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.