Mr. Vuong Tuan Nam, Head of the Customs Control and Supervision Division - Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department

Dear Sir, recently the World Customs Organization (WCO) Online Training Site has selected the textbook “Basic knowledge of containers and seal inspection techniques” of Vietnam Customs as a reference for training member customs agencies. As a lecturer and author of the textbook, could you share some of the main contents of this textbook?

Vietnam Customs' training course on basic container knowledge and seal inspection techniques marks a significant milestone as the first-ever visual, video-based training material selected by the World Customs Organization (WCO) for online publication on its training platform.

This meticulously prepared course offers valuable insights for all customs officers, especially those involved in surveillance, control, risk management, and priority identification. Covering a broad spectrum of topics, from international legal frameworks to container specifications, coding, classification, and seal inspection methods, the course is a product of extensive research and practical experience.

The course's success is attributable to the lecturers' in-depth knowledge, acquired through years of hands-on experience at seaports and expertise in information analysis and priority identification. The visual aids used in the course were meticulously prepared over several weeks, with the support of shipping companies and frontline customs officers. Some of these aids, such as binoculars, pliers, magnifying glasses, and tape measures, have been carefully preserved for years.

The script was collaboratively developed by lecturers from the Vietnam Customs College, who also provided on-set support during the filming process. Post-production, including video editing, English translation, and subtitling, took an additional month. To ensure the highest quality of translation, professional interpreters were consulted, and the translated script was reviewed by US Customs officials and WCO experts.

The above event marks the first time that Vietnam Customs has had training materials used as common training materials for Customs agencies around the world. What do you think about this honor?

The selection of this course by the WCO is a great honor for the lecturers, production team, Vietnam Customs College, and the entire customs sector. This achievement, however, is not entirely unexpected, as the course is of exceptionally high quality and there has been no similar course on the same subject matter by any other customs organization worldwide. Given its highly practical value for customs surveillance and control, the course's adoption is a testament to the outstanding efforts and perseverance of the Vietnam Customs College and the Vietnamese customs sector in contributing to the global customs knowledge base. Building on the success of this course, Vietnam Customs is confident that it will be able to develop more high-quality courses for the benefit of the international customs community in the future.

In the near future, do you plan to develop and draft a customs training curriculum for training purposes, sir?

In addition to the container course, I have also led the development of a training course on risk profiling and targeting of seaborne cargo at the Vietnam Customs College, as directed by the General Department of Customs. This course has been selected by ASEAN Customs for publication on its capacity building platform, making it a valuable resource for customs officials across the ASEAN member states.

The course is available in both Vietnamese and English versions. It is an open-source resource that is updated annually. While container security is a key component, the course also covers international transportation, risk profiling techniques, and specialized topics such as chemicals, precursors, and others. In the future, I plan to incorporate additional modules on strategic trade controls, radiation, wood identification, pharmaceuticals, waste, and intellectual property. Each module will provide both foundational and advanced knowledge to enable customs officers to enhance their capabilities in analyzing and intercepting high-risk shipments in various areas.

As one of the few officials of Vietnam Customs who have many activities to share and interact with WCO and Customs of many countries in the world, what experiences have you learned from these organizations to serve the professional work of Vietnam Customs?

For over a decade, I have been fortunate to participate in various international customs conferences and workshops as a local customs officer. Each experience has provided me with invaluable knowledge and insights that I have been eager to share with my colleagues. I have translated this knowledge into training materials, software tools, and even incorporated it into the curriculum at the Vietnam Customs College. These learnings have also been applied to various seizure cases, from wildlife trafficking to the illegal transportation of nuclear waste and radioactive materials. Additionally, I have contributed to the improvement of our operational procedures. I consider this not only my duty but also a way to express my gratitude for the opportunities provided by the Customs sector. I hope that more customs officers will have the chance to engage in international learning and contribute to the development of Vietnam customs.