HẢI PHÒNG — A bulk carrier with the capacity of 65,000 deadweight tonnage (DWT), the largest ever built by a Vietnamese company, has completed sea trials and is ready to start operations from the northern port city of Hải Phòng.

The carrier was built by the Nam Triệu Shipbuilding company, a subsidiary of the Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (SBIC), and handed over to the Đông Bắc Shipbuilding Industry JSC on Thursday.

The two companies also signed a contract to build two additional carriers with the same 65,000 DWT capacity.

The carrier was officially launched on May 11 and underwent sea trials on December 4.

It has an overall length of nearly 200 metres, a width of 32.26 metres and a gross tonnage (GT) of 35,823.

It was designed as a joint venture between Vietnam Shipbuilding Engineering JSC (VISEC) and Bluetech Finland Ltd, with many modern and advanced features comparable to similar vessels worldwide.

The carrier has been classified by the ClassNK, a Japanese ship classification society, as being able to operate in all international waters and meeting the requirements of all ports worldwide. The classification organisation is dedicated to cleaner and safer seas across the world.

The agreement to build two more vessels will provide employment and improved incomes for local people. The building of the 65,000 DWT carrier series supports the Party and the State’s strategy for developing Việt Nam’s maritime economy. — VNS