Saigon Shipbuilding Industry Company (SSIC) Monday handed over an 11,000-DWT cargo vessel, the largest ever built by the firm, to Taiwan-based Franbo Lines Corporation.

Ho Chi Minh City is scheduled to welcome 3,250 European tourists from two five-star international cruise ships - the Costa Classica and the Costa Allegra--on March 22 and 23.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau province border guards have asked the provincial authorities to fine a Malaysian ship that discharging waste from oil drilling rigs into waters near the southern port and resort town.

The Ha Long Shipbuilding Company, under the Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Group (Vinashin), handed over a 53,000-tonne vessel to the Orange Ocean Company of Germany on March 22.

In the morning March 17, the Diamond Princess cruise (Bermuda national), docked SP-PSA (Tan Thanh district), carrying 2,660 foreign tourists who come from America (1,038 people), England (738 people), China (295 people), Hong Kong (210 people), Australia (111 people)… and 1,057 cruiser team.

Vietnam’s Danang Port Company Limited and Singapore’s Cruise Centre Pte Ltd will establish a joint-venture company to develop an international tourist wharf to receive cruise ships at Danang’s Tien Sa Port, a local partner said.

The 5th International Exhibition on Shipbuilding, Marine Technology and Transportation – Vietship 2010, is expected to witness the signing of a number of contracts totally worth US$300 million. The three-day event which kicked off yesterday at the National Convention Centre in Ha Noi has attracted 600 stalls from 300 companies with two-thirds from developed shipbuilding countries such as Japan, China, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway including Kwong Soon, Lloyds Register, Ned Deck, Simexco and Hempel.

On March 17th, Saigontourists welcomed Columbus cruise ship with 750 tourists and crews, mainly German, to Vietnam on the route of Haiphong - Hanoi - Halong - Nha Trang.

The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has announced it will set up a steering committee to study and report on issues related to the sea and islands surrounding the city. It will also be tasked with developing and carrying out sea and island projects.

Seventeen maritime equipment companies from the Netherlands will participate in Vietship 2010 which takes place from 17 - 19 March in Hanoi, announced the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherland on March 10.