phong and Hanoi from 18 – 25 March 2015 has been taken place. The delegation visited to the most important (offshore) shipyards in Vung Tau, Hochiminh City and Hai Phong, where the mission visited Damen-Song Cam shipyard and had a roundtable meeting with the decision makers of this very modern Dutch shipyard.

With the participation of 14 companies as AETIN members, the first destination of the delegation is Hochiminh City with the effective and intimate meetings with Technip Vietnam, Petrovietnam Technical Services Corporation (PTSC) and Petrovietnam Energy Technology Corporation (PV EIC). The parties shared experiences, introduced products and services, provided information about projects and development plans as well as discussed cooperation opportunities. 

Collective meetings with Technip (up), PTSC (middle) and PVEIC (bottom) in Hochiminh City

In Vung Tau, the delegation visited Vietsovpetro (VSP), PTSC Mechanical & Construction Co. Ltd. (PTSC M&C), Petroleum Equipment Assembly & Metal Structure JSC (PVC-MS), PetroVietnam Marine Shipyard JSC (PV Shipyard), Southern Petroleum Construction Company (AlphaECC) and met with the senior managements, discussed about their relevant projects. A lot of information about products and services, projects and development plans, contact points, etc. have been exchanged between Dutch companies and Vietnamese companies.

Collective meetings with Vietsovpetro, PTSC M&C, PVC-MS and PV Shipyard in Vũng Tàu

Arriving Haiphong on 22 March, the AETIN delegation was warmly received at the Dinner Party in Harbour View Hotel by Peja Vietnam with the presence of Mr. Simon van der Burg – Consulate General, Mr. Bernhard Kelkes – Economic and Commercial Counsellor and a number of Dutch maritime companies.

On 23 March 2015, the AETIN delegation visited Haiphong to explore business opportunities at the same time of the working visit of maritime mission organised by the Embassy, the Consulate General and branch organisation Netherlands Maritime Technology (NMT). The program included visits to several shipyards here, including the Damen Song Cam Shipyard, where the delegation witnessed the launch of a Damen tug boat and was guided around the shipyard by Mr Pim Schuurman, Managing Director of Damen Holding Vietnam, and Chris Groninger, Managing Director of Damen Song Cam. The delegation had received the warm welcome from Damen Song Cam’s representatives and participated in the Roundtable about ‘Partnership with Damen Vietnam’ and ‘Dutch Maritime Cluster in Hai Phong’ hosted by Mr. Mr Pim Schuurman. A lot of helpful information have been shared, especially the experience in working with local authorities and administrative procedures and the experience to cooperate successfully with partners in Vietnam.

Mr. Chris Groninger, Managing Director of Damen Song Cam introduced the infrastructure

The delegation is visiting and discussing on deck of newly built ship

Sharing experience by Mr Pim Schuurman, Managing Director of Damen Holding Vietnam

While the maritime market is not really good, Damen and Damen Song Cam are still at good situation with many activities. Their staff and workers are busy to complete boats/ships to delivery at the right time as scheduled. Damen also gets a lot of new orders of new shipbuilding in the coming time. After many years of cooperation, Damen and Song Cam officially signed to set up a joint venture named Damen Song Cam Shipyard in 2013. The Damen Song Cam shipyard officially inaugurated on 20 March 2014 is the most modern joint venture of Damen abroad with total area of 43ha.

Dutch companies received important contacts of Damen and a number of Damen’s clients to approach and look for co-operation opportunities and supplying equipment to Damen.

Other shipyards visited included SBIC’s Nam Trieu shipyard, LILAMA’s Lisemco shipyard. In addition, the delegation visited Winel, a Dutch maritime equipment supplier which recently moved to a large factory in Haiphong to expand its production capacity in Vietnam. 

Going around to see Lisemco’s workshop

During a meeting with the Vice-Chairman of Haiphong’s People’s Committee, Mr Dan Duc Hiep, the delegates were informed about the developments and the policy of investment incentives in Haiphong. The People's Committee and the authorities of Hai Phong encouraged to establish Industrial Park for maritime supporting industry near Damen Song Cam shipyart, committed to support the administrative procedures for investors.

 Meeting with the People’s Committee of Hai Phong city

On the way to Hanoi, the delegation paid a working visit to Palfinger Ned Deck Vietnam at Pho Noi A Industrial Park in Hung Yen province, Palfinger Ned Deck Vietnam is a potential partner for Bierens’ gearbox product. The other members of AETIN delegation had been exchanged and shared of information and experience to do business in Vietnam. This is a valuable opportunity for the companies that are in the stage of market research.

In Hanoi the mission met Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (SBIC) Chairman Mr Nguyen Ngoc Su, who explained the company’s plans for the near future. The delegation and SBIC’s representatives shared information about their companies’ activities and exchanged ideas on cooperation. SBIC’s Song Cam has been requested to work with the Haiphong People’s Committee and Dutch companies on the development of a maritime industrial zone next to the Damen Song Cam shipyards.  And Vietnam Consult & Trading (VCT) has been assigned by Damen and SBIC as the coordinator in the Netherlands to develop the maritime IZ in Haiphong.

At PetroVietnam (PVN), Vice President Mr Nguyen Hung Dung, informed the delegation about the maritime and offshore activities of the corporation and connected the entrepreneurs to several PetroVietnam subsidiaries such as Nhon Trach shipyard, Dung Quat shipyard, PV shipyard, etc. which builds oil ships, FSO/FPSO (floating storage and offloading/ floating production, storage and offloading), oil platforms to discuss business opportunities.

Besides, Mr Dung answered the demand for products and services supplied by the AETIN delegation’s members and introduced detailed contacts of PVN’s subsidiaries so as to the Dutch partners can contact themselves to  have  specific exchange. PVN also invited AETIN members and other Dutch companies to participate Oil & Gas Exhibition held by PVN from 21 – 23 October 2015 in HCMC.

Vice President of PVN Mr Nguyen Hung Dung received the delegation

End of the trip, the delegation went to visit Vietnam National Petroleum Group (Petrolimex) and LILAMA Corporation (LILAMA) where they met with the senior management of the corporations. The information about their current projects, procurement procedure and plans, requirements on products, etc. were so helpful for Dutch companies. The representative of LILAMA thinks that Bierens, AVK, WWE have opportunities to cooperate with LILAMA and do business in Vietnam.

Apart from joining the collective meetings of AETIN delegation, OPRA also requested to have several private meetings with their interested companies. VCT has organized these private meetings for OPRA with PV Engineering Corporation, Petroleum Offshore Trading and Services Co. Ltd  (POTS) and PetroVietnam Power Corporation (PV POWER) in HCMC and Hanoi.

The results of the AETIN trade mission together with the warm welcome and open communication from Vietnamese partners and local authority makes AETIN’s members believe in prospects for cooperation and development in Vietnam.

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