Vietnam - Former Vietnam Maritime Administration director Duong Chi Dung arrested

VietNamNet Bridge – After over three months being hunted, Duong Chi Dung, former director of the Vietnam Maritime Administration, was arrested on September 4.

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Dung was appointed as General Director of the Vietnam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines) in August 2005 and later became chairman of its board of management. In July 2011, when the corporation was re-structured into a one-member State company limited, he was re-appointed chairman of the management board.

In early February 2012, he was appointed head of the Vietnam Maritime Administration by Transport Minister Dinh La Thang.

On May 18, the Investigation Police Agency issued a prosecution against Dung and the order to arrest Dung for four months. On May 19, the agency issued a special warrant for Dung. In late June, an international wanted notice against Dung was released.

According to investigators, on June 27, 2007, Dung approved the project to construct the shipyard with a total investment of VND3.85 trillion, including a bidder package to install a floating dock.  The approval was made when Vinalines had yet to receive an approval from the Prime Minister.

On July 17, 2008, Dung continued to approve the report submitted by Vinalines CEO Mai Van Phuc to increase the total investment to VND6.48 trillion.

Earlier in October 2007, Dung green-lighted a plan to buy the 83M floating dock at $14.13 million.

However, in February 14, 2008, Dung gave the proposal made by Tran Huu Chieu, Vinalines deputy CEO, to adjust the floating dock purchase. Consequently, the real expense for the dock, which now has yet to meet requirements to be licensed, rose to as high as $24.3 million.

Inspection authorities said Dung’s wrongdoings breached the Prime Minister’s decision, and the laws on bidding and investment.

The total money Vinalines spent on buying, transporting, and repairing the floating dock, plus bank interests and other expenses, is around VND480 billion, or $23.04 million. The floating dock has been sitting dormant over the last four years, causing huge waste, inspectors said.

Vinalines chiefs approved the purchase without the approval from the Ministry of Transport and the Prime Minister. Meanwhile, as the floating dock was purchased while Vinalines had yet to receive land from Ba Ria – Vung Tau provincial authorities to build its shipyard, the company had to waste another VND100 billion in hiring a place to dock it and pay bank interests.

Dung also acted against government regulations when he gave a go-ahead for the purchase of the floating dock that was built in 1965 and exceeded the maximum age of equipment to be licensed.

Police had previously arrested Mai Van Phuc, former Vinalines CEO, and Tran Huu Chieu, former Vinalines deputy CEO, for similar purported economic wrongdoings at Vinalines.

Compiled by T. Ha

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