We continue our recent series of updates on cabotage from around
the Asia Pac Region with an overview of the cabotage laws which are
in force in Vietnam. This update has kindly been prepared with the
assistance of Dan Viet Anh - in our Vietnamese correspondent law
firm, Dzungsrt & Associates LLC.
1. Background to the cabotage laws in force in Vietnam
In 1986 the Vietnamese Government launched a campaign of
political and economic renewal by encouraging the establishment of
private businesses, which were permitted to operate in a free
market. Foreign ownership of companies was also permitted.
However, this economic liberalization cleared the way for foreign
competition in the domestic shipping market and as a result of this
competition the Vietnamese Government felt it was necessary to
impose significant restrictions on foreign owned vessels in order
to protect Vietnam's domestic shipping industry.
