Solutions to promote trade flow across Cai Mep-Thi Vai port cluster

	Seminar on the topic: "Customs and enterprises collaborate to promote the flow of import and export goods through the Cai Mep - Thi Vai port complex"
	Increasing resilience for Cai Mep - Thi Vai port cluster

Deputy Director of Customs Control and Supervision Department, Dao Duy Tam speaks at the workshop. Photo: Chau Long

Modernize customs inspection and supervision equipment

The number of containers moving across Cai Mep-Thi Vai port cluster is huge, of which more than 80% of container is transported to destination ports in HCM City, Dong Nai, Binh Duong; transit goods are mainly transported by waterway to Cambodia across the border gate in An Giang.

In the context that the whole Customs industry makes efforts to reform and modernize Customs processes, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Customs Department has been equipped with many advanced technical devices to supervise imports and exports such as: mobile container scanners, mobile baggage scanners, positioning seal systems, radiation detection system.

Cai Mep container port cluster includes 6 seaports, the total length of container ports in the Cai Mep - Thi Vai area is about 5,470 m, an average of about 600m per terminal. Except for TCTT and CMIT ports that are being jointly exploited (after being approved by the General Department of Vietnam Customs to open the hard fence under Official Dispatch No. 2062/TCHQ-GSQL dated April 28, 2023 of the General Department of Vietnam Customs), the remaining container terminals operate independently with 12 separate entry and exit gates for customs inspection and supervision.

Thus, the port is divided and narrow while the need for high capacity mother ships to dock the port increases, leading to obstacle that each port only can receive one mother ship while the remaining ports cannot receive ships (because they are not destination ports), which will cause waste and prolong time for other ships and barges to process goods at the port.

The arrangement of many entrance and exit gates also make customs control face difficult because there need more human resources, machinery and equipment for customs inspection and supervision such as: container scanners, surveillance cameras, electronic barriers, electronic scales,... causing waste and ineffectiveness.

Regarding policy mechanisms, because the ports in the Cai Mep area operate independently, each port is granted a different port code for shipping lines to declare electronic cargo manifest information (e-manifest) when ships arrive. At the same time, each port code is a different goods location code for the customs declarant to declare the goods storage location code information on the customs declaration and for the port operator to confirm the exit and entry goods information.

In order for the Cai Mep - Thi Vai port cluster to develop into an international transshipment port, in addition to optimizing seaport development planning, transportation, modernization in the management and operation of ports and the development of maritime logistics services..., the customs administrative reform plays a very important role, including the supplement and amendment for regulations related to the transportation of goods subject to customs supervision between ports in port clusters managed by the same customs branch in a simpler and more convenient manner.

Many solutions are needed to promote the trade flow across Cai Mep - Thi Vai port cluster.

Solutions provided by the Customs

In order to promote the potential and existing advantages of the Cai Mep - Thi Vai deep-water port area, Conclusion Notice 03/TB-VPCP of the Government Office stipulates that “The Ministry of Finance presides and coordinates with the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Planning and Investment, People's Committee of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province and relevant agencies to develop mechanisms and policies to pilot “open port” at the container port cluster in Cai Mep area…”.

During the review and research process, the Ministry of Finance (General Department of Vietnam Customs) realized that the concept of "open port" has not been regulated in the Maritime Code, Customs Law and other legal documents. To create favorable conditions for the development of the Cai Mep - Thi Vai area to become an international transshipment port in the region and the world, it is necessary to implement effective reforms in many areas including: seaport development planning, transportation, modernization, digitalization, automation in port management and operations, development of maritime logistics services, customs procedures, tax and fee policies...

Accordingly, in addition to the functions and tasks of the Ministry of Finance, there are also many contents related to the functions and tasks of many ministries and branches, such as: Ministries of Transport, Industry and Trade, Investment Planning... Therefore, the General Department of Vietnam Customs (Ministry of Finance) has drafted a Proposal to report to the Prime Minister with the direction of assigning the Ministry of Transport to preside over and conduct a comprehensive study on the “open port” policy and propose appropriate management mechanism.

Currently, based on the content of the draft Circular, which has received opinions from ministries, branches, People's Committee of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province and related port businesses, the General Department of Vietnam Customs will study and revise provisions in Circular No. 38/2015/TT-BTC dated March 25, 2015, Circular No. 39/2018/TT-BTC dated April 20, 2018 of the Ministry of Finance for consistency in managing and supervising import- export, transit and transshipped goods among ports in the same port cluster at all seaports across the country.

The General Department of Customs researches solutions on using the same port code for container ports in the Cai Mep port cluster area. Accordingly, instead of each container port having an independent code, with the plan to issue a single common port code for all container ports in the Cai Mep port cluster area when ships arrive or leave the port, the Customs declarant only needs to declare the destination port code or loading port under the issued code.

With the synchronous implementation of solutions on reforming policy mechanisms and promoting the effective application of information technology and investment in machinery and equipment, along with the coordination of relevant ministries and branches, the direction of the Provincial People's Committee and the coordination of departments and agencies in Ba Ria - Vung Tau province, the General Department of Vietnam Customs believes that the Cai Mep - Thi Vai port cluster has the potential to become the largest international transshipment port in the country and reaching out to Asia and the Pacific region.