Delivering a keynote speech, Deputy Minister Hung emphasized that the takeover of Hon Dau and Long Chau lighthouses in 1955 marked a foundational milestone in Vietnam’s maritime safety history. Just five days later, Vietnamese pilots successfully guided two French ships into Hai Phong Port—an early demonstration of the sector’s vital role in safeguarding maritime routes.

As Vietnam continues implementing its Marine Economic Development Strategy and Government Resolution 57 on innovation, science, and digital transformation, the maritime safety sector must pioneer reform efforts, the Deputy Minister stated.

“These directives are guiding principles to enhance national productivity, quality, and competitiveness”, he said. “The maritime safety sector must take the lead in innovation, requiring every officer and employee to be creative, bold in thinking, and courageous in action”.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Viet Hung announces the establishment of the Vietnam Maritime Safety Corporation during the 70th anniversary ceremony of Maritime Safety Day in Hai Phong.

One of the key announcements at the ceremony was the merger of the Northern and Southern Maritime Safety Corporations into a unified Vietnam Maritime Safety Corporation. Deputy Minister Hung called this a “turning point”, reflecting a spirit of reform and streamlined management while opening opportunities for broader technology adoption.

He urged the newly formed corporation to modernize its technical infrastructure, synchronize maritime support systems, and upgrade safety services onto digital platforms. Emphasis was placed on fully digitalizing operations, leveraging data and artificial intelligence, and developing an intelligent monitoring and management system. “The sector must restructure to improve efficiency and apply digital governance models at scale”, he added.

In addition to technological advancement, the Deputy Minister stressed the importance of developing a highly qualified workforce. He called for training programs to build teams of engineers and experts with strong technological capabilities, global perspectives, and professional working styles to meet rising sector demands.