On March 17 2015, MineARC Systems’ International Sales Manager, James Geldart and Business Development Manager for South East Asia, Kane Read were invited to join a delegation of Australian industry leaders at a luncheon at New South Wales’ Parliament House to welcome Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng.
The event was organised by Austrade to build trade relations between the two countries. The Vietnamese entourage consisted of 12 government ministers including the Minister for Planning and Investment and the Minister for Minerals and Exploration. Along with government officials, key enterprise stakeholders from industry in Vietnam were present including Petro Vietnam, Vinacomin and Vietnam Electricity.
Vietnam’s growth over the recent past indicates that in the coming five years, local demand on electrical power will outstrip Vietnam’s coal production capacity, turning what was a coal exporter a few short years ago into a net coal importer. While importation will increase, so too will their production of coal and other mineral resources. To keep up with demand, Vietnamese coal miners will have to go deeper to access viable coal seams, which will increase risk.
Vietnam’s key industry leader for coal production Vinacomin has shown a keen interest in MineARC’s range of products including CoalSAFE Refuge Chambers, Change-Over Stations for emergency evacuation, MineARC’s award-winning EnviroLAV Toilet System and Rock Bolt Cutters, all of which they can see will improve both safety and productivity in their mines.
Prior to the luncheon, His Excellency Nguyễn Tấn Dũng gave an address to the audience focusing on how education, safety and government facilitation are key pillars to Vietnam’s growth moving forward. He made specific reference to how improved trade relations between Australia and Vietnam benefit both nations and that a bi-partisan approach to policy will pave the way to a shared future prosperity.