PM proposes reviewing Vinalines’ case
(VOV) -The Prime Minister has asked the Chief Judge of the Supreme Court to deal with a proposal from State-run shipping corporation Vinalines in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
In a recent document sent to the Government Office, Vinaline said the ruling made by the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC) on December 28 was unlawful, violating the Law on Arbitration and causing serious damage to Vinalines’ legitimate rights.
Earlier, in another document sent to the Prime Minister and relevant ministries, Vinalines expressed a desire for early consideration from the Hanoi Court to cancel VIAC decision.
In its ruling early this year, the VIAC declared that Vinalines had to pay US$3 million for a lot of 544 piles of the International Van Phong transhipment port project contracted by a Korean investor before the project was stopped at the request of the Government.
However, Vinalines insisted import price of this lot is about VND50 billion. If calculating the value of 244 piles after verification, they are priced at only VND22 billion not VND115 billion as the contractor estimated and the arbitrator recognized.
The actual amount is equivalent to 25% compared to more than VND87 billion the corporation had advanced to the contractor, it said.
The corporation affirmed that the VIAC ruling forcing it to pay the contractor the above amount when the project has not yet been finalized without payment records is contrary to Vietnam’s legal regulations.
A Vinalines representative on August 2 said that the court has yet to announce a specific schedule to consider this case while a VIAC source said the case is expected to be put for trial right this month.