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Goods imported and exported through SP-ITC port. Photo: Thu Hoa

Goods through the port grew by double digits

Although there have been many months of Ho Chi Minh City and southern provinces implementing pandemic prevention and control measures according to Directive 16/TC-TTg, container cargo through major seaports still maintains double-digit growth.

According to the Vietnam Maritime Administration, the volume of goods cleared at ports in the first 10 months of 2021 is estimated at nearly 20.3 million TEUs, up 12% over the same period last year. In which, export container goods are estimated at more than 6.6 million TEUs, up 11%; imported containers reached nearly 6.7 million TEUs, up 14%; domestic goods reached nearly 7 million TEUs, up 10%.

Cargo throughput through Saigon port in the first 10 months of 2021 has increased by more than 20% over the same period last year. A representative of Saigon Port said that with the current spirit of overcoming difficulties and optimistic signals, the economy of Ho Chi Minh City and the whole country will quickly recover and achieve remarkable achievements in the Asian region.

However, the growth rate of goods at major ports was also greatly affected because in the previous months, cargo through the ports had decreased significantly.

According to statistics from the Port Authority of Ho Chi Minh City, in September 2021 alone, the volume of goods through HCM City seaports decreased significantly, reaching nearly 11.3 million tons, down more than 1.3 million tons compared to the same period last year. In which, container cargo decreased by more than 23%.

In some large seaports, container cargo decreased significantly, such as: Cat Lai Port, the volume of container cargo in September 2021 decreased by more than 20%. In the first nine months of 2021, the throughput of container cargo through this port is nearly 4.3 million TEU, equivalent to 2020.

Container cargo throughput Saigon Port in September decreased by more than 8%, reaching nearly 9,300 TEUs. In general, the total output in 9 months of 2021 still recorded double-digit growth compared to the same period in 2020, reaching more than 9.2 million tons (an increase of nearly 32%), especially container cargo reached more than 116,000 TEU (up more than 15%).

According to the statistics of the port authority of Ho Chi Minh City, in the first nine months of 2021, the total volume of goods through the port area of ​​Ho Chi Minh City reached more than 127 million tons, an increase of more than 5% compared to the same period in 2020.

In which, goods passed by ships reached nearly 98.5 million tons (up 4%), goods through inland waterways reached nearly 29 million tons (up nearly 9%). For container cargo, it reached more than 5.4 million TEUs, up nearly 9% over the same period last year.

Advantages in the last months of the year

In October 2021, Ho Chi Minh City and southern provinces and cities eased social distancing, began to open many economic activities, businesses increased import and export of goods, the growth of goods through seaports began to recover. It is forecasted that in the last months of 2021, the volume of goods passing through seaports will increase compared to the third quarter of 2021.

Currently, many seaports have open policies to create favorable conditions for businesses. According to the leader of SP-ITC International Container Terminal, this port has gradually expanded its production and business activities. Accordingly, SP-ITC provides all port services with the spirit of improving service quality; receive ships that register for periodic and non-periodic docking schedules with the ship operation being planned and implemented in order to maximize the ship's productivity and reduce the mooring time.

Especially, with imported goods transported by barge from Cai Mep port to SP-ITC, it will be most convenient. Goods with the final delivery port of SP-ITC will be arranged to ships in the fastest time.

In order to facilitate production, trade and delivery at SP-ITC, this port stops requiring customers to commit to picking up goods within 3 days after goods arrive at SP-ITC port.

Similarly, as one of the leading important arterial traffic hubs of Ho Chi Minh City and the Southern region, Saigon Port is gradually recovering and speeding up its production and business progress to contribute to increasing circulation and the economic recovery of the region.

According to the representative of Saigon port, when the loosening policies have just been implemented, the demand for importing and exporting raw materials for the production and domestic consumption of enterprises has restarted. The domestic commodity market has shown positive signs of gradually recovering, meeting the demand for goods for the year-end festive season and the Lunar New Year.

Goods through seaports will increase sharply in the last months of the year.