On 28 June 2024, the National Assembly of Vietnam passed Resolution 139/2024/QH15 on “National Marine Spatial Planning for the period of 2021-2030, with a vision towards 2050”. The Resolution includes several main points as follows.

Regarding general viewpoints, according to the Resolution, the National Marine Spatial Planning must be a general, integrated, multi-sectorial, both dynamic and open, and steering structure; it must be the concretisation of the Party’s lines and the State’s laws on marine spatial management and use to turn Vietnam into a marine powerhouse which can get rich from the sea and ensure sustainable development, security, and safety under the Resolution of the 13^th National Party Congress, the 10-year socio-economic development Strategy between 2021 and 2030, and Resolution 36-NQ/TW dated 22 October 2018 by the 12^th Party Central Committee’s 8^th Plenum on the Strategy for sustainable development of Vietnam’s marine economy towards 2030, with a vision towards 2045; it must be also the concretisation of the General National Planning and in accordance with the National Land Use Planning.   

Regarding general objectives, the Planning is aimed at establishing a foundation for rapid and sustainable development of the marine economy, contributing to forming and developing strong marine economic sectors, creating many livelihoods for the people, ensuring national defence, security, foreign relations, international cooperation as well as national independence, sovereignty, sovereign rights, jurisdiction, and interests at sea, efficiently managing and exploiting marine resources, protecting the marine environment, preserving marine biodiversity and cultural values, and gradually transforming Vietnam into a strong and wealthy maritime nation. Grounded on those objectives, the Planning will have proper marine spatial arrangements for different sectors in a sustainable way.

To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the Planning sets out five key issues: (1). Perfecting the institutional framework and policies, developing criteria and regulations to handle issues arising in overlapping areas with contradiction in using marine space; completing policies for the development of clean, renewable energy and new marine economic sectors; (2). Developing marine infrastructures, particularly the key areas, such as seaports and routes that connect seaports with inland areas, marine telecommunications, and digital economic infrastructures; (3). Building marine and island cultural institutions; improving the cultural and social life of coastal and island residents; (4). Controlling and managing waste sources and solving hot spots of environmental pollution at sea, in coastal areas, and on islands; restoring degraded ecosystems to increase the area of marine conservation and protection; (5). Intensifying basic investigations of marine resources, environment, and islands; establishing a digitalised database on the sea and islands; strengthening marine human resources training and marine science and technology. At the same time, the Planning also sets out four breakthroughs. Firstly, Vietnam will focus on building infrastructures and logistics services associated with the development of shipbuilding industry, maritime transport, and coastal and island infrastructures. Secondly, Vietnam will develop sustainable, responsible, and creative sea and island tourism in line with the building of green, smart island cities. Thirdly, Vietnam will promote the development of a green, circular, low-carbon, and highly resilient aquaculture economy, prioritising the development of offshore aquaculture and fishing in tandem with marine conservation and marine culture preservation. Fourthly, Vietnam will facilitate the rapid and sustainable development of clean, green marine energy, prioritising the development of offshore wind electricity, ensuring national energy security, defence, and security.

In order to translate the Planning into life, the Resolution also formulates basic solutions and road map for realising national-level projects in the foreseeable future. That is an important foundation for Vietnam to better improve state management of seas and islands and boost marine economic development in the new period.

By CAO VUONG