Cam Ranh News

The littoral combat ship USS Coronado (LCS 4) departed Singapore Nov. 4 after completing a 14-month rotational deployment to Southeast Asia. During the deployment, the ship and crew operated with navies of 16 partner nations, participated in 11 multilateral and bilateral exercises, and made 10 strategic port visits across the region. "The rotational deployment of USS Coronado demonstrated the relevance of LCS as a platform tailor made for the dynamic and congested sea lanes, straits and archipelagos of South and Southeast Asia, providing flexible options and tactical advantages," said Rear Adm Don Gabrielson, Commander, Task Force 73. "We made tremendous strides in a challenging, forward deployed environment and the team is already applying lessons learned to future deployments in 2018.

The U.S. Navy began the 8th Annual Naval Engagement Activity (NEA) with the Vietnam People's Navy, July 5, with the arrival of USS Coronado (LCS 4) and USNS Salvor (T-ARS-52) at Cam Ranh International Port. This five-day collaboration will focus on events and skills exchanges in diving and salvage and undersea medicine. A brief at-sea phase will allow ships from both navies to practice the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES), ship handling, and medical evacuations. Subject matter expert exchanges ashore will focus on shipboard damage control, shipboard medicine, and law. NEA will also feature formal office calls, band concerts, community relations events, and team sports.

Two U.S. warships made port calls at Vietnam's strategic naval base at Cam Ranh Bay, the U.S. navy said on Tuesday, in a brief but symbolic return for U.S. combat vessels to what was a crucial logistics complex during the Vietnam War. Submarine tender USS Frank Cable and guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain made the visit on Sunday to the deep-water naval base, marking an important step in fast-growing defence ties between the two former enemies. The visit came after the full lifting of a U.S. embargo on trade in lethal arms with Vietnam in May as part of President Barack Obama's strategic "rebalance" toward Asia. At the same time, tension has been rising over rival territorial claims in the South China Sea, straining ties between Vietnam and its giant neighbour China.

Vietnam has asked Japan to provide vessels to strengthen its coastguard, a Japanese official said on Thursday, in the latest sign of growing ties among the states locked in maritime rows with China. The request emerged during talks between visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, a Japanese spokesman said. "Vietnam wants new vessels," Masato Otaka told reporters, adding that timing, methods of delivery, costs and quantity of vessels had not yet been decided. Vietnam has been modernising its military, and recently bought six advanced Kilo-class submarines from Russia. Russia and India are the main source of advanced weapons, training and intelligence cooperation.

1804 - The brig USS Syren (Siren), commanded by Lt. Charles Stewart, captures the Tripolitan brig Transfer off the coast of Tripoli, renaming it Scourge after being taken into US Navy service. 1903 - The Honduras Expedition, made up with USS Marietta, USS Olympia, USS Panther, USS Raleigh, and USS San Francisco, embark and operate in Honduran waters during a period of civil strife. 1917 - Loretta Walsh becomes the first woman Navy petty officer when sworn in as chief yeoman. 1943 - USS Herring (SS 233) sinks the German submarine U 163 off the Bay of Biscay. The sub was responsible for sinking USS Erie (PG 50) on Nov. 14, 1942. 1944 - USS Angler (SS 240) completes the evacuation of 58 U.S. citizens, including women and children, from the west coast of Panay, Philippine Islands.

The United States has seen Chinese activity around a reef China seized from the Philippines nearly four years ago that could be a precursor to more land reclamation in the disputed South China Sea, the U.S. Navy chief said on Thursday. The head of U.S. naval operations, Admiral John Richardson, expressed concern that an international court ruling expected in coming weeks on a case brought by the Philippines against China over its South China Sea claims could be a trigger for Beijing to declare an exclusion zone in the busy trade route. Richardson told Reuters the United States was weighing responses to such a move. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion in global trade passes every year.

A Japanese submarine will visit the Philippines for the first time in 15 years, along with two warships that will then sail on to Vietnam, in a show of support for nations opposed to Beijing's ambitions in the South China Sea, a person familiar with the matter said. The Japanese submarine, which is used for training, and the destroyers will arrive in the Philippines in April. The escort vessels will later sail to Vietnam's strategic Cam Ranh Bay base on the South China Sea, the source said. "It sends a message. It is important for Japan to show its presence," the person with knowledge of the plan said on Monday. He asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

The fifth of the six Kilo-class submarines that Vietnam purchased from Russia has arrived at Cam Ranh Bay, Thanh Nien news reported. The submarine, which was delivered by a Dutch-registered cargo ship, laid anchor near the Cam Ranh Port. Vietnam purchased the six submarines for $2 billion in 2009. The sixth submarine is undergoing sea trials in Russia and is expected to arrive in the middle of 2016. The fourth submarine, codenamed HQ-185 Da Nang, arrived at Cam Ranh Port back in July. The latest delivery comes amidst simmering disputes in the South China Sea, where both Vietnam and China are claimants alongside the Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Taiwan. Last year, Vietnamese officials said that the first Kilo-class submarine had begun patrolling the South China Sea.

Vietnam’s first Kilo-class submarine named 'Hanoi' has arrived at the Cam Ranh Port in Khanh Hoa Province after a six week voyage from a Russian shipyard aboard the semi-submersible carrier 'Rolldock Sea', reports VietNamNet Bridge. The Kilo-636 submarine, is the first of the six 636 Varshavyanka (kilo)-class submarines run by diesel power that Vietnam is buying from Russia to modernise its navy, to enhance its capacity to defend the country’s territorial waters. The submarines are being built at Admiralty Verfi Shipyards in St. Petersburg.

Austal announce new strategic partnerships in the Asia-Pacific region to enhance its support to the US Navy & others in the region. Following on from the strategic partnership with Singapore’s Sembawang Shipyard Pte Ltd announced in January 2013, Austal has now secured similar agreements with Unithai Shipyard and Engineering located within Thailand's main international deep-sea port of Laem Chabang, and with the Cam Ranh Shipyard in Vietnam. Austal Chief Executive Officer Andrew…

Sang, speaking to the Voice of Russia radio station ahead of a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, stressed that the port would not be a Russian military base. But he also said that Cam Ranh would be used to help develop “military co-operation” between the two former Cold War allies. Sang also said Hanoi was planning to develop the capacity to provide maintenance services to any foreign ship docking at Cam Ranh, a former Soviet naval base. Russia currently has only one foreign military base outside the former Soviet Union – in Tartus, Syria. But officials say the base is little more than a re-fuelling stop for Russian warships. Russia’s naval chief, Vice Admiral Viktor Chirkov, confirmed that Russia was in talks on obtaining naval bases in Cuba, Vietnam and in the Seychelles.

Oshima Shipbuilding contracted to build a US$ 180-million shipyard in Cam Ranh, Vietnam The southern Vietnam city of Cam Ranh is to get a new shipyard worth 3,780 billion Vietnam dong (US$180 million) with the granting of an investment licence to a Japanese firm. The project by Oshima Shipbuilding company will be conducted in two phases in the city's Thinh Dong Commune and will operate for 50 years. Khanh Hoa Province's Department of Investment and Planning said in the four years of phase one, Oshima Shipbuilding would construct the shipyard to build 12 vessels from 37,000-56,000 tons each to international standards. Phase two would increase the number of vessels from 12 to 24 annually. The project would create jobs for 3,000 skilled employees, the department said.

U.S. naval ship access into Cam Ranh Bay “is a key component of this relationship and we see a tremendous potential here for the future,” Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said during a recent visit to the dry cargo ship Richard Byrd, which is making a port call there. Panetta is the highest-ranking U.S. government official to visit Cam Ranh Bay since the Vietnam War. President Lyndon Johnson visited Cam Ranh Bay in 1966. Many considered Cam Ranh Bay “the jewel of deep, warm-water ports in Southeast Asia,” a defense official said. Protected by mountains, the bay served as a hub for U.S. military operations during the Vietnam War. Now, Vietnam is trying to develop the bay into a prosperous international commercial port.

Oshima Shipbuilding Group of Japan to construct Vietnam shipyard facility Japanese Oshima Shipbuilding Group will construct a US$180 million shipyard in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa , according to Nguyen Chien Thang, Chairman of the Khanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee. The project will occupy a total area of 304 ha of Cam Thinh Dong Commune in Cam Ranh Town . Using the latest technology, the shipyard will build 24 different types of cargo vessels with capacities between 38,000 – 56,000 DWT. Currently, Oshima cooperates with Nha Trang University in training local personnel as well as through sending apprentices to Japan.

Military Sealift Command dry cargo/ammunition ship USNS Richard E. Byrd left Cam Ranh Bay in southern Vietnam today, marking the end of a historic visit - the first by a U.S. Navy ship to the port in more than three decades. Byrd spent seven days at Cam Ranh Shipyard for routine maintenance and repairs that included underwater hull cleaning, polishing of the ship's propeller, repairing shipboard piping, and overhaul of the salt water cooling system that keeps the ship's engines cool and runs the air conditioning. Cam Ranh Bay is 180 miles north of Ho Chi Minh City, formerly called Saigon.

The world and the American maritime industry have changed dramatically since one of America's darkest hours, World War II, when United Seamen's Service was born to aid exhausted, wounded and battle-traumatized merchant seafarers in faraway places and unsafe harbors. It was 1942, 65 years ago, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the maritime unions and management recognized the need to provide havens and facilities in more than 125 worldwide locations for rest, recreation and safety for those seafarers who carried troops and war materials to ports in the war zones. Today, while war zones still dot the world, technology has changed the way shipping does business.

The world and the American maritime industry have changed dramatically since one of America's darkest hours, World War II, when United Seamen's Service was born to aid exhausted, wounded and battle-traumatized merchant seafarers in faraway places and unsafe harbors. It was 1942, 65 years ago, when President Franklin D. ports in the war zones. Today, while war zones still dot the world, technology has changed the way shipping does business. Small, run-down harbors where ships stayed in port for weeks at a time are today sprawling clean computer-run facilities where the vessels may turn around in less than a day. Nevertheless, USS services are still needed in the eight strategic locations where the mission is continued and the commitment to the fourth arm of defense remains a constant.

According to reports, Vinashin has obtained the go-ahead from central Vietnam’s Khanh Hoa province to invest in series of industrial parks and urban projects in Cam Ranh Bay. The company will invest in three industrial parks (IPs), including a Cam Ranh IP-township, the South Cam Ranh IP, and a site in northern Hon Qui. The shipbuilding group will also build a 200ha Cam Phu – Cam Linh Urban Area and an ecotourism site in Hon Qui. Vinashin will work out detailed investment plans for each project to submit to the local government. Between now and 2010, the unlisted-shipbuilder plans to build seven shipyards, six shipbuilding industrial parks and seven shipbuilding industrial complexes throughout Vietnam.

The Vietnam Shipping Corp. (VINASHIN) grew 46.5 percent last year, reporting a turnover of $ 692 million. This year, VINASHIN has lined up several large projects including construction of and upgrades to 14 shipyards, the most prominent of which are Song Hong, Ha Long, Nhat Le, and Nghi Son in the north and Dung Quat, Cam Ranh, and Da Nang in the central region. The state-owned giant plans promotions, training programs, and market expansion in Egypt, Japan, and several European countries besides forming a partnership with Japan’s Universal Corp. to manufacture ship parts. Source: Thanhnien