Provisions of Decree 30/2014/ND-CP on business conditions and shipping services (including shipping agents and harbour craft services) set many regulations for the companies who operate shipping services.
The shipping companies are required to get business licenses issued by the Vietnam Maritime Bureau. This license is in effect for 5 years and can be re-issued several times. The shipping companies licensed before the date Decree 30/2014/ND-CP is in effect (dated July 1, 2014) have a period of 5 years to apply for this license.
Before the release of Decree 30/2014/ND-CP, Decree 115/2007/ND-CP also regulates the business conditions of the shipping companies; however, it does not mention about the legal capital of the enterprises operating in this sector. Pursuant to Decree 30/2014/ND-CP, the required capital or other assets for the shipping companies who operate the shipping services overseas is VND20 billion and VND5 billion for the inland shipping companies.
For the shipping agents, give the regulations of Decree 30/2014/ND-CP, employees must be the citizens of Vietnam with a bachelor’s degree in maritime, foreign trade, commerce or economics. For the harbour craft service companies, it should be noted that the companies must have a minimum of two tugboats and professional liability insurance or equivalent guarantee.
A particular issue of Decree 30/2014/ND-CP requires the shipping businesses, shipping agency services businesses and harbour craft companies to set a legal division. The person in charge of the legal division must have a university degree in law (or equivalent) and have experience working in the legal field at least 2 years.
The foreign investors could set up a joint venture in shipping agency services and harbour craft services, but the capital cannot exceeding 49 percent of the charter capital of the joint venture.
Due to Decree 30/2014/ND-CP dated July 1 2014, the companies of shipping services and business support services before the release date are still allowed to operate normally, but within 5 years are required to fulfil the terms of this decree.
Đăng ký: VietNam News