Weathering Hardship to Spur Industrial Growth

Ms Bui Thi Dung, Director of the Department of Industry and Trade of Ba Ria - Vung Tau said that in 2014, the industrial production value in the province (excluding oil and gas) reached over VND180 trillion, up 6.73 percent compared with 2013. Among those, 19 out of 21 main industrial products increased, such as gas (up 3.87 percent), processed seafood (up 8.68 percent), vegetable oil (up 10.74 percent), ceramic tiles (up 21.76 percent), steel (up 5.8 percent), electricity (up 7.28 percent), liquefied petroleum gas LPG (up 11.5 percent), Polyvinyl clorua PVC (up 15.18 percent), shoes of various kinds (up 59.29 percent), cement (up 34.3 percent), fibre (up 33.08 percent), ready-made garments (up 31.3 percent), beer (up 29,21 percent), steel billet (up 26.11 percent), and leather (up 24.46 percent). Particularly 2014 also recorded a significant recovery of the industrial sector, especially manufacturing industries.

Besides, exports turnover (excluding oil and gas) reached US$2,764.88 million, up 37.47 percent compared to 2013. The industrial products are mainly exported to markets in Asia (70 percent); following are Europe (4.7 percent), Americas (6.2 percent), Australia (2.15 percent), and Africa (2 percent).

 

Entering 2015, the Industry and Trade sector of Ba Ria - Vung Tau has gradually developed products with high technological content and added value. Export good production, supporting industries and agro - forestry - fishery processing industry in the province have also received due attention for development. Specifically, the campaign "Vietnamese people use Vietnamese goods" and the programme "Bringing Vietnamese goods to rural areas" continue to be deployed, contributing to improving the purchasing power in the country and facilitating the production, especially in the area of consumer goods production. Leaders of Industry and Trade often direct surveys to grasp the difficulties and problems of production of business enterprises of the industrial sector to timely solve difficulties and stabilize production. At the same time, the Industry and Trade sector also has activities supporting in connecting and providing information on industrial product market for businesses such as establishing the list of sources of available industrial products in the locality to be published in its website, making brochures, and DVDs introducing Ba Ria - Vung Tau and its main industrial products, organising galas and conferences between businesses in the locality and foreign investors, thereby creating opportunity for businesses to meet and exchange products, as well as discuss current needs to expand product markets. On the other hand, increased production capacity of Ba Ria - Vung Tau through two channels (production expansion and new investment projects in the province) is also being implemented very effectively.

 

Thanks to the tireless efforts of the provincial Industry and Trade sector and of the business community, in the first 4 months of 2015, the value of industrial production in the province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau (excluding oil and gas) is estimated at VND66,548 billion, reaching 34.47 percent of the plan and increasing 6.43 percent over the same period last year. Ms Dung stressed: "With the present strong development momentum, I believe the industry sector of Ba Ria - Vung Tau will fulfil the targets set for 2015 and reach a growth rate higher than in 2014."

 

Along with other major industries, the shipbuilding industry in the province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau is flourishing, delivering more and more new high-value ships. This is one of the key industrial sectors contributing to increasing export value of the province in the past year.

 

Dong Xuyen Industrial Zone, located next to the Dinh River and convenient for marine transportation, is filled in the earliest time among 14 industrial parks of Ba Ria - Vung Tau and has many businesses operating in the shipbuilding sector such as Strategic Marine Co., Ltd., Vard Vung Tau Co.,Ltd, Saigon Maritime Engineering Co., Ltd, and Viet - Czech Technology JSC. These companies are focusing on improving the quality of products as well as diversifying species of boats and ships to be repaired and newly built. New ships include ships providing oil services, yachts, cargo ships and patrol boats. Typical is Viet - Czech Technology JSC which cooperates with Jame Boat Shipbuilding Company in Europe in the design and manufacture of boats and yachts. Vard Vung Tau Co.,Ltd can build dedicated and modern ships to meet the requirements of oil services (main engine capacity of 7,680 kw). Strategic Marine Co., Ltd is specialized in building high-speed aluminum vessels. Most shipbuilders in Dong Xuyen Industrial Zone operate relatively stably with high business performance (turnover in 2014 of about US$206 million), which shows the abundant potential of this industry.

 

On 27 November 2013, the Prime Minister issued Decision 2290/QD-TTg approving the master plan on the development of Vietnam's shipbuilding industry till 2020 with orientation towards 2030. With the available advantages of sea ports as well as marine transport, Dong Xuyen Industrial Zone is defined within the shipbuilding planning area associated with supporting industry development to take full advantage of the processing capacity of the production lines of tubes, coating, casting, forging and lines repairing diesel engine and plants for shipbuilding and mechanical tools of military units and businesses linked to the development of supporting industries.

 

The event that Dong Xuyen Industrial Zone is selected to be in the planning region associated with the development of supporting industry (shipbuilding industry), in addition to the plan to newly build boats for fishermen of the Government, has created favourable conditions for the shipbuilding industry in the province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau to increase its competitiveness and thrive in the future to be able to build many kinds of modern vessels with large capacity and high quality, thereby effectively meeting the diverse needs of customers and creating key export products. Hopefully thanks to the investment in ship building and repairing factories in Ba Ria - Vung Tau in general and in Dong Xuyen Industrial Zone in particular, in the near future, shipbuilding industry will develop in accordance with its potential and advantages of the province and provide a foundation for supporting industry to develop in accordance with the economic restructuring plan that Ba Ria - Vung Tau has set.