30/12/2024
On 28 June 2024, at the 7th Session, the National Assembly voted and passed the Resolution No.139/2024/QH15 on the National Marine Spatial Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050. This is the first time Vietnam established the National Marine Spatial Master Plan, based on international experience but with adjustments suitable to its actual situation. The promulgated Master Plan will be an important tool to support state management of the sea according to a comprehensive approach; a framework, comprehensive, integrated, multi-sectoral, dynamic and open, leading Master Plan; concretizing the Party's policies and orientations and the State's legislations on the management, exploitation and use of marine space, especially Resolution No.36-NQ/TW dated 22 October 2018 of the 8th Session of the 12th Party Central Committee on the Strategy for sustainable development of Vietnam's marine economy to 2030, with a vision to 2045. The National Marine Spatial Master Plan allocates and arranges marine space reasonably for sectors and fields in the exploitation and use of marine space resources in a sustainable manner, harmoniously combining economic and social interests, environmental protection, national defence, security, foreign affairs and international cooperation in coastal areas, islands, archipelagos, sea and airspace under Vietnam's national sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction; minimizing conflicts in the exploitation and use of marine space.
Make Vietnam a strong and rich country based on the sea
To achieve the goal of making Vietnam a strong and rich country based on the sea as set out in Resolution No.36-NQ/TW, the National Marine Spatial Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050 provides development orientations for marine economic sectors, especially new marine economic sectors. The Master Plan sets out 5 focuses and 4 breakthroughs that are key, have great influence and create momentum for development. Specifically, 5 focuses are as follows:
The first focus is perfecting institutions and policies, developing criteria and regulations to handle problems arising in overlapping and conflicting areas in the exploitation and use of marine space. The Master Plan completes policies for the development of clean, renewable energy and new marine economy associated with the implementation of the Strategy for sustainable development of Vietnam's marine economy; promulgating guidelines and regulations on the implementation of local-level zoning of marine space.
The second focus is building marine infrastructure; focusing on key areas such as seaports and transport connecting seaports with the mainland, marine communications, digital economic infrastructure, etc.; synchronously developing roads, airways, railways, inland waterways between coastal and landlocked localities and with other countries; strongly developing marine economic sectors, especially fisheries economy associated with marine conservation and ensuring national defence, security, foreign affairs and international cooperation; maritime economy, maritime transport, construction of seaports and repair and building of new ships; marine tourism and services; strongly developing coastal and island urban systems to create strong economic logistics service centres and truly become the driving force for socio-economic development of each region; researching and assessing the overall potential and developing orientations for the exploitation and use of marine minerals and clean energy.
The third focus is building marine and island cultural institutions; organizing successfully marine cultural activities, improving the cultural and social life of coastal and island residents; organizing propaganda, raising awareness and responsibility for making a strong and rich country based on the sea according to the Strategy for sustainable development of Vietnam's marine economy, successfully and effectively organizing the Vietnam Sea and Islands Week.
The fourth focus is controlling and managing waste sources and resolving environmental pollution hotspots in the sea, coastal areas and islands; delimitating marine and coastal conservation and protection reserves, restoring degraded ecosystems to increase the area of marine conservation and protection.
The final focus is promoting baseline survey of marine and island resources and environment; establishing a digital database on the sea and islands, ensuring integration, sharing and updating; strengthening training of marine human resources, prioritizing the development of human resources in the maritime, fisheries, renewable energy, tourism, marine science and technology sectors. Along with that, strengthen scientific research and application of marine technology to serve new and potential marine economic sectors such as marine medicinal herbs, marine medicine, marine chemistry, new materials; promote the attraction of resources from economic sectors, especially the private sector and foreign-invested sector.
The Master Plan also identifies 4 breakthroughs including: (1) Focusing on building a system of infrastructure and logistics services associated with the development of shipbuilding and maritime transport sectors, multi-purpose, dual-use, synchronous, modern coastal and island infrastructure, creating a driving force to attract resources, promote sustainable development of marine economic sectors, ensure national defence, security, foreign affairs and international cooperation, meet requirements of responding to natural disasters, climate change, sea level rise and marine environmental incidents; (2) Developing sustainable, responsible, and creative marine and island tourism associated with the development of green, smart island urban areas; (3) Promoting the development of the fisheries economy in the green, circular, low-carbon, and highly resilient direction, prioritizing the development of marine aquaculture and offshore fishing, associated with marine conservation and marine culture; (4) Rapidly and sustainably developing clean, green energy from the sea, prioritizing offshore wind power development, ensuring national energy security, defence, security, research and assessment of the comprehensive potential and development of sectors of oil and gas, solid minerals, and building materials on the seabed.
Groups of key tasks of the Plan to 2030
Key tasks of the Plan to 2030
To facilitate the implementation of the Master Plan, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has drafted a Plan to implement the National Marine Spatial Master Plan and is sending it to ministries, sectors and local authorities for comments with groups of key tasks that need to be implemented, including:
Firstly, developing and perfecting institutions and policies: Review, amend the Law on Marine and Island Resources and Environment, and related legal documents to ensure consistency, improve the effectiveness and efficiency of management, exploitation and use of marine and island resources, and environmental protection; develop, implement inter-sectoral coordination mechanism on marine management and organize the implementation of the National Marine Spatial Master Plan; develop criteria and regulations for handling overlapping and conflicting areas in order of priority in the exploitation and use of marine space that have not been determined in the National Marine Spatial Master Plan; review, adjust national sectoral master plans, regional master plans, provincial master plans, master plans of special administrative-economic units, urban master plans, rural master plans and related specialized technical master plans in accordance with the National Marine Spatial Master Plan...
Making Vietnam a strong and rich country based on the sea
Secondly, developing coastal, marine and island infrastructure for the development of marine economic sectors: Accelerate the implementation of programs, projects and tasks on developing coastal, marine and island infrastructure approved by the Government and the Prime Minister through regional master plans, national sectoral master plans and other related master plans, especially the seaport system, transport system connecting seaports with the mainland, the synchronous system of roads, airways, railways, inland waterways and logistics services associated with the development of shipbuilding and maritime transport sectors; develop a multi-purpose, synchronous, modern coastal and island infrastructure system that adapts to climate change and sea level rise; implement digital transformation, perfect the database system, monitor the exploitation and use of national marine and island resources and environment; in the immediate future, focus on developing and perfecting the technical system to support state management activities on the allocation and use of sea areas and monitoring dumping at sea in a synchronous and unified manner.
Thirdly, researching and developing new marine economic sectors, in the green, low-carbon, circular direction: Build and develop national sea and island tourism destinations and routes in the green, sustainable, responsible, creative direction associated with the development of green, smart coastal and island urban areas, improve the cultural and social life of coastal and island residents, conserve and protect natural, cultural, historical and national identity values on the basis of the Tourism System Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2045 approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No.509/QĐ-TTg dated 13 June 2024; maintain, conserve and develop marine cultural centres to preserve values, promote marine historical traditions and cultural identity in parallel with developing a sea-cohesive and friendly society; continue to focus on resources and accelerate the implementation of the Scheme on developing marine aquaculture approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No.1664/QĐ-TTg dated 4 October 2021 in the green, circular, low-carbon, highly resilient direction, associated with marine conservation and marine culture, ensuring compliance with the orientation of the National Marine Spatial Master Plan...
Fourthly, conducting baseline survey of marine resources to serve the zoning of marine space use and socio-economic development: Focus on implementing the Key program on baseline survey of marine and island resources and environment to 2030 approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No.28/QĐ-TTg dated 7 January 2020 to ensure that baseline survey of marine resources and environment of 50% of Vietnam's sea area is conducted at a map scale of 1:500,000 and survey is conducted at a larger scale in some key areas; promote search and exploration to increase reserves and production of oil and gas, minerals in potential, deep water, offshore areas associated with the task of protecting national sovereignty at sea.
Fifthly, developing science, technology, human resources and international cooperation on sea and islands: Strengthen research, development of new and potential marine economic sectors (marine medicinal herbs, marine medicine, marine chemistry, new materials); build specialized and modern centres and laboratories to serve the survey, research and development of new and potential marine economic sectors (marine medicinal herbs, marine medicine, marine chemistry, new materials); research, develop the industry of recovering and storing greenhouse gases in sedimentary basins and offshore geological structures; develop and implement training programs, update and improve knowledge and professional qualifications of staff in sectors and fields related to the sea; promote negotiation and signing activities on maritime boundary delimitation between Vietnam and relevant countries; establish regional and international cooperation framework on preventing, combating and reducing ocean plastic waste according to the Proposal on “Vietnam actively prepares for and participates in the formulation of a Global Agreement on Marine Plastic Pollution”.
Sixthly, protecting environment and conserving biodiversity of the sea: Adjust and expand existing nature reserves; complete the establishment of marine reserves and protect identified resources; survey, identify and establish new conservation and protection reserves according to the Master Plan on protection and exploitation of aquatic resources for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050 approved by the Prime Minister under Decision No.389/QĐ-TTg dated 9 May 2024; delimitate marine, coastal and island conservation and protection reserves; restore coastal protection forests, mangrove forests, ecosystems, coral reefs, seagrass and other degraded ecosystems to increase the sea area for conservation and protection; promote the implementation of the National Action Plan for Management of Marine Plastic Litter by 2030 according to Decision No.1746/QĐ-TTg dated 4 December 2019 of the Prime Minister; control and manage waste sources and address environmental pollution hotspots at sea, coastal areas and islands.
Coordinate the implementation of the Master Plan synchronously, effectively
Along with other solutions, the draft Plan clearly assigns tasks and ensures coordination among ministries, sectors, and coastal local authorities to synchronously and effectively implement the National Marine Spatial Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050. In which:
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment: Preside, coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other ministries, sectors, and Central agencies in organizing the public announcement of the National Marine Spatial Master Plan in accordance with legislations in forms appropriate to the actual situation and each target group; inform, propagate, disseminate, guide, and raise awareness of organizations and individuals about the National Marine Spatial Master Plan; preside, coordinate with ministries, sectors, and coastal local authorities to develop inter-sectoral coordination mechanism; organize guidance for ministries, sectors, and local authorities to effectively implement the National Marine Spatial Master Plan; preside, coordinate with ministries, sectors, central agencies, and People's Committees of coastal provinces and centrally run cities in organizing the implementation of the National Marine Spatial Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050; propose adjustments to the National Marine Spatial Master Plan in accordance with legislations on planning...
Ministry of Planning and Investment: Preside in reviewing, synthesizing and submitting to competent authorities for consideration, arrangement and assignment of medium-term and annual public investment plans to implement programs, projects to implement the Master Plan in accordance with provisions of the Law on State Budget, Law on Public Investment; preside, coordinate with the MONRE and relevant agencies to study, submit to competent authorities for promulgation of appropriate mechanisms, policies to attract, mobilize capital sources other than public investment to effectively implement the National Marine Spatial Master Plan.
Ministry of Finance: Preside, based on the balancing capacity of the state budget, arrange regular funding to implement the Master Plan as regular expenditure from economic activities in the annual budget estimates of ministries and Central agencies, and submit to competent authorities for decision according to provisions of the Law on State Budget.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Preside, coordinate with line ministries, sectors to promote negotiation activities, promptly complete the signing of maritime boundary delimitation, international treaties and agreements on marine environmental protection, marine conservation, exploitation and use of common sea areas; preside, coordinate with line ministries and sectors in disseminating, informing and propagating to foreign countries, organizations and individuals about the National Marine Spatial Master Plan in accordance with legislations in forms appropriate to the actual situation; prepare, implement solutions to international issues arising and changing during the implementation of the National Marine Spatial Master Plan.
Ministry of Home Affairs: Preside, coordinate with line ministries, sectors to promptly complete the delimitation of administrative management boundaries for localities with sea and islands; continue to advise on perfecting the system of state management agencies for the synthesis and unification of sea and islands at the central level and in coastal local authorities to effectively implement the National Marine Spatial Master Plan.
Line ministries and ministerial-level agencies: Preside, coordinate with the MONRE to establish, adjust national sectoral master plans, technical and specialized master plans, and other related master plans to ensure consistency, synchronization with the National Marine Spatial Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050; coordinate with the MONRE in organizing the public announcement of the National Marine Spatial Master Plan in accordance with legislations in forms appropriate to the actual situation and each target group; provide information, propaganda, dissemination, training, and guidance to enhance the capacity, awareness of organizations, individuals about the National Marine Spatial Master Plan...
People's Committees of coastal provinces, centrally run cities: Preside, coordinate with the MONRE to establish, adjust provincial master plans, specialized master plans, urban master plans, rural master plans within their management scope, ensuring consistency and synchronization with the National Marine Spatial Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050; preside, coordinate with ministries, sectors and local authorities in the region to develop, implement local socio-economic development master plans and plans; organize the implementation of post-master plan programs and projects according to state management decentralization; evaluate the implementation of the Master Plan within their management scope; coordinate with the MONRE to evaluate the implementation of the National Marine Spatial Master Plan every year and 5 years according to legislations on planning, report to the Prime Minister for consideration, timely adjustment of the Master Plan to suit the actual situation, conditions...
Nguyễn Đức Toàn, Trịnh Thanh Trung
Viet Nam Agency of Seas and Islands
(Source: The article was published on the Environment Magazine by English No. IV/2024)
