Cooperation in maritime the between Vietnam and Belgium boosted

At their working session on March 31 as part of the ongoing state visit to Vietnam by Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde,  Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Xuan Sang  and Flemish Minister for Brussels Affairs and Media Cieltje Van Achter,  discussed measures for  enhancing bilateral cooperation between Vietnam and Belgium.

At the session, Deputy Minister Nguyen Xuan Sang affirmed that the Vietnamese government highly values and seeks to deepen and expand cooperation with Belgium in a practical and effective manner.

Over the years, Belgium has remained one of Vietnam’s leading trade partners within the European Union (EU), while Vietnam has emerged as Belgium’s largest trade partner in ASEAN, with total bilateral trade in 2024 exceeding $5 billion, according to the deputy minister.

Regarding the potential for maritime cooperation between the two countries, Deputy Minister Nguyen Xuan Sang emphasized that the rapid development of Vietnam’s seaports will provide more opportunities for further collaboration between the two countries.

With a GDP growth rate target raised to at lease  8 per cent for 2025, while looking to target double-digit growth from 2026, Vietnam must continue adjusting its planning to meet development demands. In order to reach this target, Vietnam is focusing on planning and developing many port terminals across the country.

Therefore, Deputy Minister Nguyen Xuan Sang proposed that Government of the Flemish  Region continue supporting Vietnam through information and technical expertise sharing, and technology transfer in the fields of construction and maintenance of maritime and inland waterway infrastructure.

He also underscored the importance of strengthening connections between seaports in the Flemish Region and Vietnam’s deep-water ports to enhance their roles as regional transshipment hubs. At the same time, Vietnam aims to accelerate digital transformation and integrate advanced technologies to optimize energy efficiency, paving the way for green ports and sustainable maritime-waterway transport corridors.

Ms. Cieltje Van Achter, for her part, reaffirmed that seaports play a crucial role in both nations' economies, serving not only as economic connectors but also as pioneers in promoting digitization and multimodal transport development.

Belgium is currently focused on advancing sustainable transportation by implementing eco-friendly logistics solutions and adopting green energy in freight transport, aiming for a safe, efficient, and sustainable logistics system, according to the Flemish Minister.

In recent years, under the framework of cooperation between the Belgian government and Vietnam’s Ministry of Transport (now the Vietnam’s Ministry of Construction), many Belgium’s corporations have actively invested in and supported Vietnam’s infrastructure and logistics development. In the coming times, Belgium will further expand maritime cooperation, leveraging the strengths of both nations to drive mutual growth.

On this occasion, Vietnam’s Maritime and Waterway Administration (VIMAWA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Flanders Chancellery and Foreign Office to promote bilateral cooperation activities in the maritime sector.

This agreement not only serves as a catalyst for bilateral collaboration in maritime and inland waterways but also contributes to socio-economic development, maximizing Vietnam’s potential while capitalizing on the advantages of Belgium’s Flemish Region.