How foreign-used submersibles are restricted in terms of age when registered in Vietnam?

How foreign-used submersibles are restricted in terms of age when registered in Vietnam?

Based on Article 7 of Decree No. 171/2016/ND-CP as amended by Clause 3, Clause 4 of Article 1 of Decree No. 86/2020/ND-CP regulating the age limits for ships registered in Vietnam as follows:

1. Age limits for foreign-flagged used ships, submarines, submersibles, floating storage units and mobile offshore drilling units, when they are registered in Vietnam, are provided for as follows:

a) Maximum age of passenger ships, submarines and submersibles: 10 years;

b) Maximum age of other ships, floating storage units and mobile offshore drilling units:  15 years;

c) special cases, the age of chemical tankers, liquefied gas carriers, oil tankers or floating storage units shall be decided by Minister of Transport but not exceed 20 years.  

2. Age limits prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article shall not apply to foreign-flagged ships which are under the ownership of foreign entities and sold at auction in Vietnam under decisions on enforcement of competent agencies.

3. Age limits prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article shall not apply to Vietnamese-flagged ships which are under the ownership of Vietnamese entities and have been deregistered for sailing under the Vietnamese flag in order to carry out the registration for sailing under foreign flags under the bareboat charter method.

4. A ship which has been deregistered from Vietnam National Ships Registration Book for registering for inland waterway ship bearing VR-SB notation may be re-registered in Vietnam National Ships Registration Book in the form of indefinite-term registration of ship or registration of small-sized ship if it meets the age limit prescribed in Clause 1 Article  7 of this Decree.

Based on Article 13 of the Vietnam Maritime Code 2015, sea-going ship is defined as follows:

Ship refers to floating movable means specially designed for operations at sea.

Ship referred to in this Code shall not include military ships, official duty ships, fishing ships, inland watercraft, submarines, submersibles, hydroplanes, floating warehouses, movable platforms and floating docks.

Therefore, foreign submersibles have an age limit of not more than 10 years, and submersibles have no exception and do not apply the age limit as prescribed for sea-going ships in Clauses 2 and 3 above.

How foreign-used submersibles are restricted in terms of age when registered in Vietnam? (Image from the Internet)

What are regulations for submersibles in Vietnam? 

Based on Article 17 of Decree No. 171/2016/ND-CP regulating the regulations on registration of public service ship, submarine, submersible, floating production storage and offloading unit, and mobile offshore drilling unit as follows:

1. Registration of public service ship, submarine, submersible, floating production storage and offloading unit, or mobile offshore drilling unit refers to the recording of information about the public service ship, submarine, submersible, floating production storage and offloading unit, or mobile offshore drilling unit in the Vietnam National Ships Registration Book for archive and grant of certificate of registry.

2. 01 original of the Certificate of registry of public service ship, submarine, submersible, floating production storage and offloading unit, or mobile offshore drilling unit, made according to the Form No. 06 stated in the Appendix enclosed herewith, shall be granted.

Best Regards!