Vinashin Opens Offshore Unit

Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Group (Vinashin) officially opened its new subsidiary Vinashin Offshore Industries (Vinaoffshore) in Ha Noi. Vinaoffshore will focus on manufacturing floating storage and off-loading (FSO) units, single print moorings, oil drilling vessels and other heavy equipment, said Tran Thanh Nam, Vinaoffshore director. The new entity will also use resources from Vinashin and other affiliates to sign manufacturing contracts and upgraded equipment used for marine exploitation. Vinashin CEO Pham Thanh Binh said Vinaoffshore was assigned to manufacture FSOs for an affiliate of State-owned PetroVietnam. The FSOs are designed to have a load capacity of 150,000 tonnes and handle 15,000 tonnes of oil a day. The FSO project will be Vinaoffshore’s first as it joins the country’s rapidly expanding shipbuilding industry.