On March 30, 2026, the Vietnam Maritime and Inland Waterways Administration (VIMAWA) urged the Vietnamese Ministry of Construction to collaborate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) to facilitate safe passage for Vietnamese vessels and crews through the Strait of Hormuz. This call arises amid escalating security concerns in the region, prompting VIMAWA to emphasize the need for enhanced coordination to ensure maritime safety.
Currently, 19 Vietnamese-owned vessels are operating in the Middle East, with four flying the Vietnamese flag and 15 registered under foreign flags. In response to growing risks, VIMAWA requested Iran to prioritize the safe transit of these vessels. The proposed prioritization includes giving the highest importance to Vietnamese-flagged ships transporting goods directly between the Middle East and Vietnam. Following this, foreign-flagged vessels owned by Vietnamese firms with local crews would receive the second tier of priority, while foreign-flagged vessels operated by Vietnamese companies with non-Vietnamese crews would be third in line.
VIMAWA also suggested that Iranian authorities allow the passage of Vietnamese ships transporting crude oil and petroleum products, reinforcing energy security for Vietnam. They proposed securing an official notice from Iran to facilitate the transit of Vietnamese vessels, which would be crucial for obtaining war-risk insurance from insurers often reluctant to provide coverage without formal confirmation from Iranian officials.
To bolster safety measures, VIMAWA recommended that the Ministry of Construction instruct the MoFA to direct Vietnamese diplomatic missions in the Middle East to actively monitor the situation, offer timely updates, and provide necessary support for Vietnamese vessels and crews during emergencies. This recommendation follows a recent meeting that VIMAWA held with the Consular Department and representatives from various Middle Eastern embassies, as well as Vietnamese shipping enterprises. During this meeting, businesses expressed the need for state agencies to engage Iranian authorities for favorable safety terms for Vietnamese vessels and seafarers operating in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
Through these efforts, Vietnam aims to ensure the safety and security of its maritime operations in a critical region while maintaining stable energy supplies.
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