Vietnamese mini-submarines shipped to Malaysia

Prototype of the mini-submarine 

Phan Boi Tran, the man behind the submarines, said that all of the materials are made in Vietnam except the engines. The submarines were designed to travel at low speeds and shallow depths. Each machine costs only USD2,000-3,000. If the first contract goes smoothly, the Malaysian partner may increase their order by 50.

Phan Boi Tran has worked at submarine and helicopter shell manufacturers in France. He returned to Vietnam in 2006 to open his own design company to manufacture electric bicycles, toys and submarines. Tran said that he faced a lot of difficulty in trying to find applications for his ideas in Vietnam.

At one point Tran had to stop his research activities due to a lack of funding. Because he could find no domestic firms willing to purchase his products, he was compelled to search in foreign markets. "Really, I would like to see these technologies used in Vietnam. But the fact is that I need to make money in order to continue my work," said Tran.

Currently, there is no legal regulation over the sales of submarines for export. If there are no laws made before Tran can fulfill his contract, he plans on exporting the moulds. This would mean that, technically, the submarines would have been made in Malaysia and would add no notoriety to Vietnam's technological reputation.

Tran had something to say about the system in Vietnam compared to the one he experienced abroad. According to him, European countries have organisations that have been established specifically to aid innovators and start-up companies with potential.

Meanwhile, Vietnam does not have inspection or accreditation agencies for technologies such as submarines, and the cost of inviting foreign inspection teams to Vietnam is prohibitive. "These procedures are easier in other countries. This is the reason I chose a Malaysian partner," Tran said.

Tran Ky Hinh, head of Vietnam Register, said that since the mini-submarines would not be used for commuting purposes, they will not be considered a vehicle and do not need to be registered. Hinh added that the responsibility of issuing verifications may belong to the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of National Defense.