Seaports increase services to attract goods

Shipment of 15,000 tons of plastic pellets exported to Europe at the beginning of the new year at Long An International Port. Photo: L.T

An increase of goods through the port

In the first quarter of 2024, the output of goods through Chu Lai port (Quang Nam) reached 810 thousand tons, an increase of 10% over the same period in 2023, including 390 thousand tons of container goods and 420 thousand tons of bulk and liquid goods. The main types of imported and exported goods through the port are: automobile components, mechanical components, fruits, tapioca starch, tablets, woodchips, household goods, garments...

Assessing the market development situation in the first months of 2024, Mr. Phan Van Ky, General Director of Chu Lai International Seaport said that the port was focusing on attracting goods sources with a lot of development room in Central Highlands, Laos, Cambodia such as agricultural products (fresh fruit, tapioca starch...), minerals (iron ore, bauxite ore) exported to China, Japan, and Korea markets; At the same time, supporting customers to connect resources and provide comprehensive logistics services to optimize costs. Specifically in terms of business results, Gemadept recorded a 28% increase in net revenue, to VND 879.9 billion. Of which, revenue from port operations accounted for 83.6%, equivalent to VND 735.8 billion; The rest came from logistics and office rental activities. The company's profit after tax reached VND 319.2 billion, an increase of nearly 86% over the same period. In the coming period, Gemadept will strongly deploy investment projects in post-port infrastructure and logistics services in the Southern region, including ICDs, warehouse systems, goods gathering points and river fleets. Thereby, this company expects to strongly increase the position of Gemalink port (belonging to Cai Mep port area) as an important transshipment center in the region.

According to data from the Vietnam Maritime Administration, the volume of goods through seaports in the first 3 months of the year reached 177 million tons (excluding goods in transit without loading or unloading at the port), an increase of 3% over the same period in 2021. Of which, container goods through the seaport were 6 million TEU, an increase of 2%. Seaport areas have increased cargo volume such as: Quang Ninh increased by 11%, Quang Nam increased by 19%, Dong Nai increased by 8%...

Commenting on the development trend of Vietnam's seaports, in a recently published report, SSI Research said that the volume of goods through the port would improve this year thanks to the recovery of production activities after loosing social distancing. The growth rate was estimated to reach an average level in the first half of the year and accelerate in the second half of the year. The annual growth rate was estimated at 10-20%, higher than the annual growth rate under normal conditions. However, port companies' profit growth might vary with higher growth potential for deep-sea ports with excess capacity.

Increasing services to attract goods sources

Currently, to meet the needs of enterprises, many ports have invested in exploiting transit and transshipment goods. Ms. Ngo Thi Thanh Vy, Member of the Board of Directors, Deputy General Director of Long An International Port Management and Operation Joint Stock Company, said that in recent times, many Vietnamese and Cambodian enterprises had come to Long An international port to learn about the operation of transit goods and transshipment goods from Cambodia through Long An international port, from here continued international voyages to European and American countries, or vice versa from transit through Long An international ports to Cambodia.

“Timely grasping the integration trend, improving the entire value chain, enhancing automation of the entire operating and service process, Long An International Port has successfully operated comprehensive digital transformation systems. Accordingly, the port has been operating and providing a full range of seaport and logistics services, such as: exploiting general cargo and containers; warehousing services; international freight forwarding; water transport; customs agent; Receiving the needs of enterprises with transit goods and transshipment goods from Cambodia to Vietnam and vice versa through two advantages of connecting road and waterway traffic" - Ms. Ngo Thi Thanh Vy emphasized.

To attract goods through the port, Mr. Phan Van Ky said that currently, Chu Lai port had implemented many synchronous solutions to expand the scale of operations, improve service quality, and attract investment. Specifically, the port was accelerating the construction progress of a 50,000-ton port and 2 STS cranes, expected to be completed in early May 2024; put into operation 3 eRTG cranes with a total capacity of nearly 90 lifts/hour; Supported customers in carrying out administrative procedures on transit permits, customs procedures...; with international shipping lines to connect the Chu Lai - Northeast Asia route with the most reasonable shipping costs. At the same time, Chu Lai port would continue to review and evaluate the effectiveness of services, thereby making reasonable adjustments to improve quality at each stage; Focus on researching, building market strategies, promoting marketing, focusing on potential customer groups to increase output and source of goods, promoting for the target of goods output through the port reaching 5 million tons in 2024.

Currently, Chu Lai port has implemented many synchronous solutions to expand the scale of operations, improve service quality, and attract investment. Specifically, the port is accelerating the construction progress of a 50,000-ton port and 2 STS cranes, expected to be completed in early May 2024; put into operation 3 eRTG cranes with a total capacity of nearly 90 lifts/hour; Support customers in carrying out administrative procedures on transit permits, customs procedures...; work with international shipping lines to connect the Chu Lai - Northeast Asia route with the most reasonable shipping costs.