To prevent 'ship 67' from rusting.

(Baonghean) - It must be said that Government Decree 67 on supporting fishermen to build steel-hulled vessels for offshore fishing is a correct policy given the complex developments in the East Sea. The problem is that while we do not lack well-trained maritime experts, since the issuance of Decree 67, not a single expert has warned about the consequences of switching from traditional fishing vessels to steel-hulled ships.

A steel-hulled fishing boat from Quynh Luu docks at Lach Quen fishing port. Photo: Xuan Hoang

First, let's take an example: Farmers transitioned from plowing with oxen and traditional plows to using tractors. This was a revolution, encompassing changes in awareness, mindset, and methods, from manual to industrial operations. Without knowledge of machinery, one cannot use it. And once you know how to use it, you must also know how to repair, maintain, and preserve it. The story of fishermen transitioning from owning small boats like bamboo or wooden-hulled vessels to steel-hulled boats is also quite complex.

First of all, ships operating at sea are a special type of vessel. They serve as both a means of transport and fishing, and also as a "territory" and permanent residence for those who are attached to them – specifically, the crew and crew on board. Therefore, the materials, equipment, and amenities must be extremely durable and suitable for the marine environment (many times more so than for a normal environment)... The manufacturing technology must be the most advanced at the time of shipbuilding. No one raises the issue of "lifespan" for ships. This type of vessel is, by default, expected to last for hundreds of years.

I remember that in the mid-1980s, the former Quang Nam - Da Nang province purchased a specialized Japanese fishing vessel with a tonnage of over 1,000 tons, named "Tien Sa". The ship's history and condition were relatively new, only about fifteen years old. When it first arrived, it was as gleaming as a five-star hotel. Fortunately, at that time, there were quite a few marine engineers trained in the Soviet Union, Poland, North Korea, etc., so the ship's crew operated smoothly and professionally (only a few untrained crew members did odd jobs on the ship rather haphazardly, so after a while the ship's interior deteriorated... but the duty shifts from deck to engine were operated very professionally, like international standards...). Whenever the ship docked, rust removal and painting were immediately carried out. The ship's deck always had tons of specialized paint. The Tien Sa ship has been operating relatively effectively for several years... The above is just a brief overview of the training of personnel, both in terms of professional skills and awareness of maintaining the steel-hulled ship, which is an integral part of the lives of each sailor and crew member on board...

Regarding the incident in Binh Dinh where steel-hulled fishing vessels built for our fishermen rusted shortly after being put into use, causing distress to the fishermen... this raises the question: What advice has the General Department of Fisheries given to the State and what guidance has it provided to the people?

Maritime transport and fishing vessels always require extremely strict and rigorous maintenance and preservation procedures. According to press reports, our shipbuilding facilities are very careless and irresponsible. Meanwhile, fishermen naively assume that once they buy a ship, it should last for decades, without considering who will remove the rust, who will paint it, and that maintaining and painting steel-hulled vessels is a daily task for the crew. On average, the daily labor cost for removing rust and painting a steel-hulled vessel amounts to tens of millions of dong. Can our fishermen afford that?

And, another issue to consider is that the US, Japan, and South Korea have been replacing steel-hulled fishing vessels with new composite materials for half a century now. Have any of our fisheries experts offered any opinions on this matter?

Lawyer Tran Thuc Hoang