Hai Phong shipbuilding industry gradually recovers
After many years of "hibernation", Hai Phong's shipbuilding industry is gradually recovering with a series of new orders, creating a vibrant production atmosphere in many businesses.
Signs of improvement
Hai Phong is known as the “capital” of shipbuilding with a tradition of more than 100 years. In the early years of the 21st century, the city had over 40 shipbuilding establishments, gathering many big names such as Nam Trieu, Pha Rung, Bach Dang, Tam Bac, Song Cam... The shipbuilding industry has created jobs for tens of thousands of workers and engineers, making an important contribution to the local and national economy.
Pha Rung Shipbuilding Company Limited organized a series of events related to
The newly built 13,000 DWT oil and chemical tanker for a Korean Owner.
However, in difficult times, many factories fell into stagnation, orders decreased, and workers left the industry. Some businesses were at risk of bankruptcy, and competitiveness decreased significantly.
In the past 3 years, the return of international shipbuilding contracts, especially with Korean partners, is considered a turning point to help restore the industry's position. On August 9, Bach Dang Shipbuilding Company Limited (under the Shipbuilding Industry Corporation - SBIC) successfully launched an international oil/chemical tanker with a capacity of 9,300 m3 named Great Whale. The unit also started construction of a series of 3 oil and chemical tankers with a capacity of 14,000 m3, 132 m long, 20.4 m wide, 11.5 m high, and a tonnage of about 12,950 tons. This is a ship with special techniques, designed to operate in international waters according to IACS Reg 47 standards and supervised by the Korean Register (KR). With the signed contracts, the enterprise will maintain enough jobs for workers until 2027.
At Nam Trieu Shipbuilding Company Limited, the Truong Minh Dream 01 bulk carrier with a capacity of 65,000 DWT has just been delivered - one of the largest ships newly built in Vietnam. This success helps the company continue to receive contracts to build two more ships of the same type. In 2024, Song Cam Shipbuilding Joint Stock Company will build 59 new ships and repair one ship, with pre-tax profit exceeding 100 billion VND, three times higher than the set plan.
According to business leaders, the continuous signing and implementation of large-scale ship orders show that Hai Phong's shipbuilding industry is clearly recovering, opening a new stage of development. Up to now, most shipbuilding enterprises have closed orders until 2028, even 2030. City leaders are also actively working with international partners to promote long-term cooperation, consolidating the position of a major shipbuilding center of the country.
Concerns about human resource shortage
Despite abundant orders, the biggest challenge facing Hai Phong shipbuilding enterprises today is the shortage of human resources, especially highly skilled workers.
Mr. Nguyen Ba Son, Deputy Director of Bach Dang Shipbuilding Company Limited, said: "At one time, Bach Dang Shipbuilding had up to 3,000 workers and engineers. Now the number of workers remaining is less than 200, while the demand is very high."
Sharing the same difficulties, the leader of Pha Rung Shipbuilding Company Limited shared: "With the task of building a series of new oil and chemical ships for the above-mentioned Korean partner and repairing an average of 70-80 ships/year, the enterprise needs 300-500 more workers, especially highly skilled workers."
To attract human resources, some enterprises have proactively introduced attractive remuneration policies. Mr. Le Doan Tam, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Pacific Shipbuilding Joint Stock Company, signed a document with a special policy that has never been seen before in the enterprise. The enterprise decided to increase 2 salary levels for direct workers and 1 level for indirect workers from October 1, 2025. Lunar New Year bonuses also increased to 2 months of actual salary. Company leaders expect the new policy to encourage employees to stay with the company and at the same time attract more highly skilled personnel.
According to the assessment of the Vietnam Maritime Administration and Waterways (under the Ministry of Construction), the recruitment of students in the shipbuilding industry is currently facing difficulties due to concerns about employment, career trends, and unattractive starting salaries. Only a few graduates work in the right field, and there is a lack of lecturers with doctoral degrees. Colleges also have difficulty recruiting students because the shipbuilding industry is considered a heavy, toxic, and dangerous industry, leading to a lack of highly skilled human resources.
Therefore, Hai Phong shipbuilding enterprises hope that the city's departments, branches, and functional agencies will pay attention to supporting training and attracting students to study shipbuilding. The formation of a stable and quality human resource will be an important foundation for the industry to continue to maintain its growth momentum for many years to come.
With a tradition of more than 100 years and a clear recovery in recent years, Hai Phong hopes to continue affirming its role as a shipbuilding center of the country and the region, contributing to the goal of developing Vietnam's maritime economy.
According to statistics from the Vietnam Maritime and Waterways Administration, Vietnam currently has 88 shipbuilding enterprises and 411 inland waterway vehicle building establishments (of which nearly 120 enterprises build and repair ships with a tonnage of more than 1,000 tons).
According to: https://daidoanket.vn/nganh-dong-tau-hai-phong-dan-phuc-hoi-10314972.html
