Hanoi: International ship classification society ABS has signed an agreement with Vietnam Register (VR) this week for cooperation on a wide range of classification and statutory certification services. The new agreement, which will see ABS to train and qualify VR surveyors to ABS standards, cements the previous more limited cooperative agreements the two societies have been operating under since 1994.
VR general director Nguyen Van Ban said, "This agreement is the next step in the development of our Register and capabilities. We have been very impressed with the technical capabilities of ABS and also by their extensive training programs offered through the ABS Academy. We are looking forward to working closely with the survey and engineering staff of ABS as they expand their activities in Vietnam. We have much to learn but also much to offer and this new agreement will be of great mutual benefit to both societies."
"Vietnam's shipping and shipbuilding industries are expanding rapidly with a specific focus on international contracts," said ABS President Christopher J Wiernicki. "The Vietnam Register has a great deal of experience with smaller, coastal ships and some offshore installations but the changing nature of the nation's shipping industry means they must now expand their horizons and capabilities. This agreement will allow ABS to assist them in meeting that challenge while, at the same time, giving us greater access to the expanding Vietnamese market."
The agreement is particularly pertinent since both societies anticipate increased traffic into US ports by Vietnamese flag ships due to the recent permanent non-discriminatory treatment status granted to Vietnamese products by the US Government, and they country's acceptance as a member of the World Trade Organization.
"For the Vietnamese shipowners who are expanding into the deep sea, international trades, particularly the trades to the US, the partnership with ABS gives them the security of a classification certificate from an established member of IACS and access to the global network of ABS surveyors while, at the same time, allowing them to support their own national classification society," Wiernicki added.
The current orderbook at Vietnamese yards presently numbers over 100 vessels of which approximately half are for foreign owners. [18/05/07]
Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. Add Seatrade Maritime News to your Google News feed.
