Vietnam Shipbuilding Executives Appeal Against Jail Sentences
Vinashin Shipbuilding Industry Corp. ex-officials in appeal against sentences for losses to the state budget of VND910 billion (US$43.5-million). Shipbuilding giant Vinashin, a state-owned company founded in 1996, came to the verge of bankruptcy in 2009 after accumulating an enormous debt of over $4.11 billion. The government later introduced reforms to get the embattled shipbuilder back on track. The Supreme People’s Court opened the hearing to consider the appeals of eight out of the nine defendants who had been sentenced by the Hai Phong city people’s Court in March for “intentionally violating the State’s economic management regulations, which causes serious consequences”. Among the eight is Pham Thanh Binh, former Vinashin chairman, 59, who has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
$630M Investment to Boost Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry
Vietnam National Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (Vinashin) plans to invest $630 million in a variety of projects to produce components and materials for the industry, in an attempt to improve the local content ratio from 25 percent to 65 percent of components used in the country’s shipbuilding industry, according to a Vietnam Shipping Times report. Under the plan Vinashin will produce rolled steel to build the hulls of ships, manufacture 300-30,000 horsepower diesel engines, steering systems and ship cranes. Locally-made steel will account for 25.6 percent of total steel in ships constructed in Vietnam, while the local content ratio of engines will amount to 23.2 percent, and that of steering systems, 6.3 percent, according to the report.
