Aker Yards to open Vietnam shipyard

Aker Yards to open Vietnam shipyard On the same day that Vietnam became the 150th member of the World Trade Organization, Norway's Aker Yards Thursday announced it's setting up a shipyard in the South East Asian country.
   Aker Yards will invest $16 million over three years for 70 percent of a joint venture with Singapore's Amanda Group, which will have the remaining 30 percent.
   Aker Yards Vietnam Ltd. will be located in Vung Tau and is expected to be able to build three or four vessels each year with the first ship delivered in 2009.
   'Vietnam offers a unique combination of cost efficient production, highly skilled workforce and proximity to the important and growing Asian offshore market,' Aker Yards said in a statement.
   Another Norwegian company investing in Vietnam is H'egh Autoliners, which in November entered into a long-term strategic cooperation with state-owned Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Corp. (Vinashin), for the building of at least four large Pure Car Truck Carriers.