The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) and Port of Zeebrugge have recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in order to set up a Vietnamese tra fish distribution centre within the EU.

The move is part of a cooperation agreement between the Vietnamese and Belgian governments which aims to boost Vietnam’s exports to EU.

Zeebrugge Port will give easier access to Le Havre port in France and Hamburg in Germany, and will also serve as a gateway to the rest of the Euorpean market. 

As part of the MoU, a direct sea rout from Vietnam to Zeebrugge Port would be set up next year, which will shorten the transport time and cost for Vietnamese exporters.

With electronic auctions at the port, Vietnamese seafood exporters would no longer have to offer their products at unreasonably low prices or attempt to undercut each other by working individually with importers.

According to VASEP, Vietnam’s tra fish exports are tending to fall as demand is on the decrease. The country made tra fish export revenues of USD1.42 billion during the first ten months of this year, down 1.9% from last year.