According to Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defence, the delegation is led by Colonel Lai Hong Dong, deputy director of the Vietnam Naval Academy. During the trip, the Vietnamese delegation will conduct courtesy visits and exchange activities with the Royal Thai Navy and the Royal Cambodian Navy.

The voyage is expected to strengthen friendship, mutual understanding and defence cooperation between Vietnam and regional ASEAN navies, while promoting naval diplomacy and maritime collaboration.

Officers and crew aboard the sailing vessel will participate in a series of diplomatic and cultural activities, including official meetings with naval commanders, ship tours for foreign officers and sailors, onboard receptions, sports exchanges and friendly interactions.

Alongside diplomatic activities, the voyage also serves as a practical offshore training programme for final-year cadets of the Vietnam Naval Academy.

Cadets will receive hands-on experience in navigation, command coordination, ship operation and emergency response during extended operations at sea. The training is designed to improve leadership skills and enhance the ability to manage modern naval equipment in real maritime conditions.

The trip also reaffirms the role of sailing ship 286 - Le Quy Don in the Naval Academy’s training programme, while helping promote the image of the VPN and Vietnam to international friends.

Sailing Ship 286-Le Quy Don on way to Singapore for friendly visit

Sailing Ship 286-Le Quy Don of the Vietnam Naval Academy left the Nha Trang military port in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa on October 4, beginning its journey to Singapore for a friendly visit marking the 50th anniversary of the countries’ diplomatic relations (1973-2023) and 10th anniversary of their strategic partnership (2013-2023).