“The idea of starting a shipbuilding business came from my trips to the sea and rivers of my hometown”, said James Boat chairman Nguyen Kim Son, an overseas Vietnamese who has lived in the Czech Republic for over 30 years.
Geographically, with a long coastline and an exclusive economic zone of more than 1 million km2 in the East Sea, Vietnam has favorable conditions for developing the shipbuilding industry.
This advantage has prompted Son to pursue his ambition of entering the shipbuilding industry.
After several trips to Vietnam, Son started to learn about shipbuilding technology. During this time he learned about shipbuilding technology using a new material from the Czech Republic. However, the Czech Republic is a land-locked country so the technology had no potential for development.
Geographically, with a long coastline and an exclusive economic zone of more than 1 million km2 in the East Sea, Vietnam has favorable conditions for developing the shipbuilding industry.
This advantage has prompted Son to pursue his ambition of entering the shipbuilding industry.
After several trips to Vietnam, Son started to learn about shipbuilding technology. During this time he learned about shipbuilding technology using a new material from the Czech Republic. However, the Czech Republic is a land-locked country so the technology had no potential for development.
 Advanced CNC water jet cutting machines at James Boat’s workshop. Photo: Cong Dat  Assembling parts of a ship. Photo: Cong Dat  Completing the crew room. Photo: Cong Dat  Cleaning the composite ship frames. Photo: Cong Dat  The ship’s hull and details are all made of composite. Photo: Cong Dat  The hull and external details are made from composite. Photo: Cong Dat MS 50S high speed boats built for cho the Border Guard Command. Photo: Files  A high-speed surveillance boat, MAS 50S, manufactured from PPC material is used by the Vietnamese Boarder Guard. Photo: Files |
“I decided to transfer the Polypropylene carbonate (PPC) technology to Vietnam”, Son said about the important decision-making moment.
To better understand this technology, Son visited Germany, Italy, Poland and Croatia before bringing the new technology to Vietnam. In 2013, James Boat Technology was officially established.
Son said the PPC material is a breakthrough in the materials industry that has been used by European countries because of its good elasticity, high impact resistance and energy efficiency.
In operation, the boats are easy to clean with sponges and high-pressure washers. PPC is 100% recyclable so the PPC boats do not harm the environment.
After 5 years in operation, James Boat Technology Joint Stock Company sold over 52 high-speed MS-50 boats to the High Command of the Coast Guard and Border Guard Command, 10 fire and rescue boats to the Fire Prevention, Fighting and Rescue Police Department of the Ministry of Public Security. It also provided working boats and rescue boats to the Military Institute of Ship Design, river-crossing boats to the Engineering Institute of the Vietnam People's Army Engineers, floating pontons to the Da Nang and Quang Ninh waterway police, floating harbors for landing seaplanes to Hai Au Aviation Joint Stock Company and passenger ships to Vingroup.
According to Son, the company’s boats and passenger ships are in compliance with EU quality standards.
Recently, James Boat Technology and Vari JSC (Czech Republic) have signed a contract to build and export PPC boats to the EU. James Boat Technology has also signed a contract with Remia Plast Company (Republic of Croatia) to transfer the technology of using vacuum composite material in shipbuilding.
James Boat Technology and KD Work Boats Co., Ltd. (Netherlands) in April signed a strategic cooperation and technology transfer under which the company will export boats built in Vietnam in compliance with EU standards to the Netherlands and other European countries.
Story: Thao Vy - Photos: Tran Cong Dat
