Preserving historical evidence of fishing boat hulls at Hoang Sa Exhibition House

*The hull of the fishing boat DNa 90152 TS in the yard outside the Hoang Sa Exhibition House, serving the display and education of patriotism. Photo: DOAN GIA HUY*

Historical significance

Visiting Hoang Sa Exhibition House during the 78th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27, 1947 - July 27, 2025), many domestic and foreign tourists were very impressed and moved by the image of the fishing boat hull DNa 90152 TS being displayed here.

Ms. Phan Kim Thanh (a tourist from Lam Dong ) said: “The hull of the fishing boat DNa 90152 TS is an important historical evidence of the will to protect the territorial integrity and seas of Vietnam. This is a valuable historical document that needs to be preserved and protected to foster patriotism for future generations.”

According to Hoang Sa Exhibition House, the fishing boat DNa 90152 TS is a wooden boat owned by Ms. Huynh Thi Nhu Hoa, Thanh Khe ward, Da Nang city. The boat's engine capacity is 450CV, maximum load capacity is 17.66 tons.

On May 26, 2014, while fishing in the Hoang Sa waters under Vietnam's sovereignty, fishing boat DNa 90152 TS was sunk by a Chinese iron-hulled ship. The incident occurred in the context of China illegally placing the Haiyang 981 drilling rig in Vietnam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

On May 30, 2014, the fishing boat DNa 90152 TS was towed to Da Nang port by the transport ship VT 57. With this great historical significance, Ms. Huynh Thi Nhu Hoa decided to keep the status quo and donate the hull of the fishing boat DNa 90152 TS to Da Nang city.

In April 2019, this special artifact was brought to display at the outside of Hoang Sa Exhibition House to serve the display and education of patriotism and protection of sea and island sovereignty for generations of people.

However, as a traditional wooden-hulled ship that is more than 20 years old and has been displayed outdoors since 2014, this artifact cannot avoid the harsh effects of natural conditions.

On October 27, 2021, the People's Committee of Hoang Sa district assigned the Hoang Sa Exhibition House the task of protecting, managing and using the fishing boat hull artifact DNa 90152 TS.

Although the Hoang Sa District People's Committee and Hoang Sa Exhibition House have made efforts to preserve the shipwreck DNa 90152 TS every year, it still faces major challenges.

Because this is a traditional wooden-hulled ship that is more than 20 years old and since 2014 the artifact has been displayed outdoors, without a roof. The nature of fishing boats is to operate underwater, but after being sunk and salvaged, the hull was brought up for display on land, without appropriate protection, causing the artifact to be directly and continuously affected by harsh natural elements.

Need specialized preservation solutions

After being assigned by the city to protect, manage and use the vessel, Hoang Sa Exhibition House has proactively carried out the work of preserving and periodically repairing the hull of the fishing boat DNa 90152 TS.

For rusty equipment and bolts on the ship's hull, the unit has applied anti-rust paint. Over the years, Hoang Sa Exhibition House has regularly restored, repaired, and preserved ship parts...

Talking about the conservation of this special artifact, Mr. Le Cong Tien - Director of Hoang Sa Exhibition House said that from 2014 to 2019, this ship was kept in Tho Quang fishing port.

Before Ms. Huynh Thi Nhu Hoa bought it, this ship was decades old, so when it was brought to display outdoors without a roof, the artifact was directly and continuously exposed to harsh natural elements.

Hoang Sa Exhibition House also faces certain difficulties in conservation and management, including the challenge of preserving the integrity of artifacts.

“Because it is placed outdoors and is exposed to weather and storms, the hull must be repainted every year.

We also consider the possibility of being violated beyond natural factors. This is a special historical wooden artifact, so we cannot rule out risks and impacts from many sides. The unit has worked with security agencies, equipped a surveillance camera system, assigned guards and reminded if there is a risk from humans.

The restoration work is carried out by experts with extensive experience in handling ships and must ensure the original preservation of the artifacts," Mr. Le Cong Tien shared.

Although the hull of the fishing boat DNa 90152 TS is periodically maintained every year, due to the direct impact of sea winds and storms, the rate of corrosion and rusting occurs very quickly, requiring stronger intervention measures.

To avoid damage to the artifacts, Mr. Le Cong Tien suggested that the city needs to develop and implement a comprehensive and in-depth preservation plan, which is extremely necessary and urgent, to protect and preserve this valuable artifact for future generations.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/bao-ton-chung-tich-lich-su-vo-tau-ca-tai-nha-trung-bay-hoang-sa-3299161.html