High–Speed North–South Passenger Ships & Vietnam’s Coastal Cruise Economy
Linking History – Technology – Maritime Economy – Vietnam Waterways®
INTRODUCTION: Vietnam – A Maritime Nation That Has Yet to Master Its Own Seas
Vietnam stretches along 3,600 km of coastline, longer than the entire North–South railway. This is a natural highway gifted by geography—no land clearance, no compensation costs, no viaducts, no tunnels.
Yet for decades, Vietnam has had:
• no national-scale North–South passenger sea route,
• no ocean cruise industry worthy of a maritime civilization.
Meanwhile, the Vietnam Maritime Strategy 2030–2045 aims to:
“Transform the maritime economy into a cornerstone of national development.”
To achieve this, Vietnam must build an integrated maritime mobility system—centered first on high-speed North–South passenger ships and a Vietnamese-owned cruise industry branded Vietnam Waterways®.
1. HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS – “NATIONAL WATERWAYS” & THREE ICONIC SHIPS
Vietnam’s maritime dreams are not new. A century ago, Vietnamese entrepreneurs already pioneered coastal and river transport.
(1) Việt Đăng – The Birth of Vietnamese Water Transport (1920s–1930s)
Connecting the Red River and Day River, Việt Đăng was a fully Vietnamese-run commercial waterway operation—early evidence of local mastery of internal water transport.
(2) Bình Chuẩn (1919) – The Declaration of Maritime Independence
Commissioned by Bạch Thái Bưởi in Hải Phòng and operated on the Hải Phòng – Sài Gòn – Battambang – Singapore route, Bình Chuẩn was:
• the first modern Vietnamese steamship,
• a symbol of technological independence under French rule.
Bình Chuẩn is the ancestral spirit of Vietnam Waterways® in the 21st century.
(3) Sông Giang Fleet – Lifeline of the Coastal Route During War
Acting as a supply and mobility lifeline, the Sông Giang fleet maintained the North–South maritime connection under the harshest conditions.
➡️ Việt Đăng → Bình Chuẩn → Sông Giang
Together form the “historic triangle” that legitimizes today’s revival of Vietnam’s passenger maritime transport.
2. WHY VIETNAM NEEDS HIGH–SPEED NORTH–SOUTH PASSENGER SHIPS NOW
(A) A market gap untouched for 50 years
Today, Vietnam relies on:
• planes (expensive during peak season),
• railways (slow, outdated),
• coaches (unsafe, overcrowded).
But we lack what Japan, Korea, Indonesia, and the Philippines adopted since the 1960s:
➡️ A national coastal passenger transport system.
(B) The sea is a natural highway
No land acquisition.
No tunneling.
Minimal environmental disruption.
Just good ships + good ports + good operations.
(C) Catamaran technology has matured
• 60–70 km/h cruising
• Excellent stability
• 20–30% fuel savings
• Superior performance in rough seas
Vietnamese shipyards already build 40–60m catamarans—our technological gap has nearly closed.
3. A 24-HOUR NORTH–SOUTH JOURNEY: A TRANSPORT REVOLUTION
With 60 km/h cruising along 1,425 km:
➡️ Hanoi → Ho Chi Minh City in just 24 hours.
Faster than trains.
Safer than highway coaches.
More affordable than flights.
Market potential:
• 24–26 sailings/day
• 2,000 passengers/ship
• 13–15.6 million passengers annually
A completely new national transport market will emerge.
4. A PORT–SHIP–SERVICE ECOSYSTEM: LOW INVESTMENT, MASSIVE RETURN
Total investment required: USD 3–4 billion, including:
• Fleet: USD 1–2 billion
• Passenger ports: ~USD 1 billion
• Shipbuilding & maintenance infrastructure: ~USD 1 billion
Compared with the USD 67 billion for high-speed rail, this model is:
• Dramatically more feasible
• Deployable within 3–5 years
• Far less prone to cost overruns
• A driver of jobs across 28 coastal provinces
• A catalyst for shipbuilding, marine services, logistics & local tourism
5. TWIN DEVELOPMENT APPROACH: HIGH–SPEED SHIPS & SLOW CRUISING
Two complementary wings of a single national ambition
(A) High–speed ships – The mass mobility engine
• Affordable
• Safe
• Climate-resilient
• Reducing pressure on roads and aviation
(B) Vietnam Waterways® Coastal Cruises – The cultural luxury sector
Slow Cruising Vietnam – 10–14 nights:
Hạ Long → Huế → Đà Nẵng → Quy Nhơn → Nha Trang → Vũng Tàu → Sài Gòn
Signature experiences:
• Coastal gastronomy
• Onboard museums & exhibitions
• Vietnam Waterways® performing arts
• ESG-focused operations
• “Salt Experience” lifestyle tourism
• Culturally curated shore excursions
With brands like:
• Emperor Cruises®
• Heritage Bình Chuẩn
• Amiral Cruises for Presidents®
• Vietnam Waterways®
LuxGroup® is shaping the first Vietnamese-built, Vietnamese-operated cruise industry—a historic milestone.
6. STRATEGIC VISION: Dr. Phạm Hà & the Modern Continuation of Bạch Thái Bưởi
“Binh Chuẩn 1919 was a symbol of self-determination.
Vietnam Waterways® 2045 will be a symbol of Vietnam’s global maritime confidence.”
LuxGroup® aims to be the national catalyst for:
• Vietnamese shipbuilding
• Vietnamese cruise operations
• The Vietnam Waterways® national brand
• Positioning Vietnam as Asia’s Cruise Nation
• Advancing ESG & Green Maritime Tourism
This is the new definition of a National Entrepreneur in the era of the blue economy.
7. CONCLUSION – A NEW CHAPTER FOR VIETNAM’S MARITIME FUTURE
High-speed North–South passenger ships
+
Vietnam Waterways® cultural coastal cruises
= A national-scale maritime ecosystem that strengthens transportation, tourism, culture, and sovereignty.
Unmatched advantages:
• Lowest infrastructure cost
• No land acquisition
• Rapid deployment
• High economic multiplier
• 50% domestic shipbuilding potential
• Coastal job creation from Hạ Long to Cà Mau
• Strengthening Vietnam’s “soft sovereignty” at sea
Above all:
This is a Vietnamese dream, built by Vietnamese hands, for a maritime future worthy of Vietnam’s 4,000-year civilization.