Subsea works, underwater UXO clearance and hyperbaric operations.
SEMTEC, the subsea subsidiary of DEMINETEC Group, brings underwater inspection, marine UXO clearance and hyperbaric works expertise to the port and industrial community of Hanoi (Vietnam). Our Class II commercial divers — certified under French Decree 2011-45 (hyperbaric class B) and trained to NEDEX/EOD standards — operate on harbours, marine structures, ships' hulls and coastal areas contaminated by 20th-century conflicts.
Hanoi was the capital of North Vietnam and a primary target of U.S. air operations during the Vietnam War. Operation Rolling Thunder (1965-1968) and especially Operation Linebacker II — the 'Christmas bombings' of 18-29 December 1972 — saw B-52 strikes on Hanoi, Haiphong and surrounding industrial and transport infrastructure, leaving thousands of unexploded bombs (UXBs) in the Red River delta.
Vietnam is one of the most heavily UXO-contaminated countries in the world: an estimated 800,000 tonnes of ordnance remain in its soil. The Vietnam National Mine Action Centre (VNMAC) and provincial demining centres clear thousands of items every year, with strong partnerships from NPA, MAG, HALO Trust, the U.S. State Department (PM/WRA) and KOICA. Hotspots include Quảng Trị, Thừa Thiên-Huế and the former DMZ.
Hanoi's expansion — metro lines 2A, 3 and 5, Noi Bai airport expansion, Red River ring roads, Hoa Lac high-tech park — increasingly relies on pyrotechnic historical studies and magnetometric surveys, while offshore oil and gas projects in the Tonkin Gulf and South China Sea (Vanguard Bank) follow the same logic, aligned with IMAS standards and French Decree 2005-1325.
Pyrotechnic historical desk study (EHT) and safety study (ESP) for any harbour, river or submerged-works project around Hanoi.
Magnetometric survey of riverbanks, canals and inland water bodies in the region of Hanoi.
Technical works in any industrial facility with submerged basins, tanks or pipelines.
Class II/III diver surveys of inland infrastructure: dams, locks, intake structures.
Subsea pyrotechnic audits, owner's-engineering support and training of local crews.
In the strategic port of Hanoi, SEMTEC mobilises divers, observation ROVs and marine magnetometers to secure basins, jetties, approach channels and anchorages where 20th-century munitions still routinely lie on the seabed.
SEMTEC operates in Hanoi and across Vietnam from our French bases at La Seyne-sur-Mer (Var) and Wancourt (Pas-de-Calais), our Belgian office in Bruges and our Ukrainian site in Kyiv. Diving spread and naval logistics are mobilised on demand.
Yes. Riverbanks, canals, inland-port basins and reservoirs all fall within our remit. The region of Hanoi contains submerged sites of pyrotechnic interest linked to 20th-century conflicts.
Yes, through DEMINETEC Group. The parent company handles land areas while SEMTEC addresses submerged structures and wet zones on the same project.
Typically 5–15 working days depending on distance and logistics. For Hanoi, plan road transport of diving spread, ROV and mobile chamber.
Yes. SEMTEC holds hyperbaric class-B authorisations, MASE certification and works with a referenced hyperbaric occupational-health service.
Haiphong is a centrally governed municipality in Vietnam’s Red River Delta, located at the mouth of the Cấm River on the north-eastern coast. Its government body is the Haiphong People’s Council. The port and waterway system is connected with Hanoi by National Route 5, which leads west to Hanoi, and by a highway completed in 2015 that reduced the journey by one hour compared with the previous route. Haiphong has trading relationships with more than 40 countries and territories and is described as an economic and commercial centre of northern Vietnam.
The Port of Haiphong on the Cấm River is divided into three main docks: Hoang Dieu, the central terminal near the city centre, and Chua Ve and Dinh Vu farther downstream to the east. The port accommodates container shipping, including a container ship shown waiting to return to sea, and the Haiphong International Container Terminal 03 is identified in the city’s gallery. The Bính Bridge crosses the Cấm River and connects the city with Thủy Nguyên municipal city. The city also administers Bạch Long Vĩ, Cát Bà and the Long Châu islands in the Gulf of Tonkin. Haiphong’s international airport is Cat Bi International Airport.
The port is situated in a coastal environment at the mouth of the Cấm River, with marine exposure toward the Gulf of Tonkin. Tidal-flat ecosystems occur next to the city, and some areas have been reclaimed for agriculture or development. The port contains downstream docks and accommodates container shipping, including moored vessels waiting to return to sea. Historical military constraints also affected the harbour: the United States Navy mined Haiphong harbour on 8 May 1972, effectively sealing the port, and the mining remained in place until it was lifted. The city receives approximately 1,700 millimetres of annual rainfall, with about 90% falling from April through October.
Haiphong is connected with Hanoi by National Route 5, which leads west from the city. A new highway connecting Haiphong with Hanoi was completed in 2015 and reduced the journey by one hour compared with the previous route.
The Port of Haiphong is divided into three main docks. Hoang Dieu, also called the Central terminal, is near the city centre, while Chua Ve and Dinh Vu are located farther downstream to the east. The port accommodates container shipping.
Reference : Wikipédia — Haiphong
For any survey, inspection or subsea intervention in Hanoi, contact our teams:
Tel: +33 (0)9 52 51 00 63
Email: contact@semtec-france.com
Read also: underwater UXO clearance · commercial diving services · offshore subsea works.