Vietnam Coast Guard

Origins

The Vietnam Coast Guard was first set up through President Tran Duc Luong's order No 3-L/CTN (7 April 1998), announcing the Ordinance on the Vietnam Coast Guard, which had been accepted by The Tenth National Assembly of Vietnam on 28 March 1998.

Previously, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam did not have a dedicated Coast Guard; the Navy had been used for offshore patrol and related military activity, along with the Border Patrol Directorate (Bộ Tư Lệnh Biên Phòng), which had checkpoints in estuarine and littoral areas. These bodies were equipped with small boats for short pursuit and related equipment intended for short-term security applications. All river patrol responsibility belongs to the Fluvial Police (Cục Cảnh sát giao thông đường thủy - Bureau code:C25), supervised by provincial and/or local police office (Ministry of Public Safety - Bộ Công An), and sometimes to the Vietnam Customs (Hải Quan), depending on the particular geographical responsibility (fluvial or fresh water only).

The Vietnam Coast Guard became independent from the Vietnam People's Navy on 1 March 2008. It has in-scope intelligence based on international exchange and co-operation with its ASEAN counterparts in smuggling and on-sea drug interdiction operations. As an organisation established to fight against illegal trafficking, it was keen to start with a fresh image, equipped with adequate technology and hardware, to deploy efficiently for its various specific missions. The current organisational pattern will serve as a role model for future extended projects.

Goals

Mission

In the internal waters, territorial waters, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of Vietnam, Vietnam Coast Guard have mission to patrol and control in accordance with the laws of Vietnam and international treaties concerned that, Vietnam is a contracting member (such as The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)) to protect the sovereignty, jurisdiction, protection of natural resources, prevention of environmental pollution; detect, prevent and combating acts of smuggling, piracy, armed robbery against ships, illegal transport and trafficking, transporting illegal narcotics, precursors.

Vietnam Coast Guard is responsible in co-operating with functional agencies to do the mission. If any incident happens at sea, Vietnam Coast Guard have responsibility to inform to the functional agencies and co-ordinate with foreign countries to settle the issue. Lt. General Phạm Đức Lĩnh said in The 7th Heads of Asia Coast Guard Agencies Meeting (HACGAM - 7) on July 2011: "Vietnam Coast Guard used in overlapping sea areas between Vietnam and foreign countries. Local fishermen will be better protected and assisted if necessary, and remind local fishermen not to cross into the waters of foreign countries." In October 2013 the VMP were transferred from the navy to the coast guard, apparently so as to qualify for Japanese equipment aid.

The Vietnam Coast Guard is responsible for protecting the security of Vietnam's coast line and deals with problems like:

In addition to its role, the Vietnam Coast Guard has moved their headquarters from Hai Phong to Hanoi in February 2008, due to current needs to address these tasks. Current headquarters are located at 94 Le Loi Street, Nguyen Trai ward, Ha Dong district, Ha Noi. Their training base and logistic support facilities remain in Hai Phong.

Organisational system

1. Coast Guard Command

2. Units in Coast Guard Department:

Regional Coast Guard

International co-operation

Vietnam Coast Guard and Philippine Coast Guard have signed an agreement to set up hotline in principle. In the near future, both will draft detailed regulations on co-ordination, so that when a situation at sea will settle in time.

On 14 July 2012, Japan's Minister for Foreign Affairs Kōichirō Genba and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh had a meeting in Hanoi. Japan Coast Guard is willing to help Vietnam bolster its coastal patrol capabilities, include set up such an institution and train its personnel.

Vietnam Coast Guard would be equipped with modern facilities to carry out effectively their tasks to maintain security, order and safety in the territorial waters and exclusive economic zone with the close co-operation with regional coast guards of regional countries.

That is the reason why Vietnam Coast Guard need to strengthen confidence building, mutual understanding between members, promote practical co-operation and efficiency among countries in Southeast Asia and in the world. To solve issues such as piracy, smuggling, trade fraud and transportation of persons, illegal drugs, disaster search and rescue, disaster,... Vietnam Coast Guard's in collaboration with some countries for networking exercises of information processing, situation, to forwards to exercise with soldiers on sea in some situations, such as anti-piracy, search and rescue, environmental response to incidents,...

Development

To create a breakthrough development for Vietnam Coast Guard, a contract signed between Vietnam and United States that United States Coast Guard helped train Vietnam Coast Guard from 2009. The United States Coast Guard kicked off its partnership program with the Vietnam Coast Guard under the Export Control and Related Border Security program by conducting two sessions of the Maritime Law Enforcement Boarding Officer course in Hai Phong and Phu Quoc, 12–23 October 2009. This was the first United States Coast Guard engagement with the Vietnam Coast Guard under their new partnership program. Its positive results bode well for future co-operation between the two forces. The training courses received a great deal of attention from the Vietnam Coast Guard leadership, as well as the Ministry of Defence (Vietnam), with senior representatives from MOD both attending the opening and closing ceremonies, and hosting farewell lunches and dinners. The Vietnam Coast Guard leadership's recommendations for future training will not only be very useful for planning purposes, but represent clear signals that they are eager for further co-operation. Continuing the partnership plan, the United States Coast Guard has invited one VMP officer to attend the 15-week International Maritime Officer Course starting in March 2010 at the United States Coast Guard Training Center in Yorktown, Virginia.

Besides vessels are equipped with self-building, Vietnam Coast Guard also cooperated with Damen Group to build large vessels with Netherlands's license, being built in Vietnam by Song Thu company, 189 company,... Vessels have completed such as one Offshore patrol vessel 9014, one hydrographic survey vessel 6613, four Salvage tugs 6412,...

Later on in 2008, Vietnam Coast Guard received three ocean sentry turboprop aeroplanes CASA C-212 Aviocar - Series 400 equipped with MSS 6000 systems from the Swedish Space Corporation.

Vietnamese Government has planned to invest in upgrading facilities for the force including modern ships which can operate in bad weather and stay long at sea. Furthermore, the force is also equipped with helicopters to enhance its operations at the border of continental shelf and exclusive economic zone of Vietnam to protect the territorial waters and fishermen as well. In particular, on Vietnamese sea, adjacent waters boundary waters disputes over sovereignty, there must be always the presence of Vietnam Coast Guard.

Equipment

Vietnam Coast Guard's vessels are equipped with specialised functions (almost all Vietnam Coast Guard's vessels are self-produced):

Almost Vietnam Coast Guard's vessels named CSB (abbreviated by Vietnamese words: Cảnh Sát Biển - Coast Guard).

Table of Ranks

The Coast Guard does not use naval or maritime ranks. And unlike the Vietnam People's Navy the Coast Guard does not use sleeve and cuff rank insignia for officers.