Norwegian Chargé d'Affaires Skutlaberg (third, right) is introducing marine farming technology equipment, manufactured in Việt Nam by the Norwegian company ScaleAQ, to Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Võ Văn Hưng at VIETFISH in HCM City on Wednesday. — Photos courtesy of the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Việt Nam

HCM CITY — The Norway Pavilion was officially opened on Wednesday morning at the Việt Nam Fisheries International Exhibition (VIETFISH) in HCM City, bringing together 11 leading Norwegian companies and organisations to showcase technologies, expertise and solutions for a more productive, healthy and sustainable seafood industry.

Organised by the Việt Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), the 27th edition of VIETFISH takes place from Wednesday to Friday at the Sài Gòn Exhibition and Convention Centre in HCM City, featuring 568 booths, up 8 per cent from last year, while the number of participating businesses has risen 16 per cent.

The pavilion marks the first national Norway Pavilion at VIETFISH and represents the largest-ever Norwegian participation at the exhibition, reflecting the growing depth and breadth of cooperation between Norway and Việt Nam in fisheries, aquaculture and sustainable seafood production.

The opening ceremony brought together representatives from the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Việt Nam, Innovation Norway Việt Nam, VASEP, relevant Vietnamese authorities, as well as industry partners and companies from across the seafood sector.

The event highlights the longstanding cooperation between Norway and Việt Nam in fisheries and aquaculture, while also pointing towards new opportunities for collaboration in technology, innovation and development of sustainable ocean economy.

The opening ceremony of VIETFISH 2026 in HCM City on Wednesday.

Chargé d’Affaires a.i., Royal Norwegian Embassy in Việt Nam, Erlend Skutlaberg said the event takes place as Norway and Việt Nam celebrate 55 years of diplomatic relations (1971–2026).

As coastal nations and among the world’s leading seafood exporters, the two countries share many common interests and priorities when it comes to sustainable aquaculture, seafood value chains and ocean-based industries.

Over the decades, fisheries, aquaculture and the sustainable use of ocean resources have been natural areas for cooperation and have become important pillars of our bilateral partnership.

Through the Green Strategic Partnership, Norway and Việt Nam have committed to strengthening cooperation on green growth, sustainable food systems and the ocean economy.

By bringing together Norwegian companies and organisations from across the seafood sector, the Pavilion not only showcases expertise, technologies and solutions but also creates new opportunities for partnerships, knowledge exchange and value creation in Việt Nam’s seafood industry.

Commercial Counsellor, Director of Innovation Norway, Việt Nam, Morten Langsholdt said the strong Norwegian presence reflects the breadth of expertise and innovation across the seafood sector, from genetics and fish health to feed, digitalisation, automation, processing and marine raw materials.

“Our companies will showcase practical solutions that improve fish health, reduce antibiotic use, enhance efficiency and traceability, and turn seafood by-products into higher-valuable marine ingredients.”

While diverse, these solutions share a common goal: making the seafood industry more productive, resilient and sustainable, while creating greater value throughout the value chain. — VNS