Steel fishing vessels encourage fishermen to head to sea

Fishermen in some coastal provinces have recently been provided with loans to build steel-hulled boats. Steel shells with high load capacity not only ensure safety for fishermen at sea and help increase productivity and quality of fishing activities, but also encourage fishermen to head their vessels to traditional fishing grounds, firmly asserting and protecting Vietnam’s sovereignty over its seas and islands, according to online Nhan Dan newspaper.

In a sweltering afternoon, fishing boats of fishermen in Tam Quan Bac commune, Hoai Nhon district (Binh Dinh province), bringing loads of tuna, queued up to dock after their long offshore fishing journeys.

Wiping the sweat from his tanned face, fisherman Nguyen Van Minh, owner of BD-95270 vessel, urged his crew to unload fish for the warehouse and said: “It becomes harder nowadays for fishing activities with harsh weather, erratic rains and storms, varied catches and uncertain prices. I'm very glad to hear that the State has offered loans to fishermen to build steel shells. Steel-hulled ships are more durable and safer for long voyages, and surely productivity will be much higher thanks to the application of new technologies.”

Vietnam possesses huge marine advantages, with a coastline of over 3,000 km and an exclusive economic zone of over one million square kilometres, yet offshore fishing is still poorly developed and mainly operated on manpower.

Of more than 130,000 fishing boats operating across the nation, up to 99 percent of them are wood hull ships with small capacity, short sailing times, vulnerable to collisions and lacking good seafood preservation technologies. Thus, the Government’s 16 trillion VND (752 million USD) credit package pouring into the fishing industry, paving the way to replace 3,000 wood-hulled vessels with steel ones, has received positive response from the society.

This will be an important boost to shift the sector to a modern focus with high-tech applications. It is expected to support fishermen to develop production and facilitate the marine economy, as well as contributing to protecting national sovereignty over seas and islands.

Business Director Pham Binh Minh at Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (SBIC) said that in comparison with wooden-hulled ships, steel was more durable. They are styled to achieve optimum operation, allowing them to travel at higher speed while making them fuel efficient.

The hulls are divided into separate watertight compartments, allowing the ships to bring more resources, fuel and fresh water. Standard freezer chambers in the ships help preserve seafood. Steel-hulled ships are capable of withstanding winds up to Force 9 on the Beaufort scale, while wooden ships can only endure wind speeds of Force 6-7. According to calculations, the cost for a steel ship is 50-60 percent higher than but steel-hulled ships bring long-term economic benefits.

Steel hull ships have many advantages; however, fishermen still have many concerns.

Fishermen Bui Thanh Ninh in Thien Chanh 2 hamlet, (Tam Quan Bac commune) wondered: "Prior to now, we only use our traditional experiences to catch fish. Now, with steel-hulled ships and a range of new technologies, it will take time for us to get familiar with these advances. Importantly, how and where we can send steel-hulled ships for maintenance?”

In response to this, Director Le Quang Lam of Nha Trang Shipbuilding Co., Ltd said that to build a ship that matches fishermen's requirements and fishing traditions, the company regularly consulted fishermen from each step of design and construction processes for timely adjustments.

Ship owners can join and oversee the shipbuilding processes, right from the first step, to understand the basic features of the ship. In particular, fishermen can also source and order engines and other machinery for their ships, ensuring they have all necessary certification.

Then the trial run for the ship is also a training course, providing future ship owners with detailed instructions on handling techniques, fishing, and coping with and repairing simple failures.

Regarding maintenance, ships built by SBIC will be given a one-year factory warranty. All other steel fishing vessels can be sent to any plant of 18 units under the SBIC across the nation for maintenance and repair.

An offshore fishing programme launched by the Government in 1997 placed the very first foundation to encourage fishermen nationwide to go offshore fishing.

Fisherman Phan Trong Nghiep in Hoai Huong commune, Hoai Nhon district of Binh Dinh province said: “Previously, Binh Dinh fishermen mainly conducted inshore fishing. Once heading to the sea, we could only go as long as 5-10 hours. Thanks to timely support from the programme, the offshore fishing movement of Binh Dinh fishermen has been widely developed. Now, each fishing trip lasts more than 20 days, reaching as far as 120 nautical miles.”

With such experiences in deploying the programme, a range of fisheries development policies to be issued in the future demonstrate the Party and State’s attention to assisting fishermen in increasing catching yields, enhancing economic efficiency, and creating confidence for fishermen when going offshore and maintaining national maritime sovereignty.

In fact, capital for steel ship building is still large compared to the ability of most fishermen to afford them, requiring more preferential policies to support them.

Fisherman Le Ngoc Son in Quang Phu commune, Quang Trach district (Quang Binh province) said: “If the Government could exempt the value-added tax for loans from the package, it would be enough for us to invest in additional equipment for our new ships.”

In order to effectively implement the package, in addition to removing obstacles in credit mechanisms, it is necessary to apply different timely solutions to support fishermen, including building steel ships that are designed to suit each fishing purpose and fishermen's capacity.

SBIC Chairman Nguyen Ngoc Su said that SBIC has prepared 10 models of steel-hulled vessels in the most appropriate design for different fishing sectors and they are continuously improved. SBIC also plans to design various ship models to suit the customs of each region. The corporation can immediately engage in mass production of such shipbuilding models, once appropriate mechanisms are issued.

Due to a reduction in costs from design to material procurement, steel-hulled ship prices will be much lower. In addition, a number of devices such as propellers and anchor winches can be produced by units under the SBIC, helping lower the costs and raising the localisation rate of steel-hulled ship production.

Offshore fishing vessels when on journey should operate in groups and teams to support each other and raise fishing efficiency. Each locality should develop plans and allocate budgets for developing ports and logistics and widening waterways.

It is also important to encourage the building of logistical vessels supplying necessities and purchasing products from offshore fishing boats, to facilitate fishermen during long journeys.

Health ministry tightens epidemic prevention measures

The Ministry of Health has tightened epidemic prevention measures amid the threat posed by dangerous diseases such as of the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, dengue fever, hand-foot-mouth and avian influenza.

At a meeting of the Steering Committee for Epidemic Prevention and Control on July 2, Deputy Minister Nguyen Thanh Long stressed that this is a top priority of the health sector at present.

He required hospitals to review the treatment guidance for diseases and make appropriate update, while calling for the mass media’s help in spreading information on disease prevention measures.

Mentioning the risk of the spread of MERS-CoV to Vietnam, the deputy minister said as from July 1, people who enter Vietnam from Middle Eastern countries through three international airports of Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City, Noi Bai in Hanoi and Da Nang in the central city of Da Nang have been required to fill out a health declaration.

A team of the Ministry of Health on July 1 inspected international quarantine work and the implementation of health declaration for arrivals at Noi Bai Airport.

According to head of the Preventive Health Department Tran Dac Phu, 669 laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with MERS-CoV were reported to the World Health Organisation, including 209 deaths as of June 11, no case has been detected in Vietnam so far.

Phu also reported that the numbers of cases of other contagious diseases have dropped compared to the same period last year.

No infection of influenza A (H7N9) has been reported in Vietnam, but two deaths from A(H5/N1) were recorded in the southern provinces of Binh Phuoc and Dong Thap.

Meanwhile, the incidence of hand-foot-mouth disease fell 5.6 percent year on year, he noted.

Since the beginning of this year, the country counted 11,520 dengue cases in 42 cities and province nationwide, a decrease of 47.4 percent against the same time in 2013. Seven deaths were reported in Ho Chi Minh City , Binh Duong, Ca Mau, Binh Phuoc and Phu Yen.

Meanwhile, 334 viral encephalitis cases have been diagnosed so far this year in 31 cities and province, down 14.2 percent year on year.

The health ministry continues to expand vaccination campaigns, and plans to launch a new measles-Rubella vaccination drive targeting children from 1-14 years old in September.

National action plan on green growth underway

The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) has implemented a national action plan on green growth in Vietnam with the support from the UNDP in Can Tho city on July 2 as part of the Vietnam National Green Growth Strategy.

The MPI’s Department of Science, Education, Natural Resource and Environment Deputy Director Bui Quang Vu said that the ministry will monitor and adjust the national action plan in line with the green growth orientations from now till 2015.

Total funding for the Vietnam National Green Growth Strategy is estimated to reach US$30 billion. EUR5.5 million has been mobilized with EUR5 million sourced from the Belgian Government and EUR0.5 million from the Vietnamese Government.

Under the strategy, Vietnam strives to reduce greenhouse gas emission by 8-10% from now till 2020. Accordingly, the value of high-technology and green technology will make up a share of 42-45% of GDP.

Plan on coastal communication system approved

PM Nguyen Tan Dung has approved a plan on developing the coastal communication system of Viet Nam to 2020 with a direction towards 2030.

The plan is aimed to ensure the provision of information and communication services for people and vehicles at seas and on islands; facilitate the management, natural disaster prevention, search and rescue; serve maritime safety and security, protect maritime environment, national defence and security, as well as boost economic development in these regions.

Accordingly, digital technology will be applied on MF/HF/VHF bandwidths at the stations in Hai Phong and Ho Chi Minh cities.

Infrastructure ramp-ups will be carried out in other localities, includingHon Gai, Thanh Hoa, Ben Thuy, Hon La, Hue, Đa Nang, Nha Trang, Ly Son, Quy Nhon, Phu Yen, Phan Rang, Phan Thiet, Can Tho, Ca Mau, Kien Giang, where many vehicles are operating and demand for information and communication services is high.

New stations will be built in Nam Dinh, Quang Binh, Ben Tre, Tien Giang, Bac Lieu provinces, Phu Quy island and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago.

Backup information receivers will be developed in four regions, including those from Quang Ninh to Ha Tinh, Quang Binh to Quy Nhon, Phu Yen to Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan to Kien Giang.

Surveillance technologies, station-to-station management solutions, optical cables and satellite-linked networks will be used for the system.

New services on emergency information will be provided in line with the International Maritime Organization’s orientation while other services on positioning vehicles will be deployed.

Phu Quy Island has power around the clock

Phu Quy Island off the south-central province of Binh Thuan is now supplied with power around the clock instead of only 16 hours a day as the Southern Power Corporation (EVN SPC) has just commissioned two more diesel-fueled generators there.

The project to boost electricity supply for the island with a population of 27,000 was inaugurated on July 1, offering residents there better quality power at prices equal to the common levels applied nationwide.

EVN SPC has raised power capacity on the island by 5MW by spending a total of VND10 billion to install two more diesel generators, a diesel tank measuring 400 cubic meters and a diesel pipeline from Phu Quy Port to the power plant, as well as upgrading a 42-kilometer power line on the island.

On June 1, power prices on the island were set equal to national power prices instead of being 2-5 times higher as they had been since 2011, following the Government’s Decision 28/2014/QD-TTg, which applies common national power prices for all consumers in rural areas that are not connected to the national power grid.

In August 2012, Phu Quy wind power plant of PetroVietnam Power Corporation started operation with a capacity of 6MW, helping to raise electricity output on the island.

Phu Quy is home to many seafood processing firms of Binh Thuan Province, which consume a large amount of electricity. Due to high prices of power, at up to VND7,300 a kWh, nearly 20 enterprises have moved their businesses from the island to mainland Phan Thiet City or La Gi Town of the province.

Steel ship building programme comes to Quang Ngai

The Nha Trang Shipbuilding Co., Ltd under the Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (SBIC) on July 2 delivered a modern steel fishing vessel to a fisherman in the central coastal province of Quang Ngai, under a programme to enhance capacity of the nation’s fishing fleet.

The Government recently approved a VND16 trillion credit package for the fishing industry with the aim of replacing 3,000 wood-hulled vessels with steel ones.

Receiving the new 750CV ship, the owner, Phan Be from Pho Thach commune, Duc Pho district, said the ship will help him go on long offshore fishing trips in the coming time, increasing his income.

The diesel-engine ship, coded Sang Fish 01, was built at a cost of VND7.3 billion. It measures 25.21m long, 7.8m wide, and can operate non-stop for 40 days at sea. It is equipped with a radar system, a fishing detector machine and a positioning system.

Ngo Tung Lam, SBIC Deputy General Director said his company has worked with many localities across the country to build several models of steel fishing boats for fishermen to choose the type meeting their needs.

The same day, the corporation launched the building of two other vessels for Quang Ngai fishermen.

Village evacuated because of imminent landslide 

In Lai Chau Porvince, 37 households have been evacuated because of structural damage and fears of a possible landslide from an adjacent mountain.

Tam Duong District has been suffering from a high frequency of heavy rains. A crack has appeared on the mountain next to the village scaring many that their homes might be in danger. The area is predominantly H'Mong.

The crevice was discovered on June 15, and since then there have appeared several smaller crevices surrounding it. The Tam Duong District People's Committee promptly reported the case to the steering committees for flood and storm damage control in Lai Chau. All the residents of the area were warned to leave the danger zone.

Out of 37 households have been evacuated, 10 will be permanently moved to escape the risk of natural disaster at High Ngai Thau Village.

Hoang Tho Trung, Chairman of Tam Duong District People's Committee, said they will give support of up to VND30 million for each household to build new homes. They also called upon the help of volunteers and the military to speed up the move. Trung also said that the move might not be so bad, because the new settlement areas are closer to the workplaces of residents.

A primary school, still in construction is also in danger. The total investment for the school is VND4.8 billion (USD229,000). The third floor was in the process of completion.

Le Trong Quang, Vice Chairman of Lai Chau Province People's Committee, said that, due to the threat of landslide, they have already halted the construction. The local authorities had to find new location and build another school. Routes to the old construction site have now has been blocked.

Guest workers to RoK, Japan increase sharply

In the first half of 2014, the number of Vietnamese workers employed in Taiwan (China), Japan, and the Republic of Korea (RoK) increased 187%, 180% and 182%, respectively, from a year earlier.

More than 55,000 Vietnamese guest workers were sent abroad in the past six months, meeting 63.5% of this year’s set target.

According to official statistics released on July 2 by the under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) Department for Overseas Labour Management (DOLM) most of Vietnam’s major labour export markets are enjoying remarkable growth.

Since January 2014, an additional 16 businesses were licensed to operate in the labour export sector thus bringing the total number of local labour exporters to 196.

Regarding guest worker management in Saudi Arabia, MoLISA asked labour exporters, who shipped more than 200 guest workers, to send at least its one representative overseas to take care of them.

The Ministry required careful recruitment of labourers to work in Saudi Arabia where guest workers should pay due attention to laws, Muslim customs, contract conditions, and climate.

The DOLM has decided to temporarily ban four companies, namely TRACODI, SPSC, Huu Nghi Bac Giang, and HOGAMEX, from sending guest workers to Taiwan from July 1 to 31, 2014 due to their violations that have badly affected workers’ legitimate rights.

Australia, Vietnam boost crime prevention cooperation

Vietnam and Australia have inked an agreement on mutual judicial support in crime prevention, which marks a new step of development in bilateral cooperation in legal affairs.

The deal was signed during the Australia trip from July 1-7 by a delegation from the Vietnam Supreme People’s Procuracy led by Director General Nguyen Hoa Binh.

The Vietnamese official and Australian Minister of Justice Michael Keenan highlighted the signing as a demonstration of the two nations’ international commitments to making joint effort against transnational crimes

It also defines the responsibilities of each side in protecting justice as well as the legitimate rights and interests of the State, organisations and individuals, and the friendship across a variety of fields, helping foster bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.

The two sides will continue stepping up cooperation in law enforcement activities, especially in crime prevention such as drug crime and money laundering, adding that they will also work together to improve lawmakers’ capabilities,  Binh told host.

Earlier in 2009, Vietnam and Australia signed an agreement on the transfer of sentenced prisoners in 2009 and a pact on criminal extradition was signed three years later.

Technology nursery for Mekong Delta city to operate soon

Leaders from the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on July 1 worked with officials from the Republic of Korea to speed up the implementation of a technology nursery which is expected to be operational by 2015 in the city.

The construction of the US$21-million project was kickstarted in November last year at the Tra Noc industrial park with an area of 12,000 square meters.

It aims to build a research and development centre for farm produce and seafood processing and mechanical enginerering industries.

This will not only help the region promote its agriculture advantage but also support farmers to access advanced technology for high-quality products.

Managing director of the project Kim Hee Sup said the RoK will set up a Mekong Delta research institute in the country to promote exchanges between experts and students of the two sides.

Vice Chairman of the Can Tho People’s Committee Truong Quang Hoai Nam said the city welcomes and will give full legal support for Korean businesses to register for operation there.

The Ex-Youth Volunteers’ Association has strongly opposed China’s illegal placement of its Haiyang Shiyou-981 oil rig in Vietnam’s continent shelf and exclusive economic zone, expressing its deep concern about China’s wrong acts that threaten peace, stability, security and navigation and aviation freedom in the East Sea.

During a recent conference held in the northern province of Thai Nguyen, the association’s Presidium (second tenure) affirmed that China’s act gravely violates Vietnam’s sovereignty, sovereign right and jurisdiction, and at the same time infringes international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

China’s illegal acts also run counter to agreements reached between the two countries’ leaders and break the traditional friendship between the people of Vietnam and China, the association said.

The association demanded that China immediately withdraw its rig out of Vietnam’s waters and stop its violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty.

On behalf of its 500,000 members across the country, the association expressed full support for the statement issued by the 13th National Assembly in its 7th session, which vehemently condemned China’s aggressive moves.

The association also called on people throughout the country to support the Party and State’s policy and efforts in the struggle for protecting the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

It urged its chapters to work closely with other organisations to promote communication campaigns raising public awareness of the country’s sea and island sovereignty, and strictly implement the State’s guidelines on sea-based economic development in connection with national sovereignty protection.

At the beginning of May 2014, China illegally dispatched the rig as well as a large fleet of armed vessels, military ships and aircraft to Vietnam’s waters and positioned the rig at 15 degrees 29 minutes 58 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 12 minutes 06 seconds east longitude, 80 miles deep into Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

Despite Vietnam’s protest, China expanded its scale of operation and moved the rig to 15 degrees 33 minutes 36 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 34 minutes 11 seconds east longitude, 60 nautical miles deep inside Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

China’s armed vessels have aggressively and consistently fired high-power water cannons at and intentionally rammed against Vietnamese public-service and civil ships, causing damage to many boats and injuring many people on board.

Since the beginning of May, Vietnamese fishing boats have been regularly harassed by the Chinese side, 17 of which were damaged and one was sunken on May 26 while tens of fishermen were injured, according to Ha Le, Deputy Head of the Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development stated.

At a regular press conference of the Foreign Ministry on June 26, Le also said on June 23 at a location 11.5 nautical miles from the Haiyang Shiyou-981, Chinese tugboat coded Xinhai 285 trongly rammed into one side of Vietnamese fisheries surveillance ship KN-951, causing serious damage to the ship.

OVs in Bulgaria raise fund for coast guard, fisheries surveillance forces

The Vietnamese Embassy in Bulgaria and the Vietnamese Association in the country has raised funds in support of Vietnam’s coast guard and fisheries surveillance forces and fishermen who are day and night safeguarding the national sea and island sovereignty.

Speaking at the fund-raising ceremony on June 28, Ambassador Le Duc Luu said the activity reflected the patriotism and responsibility of Vietnamese people living and working in Bulgaria towards their homeland, thus creating a combined strength in the struggle for protecting the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Luu also briefed participants on latest developments in the East Sea after China illegally placed its Haiyang Shiyou-981 oil rig in Vietnam ’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone in early May.

He reiterated the consistent policy of the Vietnamese Party, State, Government and National Assembly of solving disputes at sea by peaceful means in line with international law.

More than 3,860 USD were raised during the ceremony.

On the occasion, participants also donated 2,000 USD to families that were affected by the recent flood and whirlwinds in the cities of Varna , Dobrich and Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria ’s southeast region.

More than 90 percent of Vietnamese midwives have received intermediate-level training, while 7 percent meet the minimum standards of the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), the Ministry of Health and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reported.

Vietnam has 24,000 primary-level nurses who are trained to help women give birth to babies.

The amount of midwives nationwide caters for 83 percent of the public demand.

According to statistics from the UNFPA, as many as 289,000 mothers and some 3 million newborns died in 2013 alone, mostly in 73 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America, including Vietnam.

Maternal, newborn deaths mostly in low-income nations: UN report

As many as 289,000 mothers and some 3 million newborns died in 2013 alone, mostly in 73 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America, including Vietnam.

The statistics were shown in the second edition of the State of the World’s Midwifery Report titled “ A Universal Pathway. A Woman's Right to Health”, which was released by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Ministry of Public Health in Hanoi on July 2.

The report focuses on the urgent need to improve the availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality of midwifery services. It also shows the progress and trends that have taken place since the inaugural 2011 edition, and also identifies the barriers and challenges to future progress.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Viet Tien highly valued recommendations in the report, saying that they will serve as an important reference for countries to outline relevant policies in the development of midwifery and maternity services towards 2030.

He called for stronger coordination among governments, domestic and foreign organisations, community partners and the public to improve prenatal, reproductive and infant care, adding that it is a responsibility of governments and leaders to ensure women’s rights to health care.

UNFPA chief representative in Vietnam Arthur Erken, meanwhile, made it clear that midwives can help avert maternal and newborn deaths, when they are well-trained, well-equipped, well-supported and empowered.

Produced by the UNFPA, the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and several other partners, the report was released earlier at the ICM Congress in Prague on June 3.

HCM City schools to use smart cards for tuition

In the coming school year (2014-2015), 150 schools in HCM City will collect their fees through bank transfers instead of cash, a senior official said yesterday.

Le Hoai Nam, deputy director of the municipal Education and Training Department, said that this move is part of the School Smart Card Project for which his department, the State Bank of Viet Nam's HCM City branch and the Ngoi Nha Xanh Culture Joint Stock Company have signed a co-operation agreement.

Under the project, each student will be given a card with his/her name and code numbers on it that parents will use to transfer all institutional fees including tuition for every term.

Nam said they plan to use the cards to help students access other schooling services including e-textbooks, bus services and library accesss.

Global competition seeks talented youth

CEL Consulting in partnership with Fresh Connection and the Supply Chain Finance Community is holding a Global Student Challenge, an international competition that will identify the best student talent worldwide and connect them with the corporate sector.

A cash prize of 20,000 euros and internships at major corporations are among the rewards for successful competitors.

The competition, which aims to stimulate interaction among corporations, banks and knowledge institutions, addresses the need for knowledge and product development in the area of supply chain finance.

For registration in Viet Nam or South East Asia, email to infoVN@cel-consulting.com.

Ha Noi consumers start paying power bills online

As many as 760,000 consumers living in eight districts of Ha Noi have started paying their monthly electricity bills online since July 1.

The districts are Ba Dinh, Dong Anh, Dong Da, Hai Ba Trung, Me Linh, Soc Son, Tay Ho and Thanh Xuan.

The option of paying via conventional paper bills is still available for consumers who did not want to pay bills online, said the Ha Noi Electricity Corporation (EVN Ha Noi).

To get their electricity bills, consumers can either register with EVN Ha Noi and receive it via email, or they can log on to www.evnhanoi.vn and select the link "EVN HA NOI& Khach hang" on the top left hand side.

Nguyen Minh Tam, 32, of Long Bien District, said that paying electricity bills online was a more convenient option for those who worked long hours. Tam said she and her husband often left their office at 8pm, and were never at home when the bill collector visited, she said.

"My husband had to go to the collection centre to pay the bill, which takes a lot of time and is inconvenient," she said.

EVN Ha Noi rolled out the online payment option for 130,000 consumers living in the two districts of Hoan Kiem and Cau Giay in 2013.

The company plans to expand the facility to cover more than 430,000 consumers in Dan Phuong, Gia Lam, Son Tay, Thanh Tri and Tu Liem next year.

Yamaha launches new m/c engine running on biofuel

Yamaha Motor Vietnam has launched its new motorbike engine that can save on 50% of fuel consumption and is suitable for E5 bio-fuel, which will be sold widely on the market later this year.

Called Blue Core, the new engine can fit different motorbike models of Yamaha.

Hoang Ha, marketing director of Yamaha Motor Vietnam, said the Blue Core engine will be equipped on all new scooter models that are about to enter Vietnam this month and next. The engine that the firm presented on Monday will be used for 125cc scooters first.

Previously, Yamaha said all of its motorbikes launched into Vietnam since next year will operate well with E5 gasoline.

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