Number of vessels in Vietnam 2023, by flag of registration

In 2023, Vietnam had a shipping fleet consisting of 972 national flag vessels and 189 foreign flag vessels. The country had one of the highest numbers of national flag vessels in the Asia Pacific region that year and was among the 35 largest shipowners worldwide. 

Vietnam’s growing shipbuilding sector

With a strategic location and a skilled low-cost labor force, Vietnam has heavily invested in its shipbuilding sector in recent years. Shipbuilding is among the main priority sectors for development, according to the government. While the state-owned Shipbuilding Industry Corporation has been a major player in this sector for years, there had recently been an increasing number of private and FDI enterprises. The country has a growing capacity of ships built, with a gross tonnage reaching over 372.5 thousand in 2021.

Maritime in Vietnam

Vietnam has an extensive coastline with many seaports located from the North to the South. Compared to its Southeast Asian neighbors, it had one of the highest numbers of international ports in the region. The port of Ho Chi Minh City in the South handles the largest share of cargo throughput in the country, being one of the leading container ports by cargo capacity in Asia. Water transport has been of critical importance for international trade in Vietnam, considering its export-based economy.