Vietnam Energy Mission visits UK to explore offshore wind industry

Vietnam Energy Mission visits UK to explore offshore wind industry

A Vietnamese delegation has paid a visit to the United Kingdom from June 16 – 23 to share experience on and exploring partnership opportunities in development and supply chain for the offshore wind industry.

The visit was organised by the British Embassy in Hanoi and the British Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City. The delegation featured 12 representatives from the Electricity Authority under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam Electricity (EVN), and PetroVietnam Technical Services Corporation (PTSC). The delegation had a five-day working programme in London and the cities of Hull and Grimsby in the Humber region to exchange experience, explore cooperation opportunities, and connect with potential partners.

This was an important part of promoting the bilateral partnership between the UK and Vietnam in the energy sector. During the first half of the visit, Vietnamese delegates participated in a workshop and conferences.

These activities took place in London, bringing together leading experts from the UK's private and public sectors, who presented and provided recommendations to help Vietnam complete its legal framework and develop a supply chain faster to attract foreign investment to achieve the target of 17,000MW of offshore wind (OSW) installations by 2035.

Afterwards, PTSC delegates visited Hull and Grimsby. These two cities in the Humber region, which is home to the Hornsea project cluster, are prime examples of the OSW industry in the UK. The delegates visited notable stakeholders, including the operation and maintenance company Xceco, the Siemens Gamesa blade manufacturing factory, the Grimsby Offshore Training Centre, and the Port of Grimsby.

Throughout the journey, the delegation engaged and exchanged ideas with stakeholders to gain a comprehensive understanding of infrastructure development, private investment, and long-term planning in a specialised industry like OSW. PTSC also showcased the positive developments in Vietnam to attract attention and create a foundation for collaboration with partners in the UK.

British consul general in Ho Chi Minh City Alexandra Smith, said, "The clean energy industry is the future of not only Vietnam but the whole world. The UK appreciates Vietnam's target to install 17GW of OSW by 2035 and its commitment to completing the legal framework and developing the supply chain for this sector. These commitments are sending a strong message and attracting resources from around the world."

"The UK government has always been a partner of Vietnam's energy transition. Specifically, we are promoting collaborative initiatives, such as the Just Energy Transition Partnership and the Centre of Excellence for Offshore Wind in Vietnam, that will soon deliver practical results. Commercial cooperations are also a top priority. British businesses play a crucial role in providing technology and services in the industry. I believe that partnerships, especially in the trade sector, will help accelerate project development progress, ensuring Vietnam meets its ambitious targets,” Smith said.

VIR