Increasing resilience for Cai Mep - Thi Vai port cluster

Speakers discuss at the workshop. Photo: Chau Long

Many outstanding advantages

Speaking at the workshop "Customs and businesses together promote the trade flow across the Cai Mep - Thi Vai port cluster" organized by Customs Magazine in coordination with the BR-VT Transport Department and BR-VT Customs Department held on July 31, Dr. Do Thien Anh Tuan, Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management, said that according to statistics, the BR-VT seaport system has put into operation 50 projects (53 terminals) with a total wharf length of 17,181 m, total design capacity of 160 million tons/year, including 08 container terminals in operation with a total capacity of 8.37 million TEU/year. Among them, Cai Mep - Thi Vai port cluster is the main port cluster of BR-VT seaport, currently there are 24 projects in operation. Total wharf length in Cai Mep - Thi Vai area reaches 10,953 m, total design capacity is 129 million tons/year.

In recent years, the volume of goods passing through the port has increased rapidly. Previously, goods mainly went through Saigon port, now the rate of goods going through Saigon port is 60%, the remaining 40% is through Cai Mep - Thi Vai port cluster, and the trend of shifting to Cai Mep - Thi Vai port will continue to increase in the future thanks to many different objective and subjective factors.

In particular, Cai Mep - Thi Vai port has the ability to accommodate mother ships with a tonnage of up to 200,000 tons, helping significantly reduce costs. In March 2023, the Vessel OOCL Spain with a tonnage of up to 225,000 tons and carrying 24,188 TEUs, with a length of nearly 400m and a width of 61.3m, docked at Gemalink port in Cai Mep - Thi Vai. This shows Cai Mep - Thi Vai port's capacity to receive large tonnage super ships.

Thanks to the above advantages, in the 2016-2020 period, the total volume of shipping goods through the seaport system of BR-VT province in general, including mainly the Cai Mep - Thi Vai port cluster, reached an average increase of 9%/year, operation efficiency increased from 40% in 2015 to 51% in 2020, container shipping rose 27%/year, container port exploitation efficiency rose from 20% (2015) to 64% in 2020. With continuously growing cargo volume, Cai Mep - Thi Vai has entered the group of 50 seaports with the highest container exploitation output in the world since 2019.

According to statistics from the Vung Tau Maritime Port Authority, in 2022, Ba Ria - Vung Tau seaport cleared 106.7 million tons of cargo, of which container cargo was 8.34 million TEU, achieving an average growth rate of 12.16%/year for total goods and 29.63%/year for container goods. By 2023, the total volume of goods through the seaport will reach about 111.5/160 million tons, reaching 70% of capacity. Of which the volume of goods through inland waterways reached 36.5 million tons; the volume of goods through the port by ship was 75 million tons.

Dr. Do Thien Anh Tuan, Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management shares the advantages, potential as well as solutions to attract import and export goods through the Cai Mep - Thi Vai port cluster.

Taking advantage of the logistics system

On the other hand, according to experts, the BR-VT logistics industry has great potential by taking advantage of Cai Mep - Thi Vai seaport, but it also plays an important role in increasing the attractiveness of the seaport industry of BR-VT province. The mutual relationship between seaport activities and logistics is inseparable. Seaport activities are associated with the process of transportation, delivery, loading and unloading, storage of goods, etc.

According to statistics, port logistics services in BR-VT have developed rapidly over the past decade associated with the development of demand for Cai Mep - Thi Vai seaport. There are more than 22 logistics warehouse projects in operation with a total land area of ​​about 224 hectares. There are also nearly 10 other logistics projects under construction with a total area of ​​about 42 hectares.

At the same time, there are more than 152 businesses operating in the field of port logistics in BR-VT, not including agents, branches, representative offices and individuals working as solution consulting service agents, with many diverse activities such as warehousing, loading and unloading of goods, collection, transportation and distribution of goods in industrial parks of the province and in the region.

For example, Phu My 3 Logistics Center was established in 2019 with a total investment of US$5.4 million on a land area of ​​2.25 hectares, including logistics items such as general warehouse systems, frozen warehouse and cool storage, 24/7 surveillance camera system, standard fire protection system. Revenue from transportation, warehousing and transportation support services reached nearly VND70 trillion or US$ 2.9 billion. This result has contributed positively to the overall picture of Vietnam's logistics service industry.

However, BR-VT's logistics activities in general still have many limitations, is not commensurate with the potential and advantages, especially the special position of the Cai Mep - Thi Vai port cluster.

Therefore, BR-VT needs to focus on synchronous and modern investment in the Cai Mep - Thi Vai seaport system with a special international gateway port function; reviews, encourages, supports, and creates conditions for linking and merging many small ports into larger-scale ports; upgrades the smart port model, encourages investment and operation according to criterion of green port, using renewable energy, and practicing GHG emission reduction; and continues to reform in the direction of simplification.

At the same time, developing the logistics system associated with marine economic development through deep integration of seaport activities - shipping - maritime services in providing logistics services..., Mr. Do Thien Anh Tuan emphasized.