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| An oil tanker anchored off Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. (Photo: Middle East Eye/VNA) |
Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam Maritime and Inland Waterways Administration (VIMAWA) has urged the Ministry of Construction to request the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) to work with its Iranian counterpart to support and prioritise the safe passage of Vietnamese vessels and crews through the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the administration, 19 vessels owned by Vietnamese enterprises are currently operating in the Middle East, including four flying the Vietnamese flag and 15 registered under foreign flags. Amid growing security concerns in the region, VIMAWA stressed the need for stronger coordination with relevant partners to safeguard maritime operations and crew safety.
The agency recommended that Iran allow Vietnamese-flagged vessels, as well as foreign-flagged ships owned by Vietnamese companies to operate and transit safely through the Strait of Hormuz, with priority arrangements applied.
Under the proposal, first priority would be given to Vietnamese-flagged ships owned by Vietnamese enterprises transporting goods between the Middle East and Vietnam. The second tier would cover foreign-flagged vessels owned by Vietnamese firms with Vietnamese crew members. Third priority would apply to foreign-flagged vessels owned by Vietnamese companies with foreign crews engaged in cargo transport beyond Vietnam’s territory.
The administration also proposed Iran facilitate the passage of Vietnamese ships carrying crude oil and petroleum products from the Middle East to Vietnam, thereby helping maintain stable energy supplies for the Southeast Asian country.
In addition, it called on the Iranian side to consider issuing an official notice permitting Vietnamese ships and seafarers to transit the Strait of Hormuz, providing a basis for Vietnamese shipping companies and shipowners to secure war-risk insurance, which many insurers currently decline coverage in the absence of formal confirmation from Iranian authorities.
To further enhance safety measures, VIMAWA proposed the Ministry of Construction ask the MoFA to instruct Vietnamese diplomatic missions in the Middle East to closely monitor developments, provide timely updates, and deliver necessary support for Vietnamese vessels and seafarers in the event of emergencies.
As part of efforts to address maritime safety challenges in the region, the administration recently convened a meeting with the Consular Department and the Middle East and Africa Department under the MoFA, and representatives from several Middle Eastern countries’ embassies and Vietnamese shipping enterprises operating in the area.
At the meeting, businesses urged state agencies to engage with Iranian authorities to ensure favourable conditions and safety guarantees for vessels owned by Vietnamese companies, as well as Vietnamese seafarers, allowing them to operate and transit in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz./.
