VietNamNet Bridge – Although Vietnamese buyers have shown little interest in the Yet Kieu submarine, a Vietnamese-designed submarine, Malaysia has ordered four subs to serve tourists.

Phan Boi Tran, the inventor of Yet Kieu submarine, who is well known in Vietnam as the descendant of Phan Boi Chau, a strong-willed patriotic scholar, has confirmed that he has signed a contract to export four Yet Kieu submarines to Malaysia.

The first version of Yet Kieu, the one-manned sub, was launched by Tran some years ago, which drew special attention from the public because it was the first sub made by Vietnamese.

Tran said the subs to Malaysia are next-generation subs with some improvements in comparison with the first-generation ones.

With the first-generation model, a person had to enter the sub from its belly, while now the entry is from the cover. The sub has also been re-designed to have a larger cabin, enough for two people.

Changes have been made to the glass door and periscope as well, while the diving and under-water operation capability have been improved considerably. The subs are painted yellow.

Tran said he and his associates are making a mother ship which can contain four mini subs. The mother ship can carry four mini subs from harbors to tourist points, where they serve tourists’ excursions.

When the excursion tours end, the mini subs are tugged to certain positions, from which they would be placed into the mother ship, Tran explained.

Tran declined to give the images of the Yet Kieu submarines, saying that he is following necessary procedures to make registration for intellectual property rights for the combination of mother ship and mini subs.

Before signing the contract with the Malaysian travel firm, Tran tried to introduce Yet Kieu subs to Vietnamese travel firms, saying that the subs could be good products for marine tours.

“However, the travel firms, on one hand, showed their great interest in the idea of organizing tours with subs, but on the other hand, had many reasons to be hesitant,” Tran said.

In Malaysia, coral reefs for tourist services have been protected well. Meanwhile, Vietnam still does not have tours for coral reefs or preservation efforts to maintain coral reefs.

As a result, submarines operating under water would collide with above-water ships.

“There have been no legal documents that show the necessary procedures to have mini tourist submarines registered at the Vietnam Register. So it is really very difficult to develop tours with subs here in Vietnam,” Tran said.

“We are missing great opportunities to develop tourism,” he complained, adding that the great potential of the wonderful beaches such as Nha Trang, Mui Ne and Cu Lao Cham have not been fully exploited.

Since domestic firms are indifferent to the Vietnamese scientist, Tran has to sell his subs abroad, though he anticipates there will be a high risk that his technology will be copied.

Dat Viet