Vietnam Marine Police

Vietnam Marine Police (Cảnh sát biển Việt Nam)
Symbol of the Vietnam Marine Police
Active	2008 - Present
Country	Vietnam
Type	Coast guard
Role	Maritime law enforcement, border control, search and rescue
Part of	Vietnam People's Army
Headquarters	Hanoi, Vietnam
Colors	Blue, White, Orange
Anniversaries	August 28, 1998
Equipment	Patrol boats, Offshore vessels, Salvage tugs, Search and rescue ships, Aircraft
Decorations
Commanders
Commander	Major General Nguyen Quang Dam
Political Commissar	Major General Nguyen Van Tuong
Insignia
Racing Stripe
Emblem
Awards
Aircraft flown
Patrol	3 x CASA C-212 Aviocar - Series 400

Vietnam Marine Police (Vietnamese: Cảnh sát biển Việt Nam) is the coast guard of Vietnam. It is a branch of the Vietnam People's Army, and falls under the management of the Vietnamese Ministry of Defence. Since its creation in the late 1990s, the Vietnam Marine Police plays important role in maintaining sea security and protection of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf boundary. It has dispatched forces in waters in overlapping areas between Vietnam and foreign countries, providing protection and assistance to local fishermen when necessary. In addition, the Vietnam Marine Police perform Search and rescue duties, along with their duties of combating and preventing smuggling, piracy, and trade fraud in Vietnamese waters.

Origins

Vietnam Marine Police was prepared to build in 1998 through President of Vietnam Tran Duc Luong's order No 3-L/CTN on April 7, 1998 announced the Ordinance on the Vietnam Marine Police and it was accepted by The Tenth National Assembly of Vietnam on March 28, 1998.

In previously, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam does not have a dedicated Coast Guard, but only the Navy for offshore patrol and other military activity, or the Border Patrol Directorate (Bộ Tư Lệnh Biên Phòng), which has checkpoints at the part where the river meets the sea. They are equipped with small boats for short pursuit, and equipment that is meant for short-term security reasons. All river patrol responsibility belongs to Fluvial Police (Cục Cảnh sát giao thông đường thủy - Bureau code:C25) supervised by provincial or/and local police office (Ministry of Public Safety - Bộ Công An), and sometimes is the Vietnam Customs (Hải Quan), depending on the geographical responsibility (fluvial or fresh water only).

Vietnam Marine Police became independent from the Vietnam People’s Navy on March 1, 2008. It has in-scope intelligence of international exchange and co-operation with its ASEAN counterparts in smuggling and on-sea drug interdiction operations. As an organization keyed to fight against illegal trafficking, it would like to start with a fresh image and equipped with adequate technology and hardware, in order to deploy with efficiency for missions. They would like to present a role model for extended of its projects.

Mission

In the Internal waters, Territorial waters, Contiguous zone, Exclusive economic zone and Continental shelf of Vietnam, Vietnam Marine Police have mission to patrol and control in accordance with the laws of Vietnam and international treaties concerned that, Vietnam is a contracting member (such as The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)) to protect the sovereignty, jurisdiction, protection of natural resources, prevention of environmental pollution; detect, prevent and combating acts of smuggling, piracy, armed robbery against ships, illegal transport and trafficking, transporting illegal narcotics, precursors.

Vietnam Marine Police is responsible in cooperating with functional agencies to do the mission. If any incident happens at sea, Vietnam Marine Police have responsibility to inform to the functional agencies and coordinate with foreign countries to settle the issue. Lt. General Pham Duc Linh said in The 7th Heads of Asia Coast Guard Agencies Meeting (HACGAM - 7) on July 2011: "Vietnam Marine Police used in overlapping sea areas between Vietnam and foreign countries. Local fishermen will be better protected and assisted if necessary, and remind local fishermen not to cross into the waters of foreign countries."

The Vietnam Marine Police is responsible for protecting the security of Vietnam's coast line and deals with problems like:

• Drug smuggling
• Human trafficking
• Industrial radioactive and toxic waste dumping
• Maritime law enforcement
• Marine assistance
• Search and rescue (SAR)
• National defense - alongside the Vietnam People's Navy

In addition to its role, the Vietnam Marine Police has moved their headquarters from Hai Phong to Hanoi in February 2008, due to current needs to address these tasks. Current headquarters are located at 94 Le Loi Street, Nguyen Trai ward, Ha Dong district, Ha Noi. Their training base and logistic support facilities still remain in Hai Phong.

Establishment

Vietnam Marine Police Regions

Organizational system

1. Marine Police Department

2. Units in Marine Police Department:

• Regional Marine Police: similar with Regional Navy. In the structure of Regional Navy have fleets, flotillas and Marine police teams;
• Marine Police fleets;
• No.1 and No.2 Reconnaissance base;
• No.1,2,3, and 4 Anti-drugs, Anti-crime Task base;
• Center of Marine Police Information;
• Center of Marine Police Training.

Regional Marine Police

• 1st Regional Marine Police: manage from Ka Long River, Quang Ninh to Con Co island, Quang Tri. Based in Hai Phong;
• 2nd Regional Marine Police: manage from Con Co island, Quang Tri to Xanh islet, Binh Dinh. Based in Quang Nam;
• 3rd Regional Marine Police: manage from Xanh islet, Binh Dinh to Dinh An harbor, Tra Vinh. Based in Ba Ria-Vung Tau;
• 4th Regional Marine Police: manage from Dinh An harbor, Tra Vinh to Ha Tien, Kien Giang. Based in Ca Mau.

Ranks in Vietnam Marine Police

See also: Vietnamese military ranks and insignia

Vietnam Marine Police ranks	Translation	Insignia	Lapel
Trung tướng	Lieutenant General
Thiếu tướng	Major General
Đại tá	Senior Colonel
Thượng tá	Colonel
Trung tá	Lieutenant Colonel
Thiếu tá	Major
Đại úy	Captain
Thượng úy	Senior Lieutenant
Trung úy	Lieutenant
Thiếu úy	Sub-lieutenant

International cooperation

CASA C-212 series 400 in Vietnam Marine Police

Vietnam Marine Police and Philippine Coast Guard have signed an agreement to set up hotline in principle. In the near future, both will draft detailed regulations on coordination, so that when a situation at sea will settle in time.

On July 14, 2012, Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Koichiro Gemba and Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh had a meeting in Hanoi. Japan Coast Guard is willing to help Vietnam bolster its coastal patrol capabilities, include set up such an institution and train its personnel.

Vietnam Marine Police would be equipped with modern facilities to carry out effectively their tasks to maintain security, order and safety in the Territorial waters and Exclusive economic zone with the close cooperation with regional coast guards of regional countries.

That's the reason why Vietnam Marine Police need to strengthened confidence building, mutual understanding between members, promote practical cooperation and efficiency among countries in Southeast Asia and in the world. To solved issues such as piracy, smuggling, trade fraud and transportation of persons, illegal drugs, disaster search and rescue, disaster,... Vietnam Marine Police's in collaboration with some countries for networking exercises of information processing, situation, to forwards to exercise with soldiers on sea in some situations, such as anti-piracy, search and rescue, environmental response to incidents,...

Development

Main type of patrol vessels in Vietnam Marine Police

To create a breakthrough development for Vietnam Marine Police, a contract signed between Vietnam and United States that United States Coast Guard helped train Vietnam Marine Police from 2009. The United States Coast Guard kicked off its partnership program with the Vietnam Marine Police under the Export Control and Related Border Security program by conducting two sessions of the Maritime Law Enforcement Boarding Officer course in Hai Phong and Phu Quoc, October 12-23, 2009. This was the first United States Coast Guard engagement with the Vietnam Marine Police under their new partnership program. Its positive results bode well for future cooperation between the two forces. The training courses received a great deal of attention from the Vietnam Marine Police leadership, as well as the Ministry of Defence (Vietnam), with senior representatives from MOD both attending the opening and closing ceremonies, and hosting farewell lunches and dinners. The Vietnam Marine Police leadership's recommendations for future training will not only be very useful for planning purposes, but represent clear signals that they are eager for further cooperation. Continuing the partnership plan, the United States Coast Guard has invited one VMP officer to attend the 15-week International Maritime Officer Course starting in March 2010 at the United States Coast Guard Training Center in Yorktown, Virginia.

Besides vessels are equipped with self-building, Vietnam Marine Police also cooperated with Damen Group to build large vessels with Netherlands's license, will being built in Vietnam by Song Thu company, 189 company,... Vessels have completed such as one Offshore patrol vessel 9014, one Hydrographic Survey vessel 6613, four Salvage tugs 6412,...

Later on in 2008, Vietnam Marine Police received three ocean sentry turboprop airplanes CASA C-212 Aviocar - Series 400 equipped with MSS 6000 systems from the Swedish Space Corporation.

Vietnamese Government has planned to invest in upgrading facilities for the force including modern ships which can operate in bad weather and stay long at sea. Furthermore, the force is also equipped with helicopters to enhance its operations at the border of Continental shelf and Exclusive economic zone of Vietnam to protect the Territorial waters and fishermen as well. In particular, on Vietnamese sea, adjacent waters boundary waters disputes over sovereignty, there must be always the presence of Vietnam Marine Police.

Equipment

Vietnam Marine Police's vessels are equipped with specialized functions (almost Vietnam Marine Police's vessels are self-produced):

• To coastal patrol and protection, including vessels from 120 to 400 tons, have very high speed, armed with powerful weapons, numbered beginning with 00.., 20 .., 30 .., 40 .., 50 ..;
• To support, search and rescue, including vessels from 1.000 to 2.000 tons, numbered beginning with 600..;
• To offshore patrol and command, including vessels over 2.500 tons with helicopter on deck, numbered beginning with 800..;
• To Search and rescue, vessels have named beginning SAR or 900...

Almost Vietnam Marine Police's vessels named CSB (abbreviated by Vietnamese words: Cảnh Sát Biển - Marine Police).

Ships (40 in service)
Photo	Type	Builder	Role	Quantity	Name
	Shershen class 148 tons	Soviet Union	Patrol	4	CSB-5011, CSB-5012, CSB-5013, CSB-5014
	TT-120 120 tons	Vietnam Hong Ha company	Patrol	12	CSB 001,CSB-1011,CSB 1012, CSB 1013, CSB 1014, CSB-3001, CSB-3002, CSB-3003, CSB-3004, CSB-3005, CSB-3006, CSB-3007
	TT-200 200 tons	Vietnam Hong Ha company	Patrol	12	CSB-2001, CSB-2002, CSB-2003, CSB-2004, CSB-2005, CSB-2006, CSB-2007, CSB-2008, CSB-2010, CSB-2011, CSB-2013, CSB-2014
	TT-400 400 tons	Vietnam Hong Ha company	Patrol	4	CSB-4031, CSB-4032, CSB-4033, CSB-4034
	Offshore patrol vessel 1200 tons	Vietnam Song Thu company	Patrol/Search and rescue	2	CSB-6006, CSB-6007
	Damen Offshore patrol 2500 tons	Netherlands Damen Group Vietnam 189 company	Patrol/Search and rescue	2	CSB-8001, CSB-8002
	Damen Salvage tug 1400 tons	Netherlands Damen Group Vietnam Song Thu company	Search and rescue	4	CSB-9001, CSB-9002, CSB-9003, CSB-9004
	Damen Stan 4207 patrol vessel	Netherlands Damen Group	Search and rescue	3	SAR-411, SAR-412, SAR-413
Aircraft (3 in service)
Photo	Type	Builder	Role	Quantity	Name
	CASA C-212 Aviocar series 400	Spain	Patrol	3	8981, 8982, 8983

See also

• Vietnam People's Army
• Vietnam People's Navy
• Vietnam People's Public Security

	North: China Coast Guard	Northest: Taiwan Coast Guard
	Vietnam Marine Police	East: Philippine Coast Guard
Southwest: Cambodia Coast Guard	South: Malaysia Coast Guard

External links

• Swedish Space Corporation
• Damen Shipyards Group
• Song Thu Company
• 189 Company