A "push" for the North Central Coast logistics chain

Barriers to be removed

Over the years, the seaport system in many localities, such as Quang Ninh and Hai Phong seaports, has been associated with the northern key economic region; The seaports of Thua Thien-Hue, Da Nang, Dung Quat, and Quy Nhon are associated with the central key economic region; City seaport. Ho Chi Minh City, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, and Dong Nai are associated with the key economic region of the South... In particular, many provinces have a port system that can meet international sea transport capacity such as Hai Phong has 50 berths. ports, Ba Ria - Vung Tau has 45 ports and Ho Chi Minh City has 43 wharves…

However, the North Central region from Thanh Hoa to Thua Thien - Hue, all of them have a long coastline with a system of rivers flowing from West to East, and there are only about 10 general ports. Notably, in some provinces in this region, despite being invested, upgraded, and expanded, the attraction of large ships, including container ships, can only be counted on one finger.

In addition, the investment planning to upgrade and expand the seaport system of these provinces has not been paid attention in a timely and synchronous manner, which also makes it impossible to attract large international ships. Along with that, the policies on both micro and macro marine economic development of each North Central region have shifted slowly and are not clear, making international-scale shipping capacity through ports face many challenges. hard.

These are also barriers that have made the North Central region for a long time, despite the attention of central ministries and branches, promulgating many local-specific economic development policies, but the growth chart is still slow, even lagging behind provinces in the South and the Northern Delta.

The race to attract container ships

Three years ago, in order to attract container ships to dock at Vung Ang port, Ha Tinh People's Committee submitted to the Provincial People's Council a resolution on preferential policies and support for shipping lines licensed to operate container shipping business according to regulations. loading and unloading goods at Vung Ang port by route with a minimum frequency of 2 port visits per month, supported by VND 200,000,000/turn in and out of the port. As for businesses, organizations, and individuals that have goods transported by container through Vung Ang port, they will be supported VND 700,000/container (for a 20-foot container), VND 1,000,000/container (for a 40-foot container) feet or more).

In Thanh Hoa province, from 2019 to now, the locality has applied a policy to support container ships to dock at Nghi Son Port with many resolutions. Most recently, on July 13, 2022, the People's Council of Thanh Hoa province passed Resolution No. 248/NQ-HDND increasing the support level to 500 million VND/trip, an increase of 300 million VND/trip compared to the support policy of Resolution 166/2022/HDND.

In Thua Thien - Hue, on September 7, 2022, the People's Council of this province also issued Resolution No. 18/2022/NQ-HDND piloting a number of policies to support shipping lines to open container shipping routes and other partners. The object has goods transported by container to and from Chan May port. Thereby, container carriers at the port with a minimum frequency of 2 trips/month are supported by 210 million VND/trip; Enterprises, organizations, and individuals importing and exporting container goods to and from the port are supported from VND 800,000 to VND 1.1 million/container.

Meanwhile, in Nghe An, the mechanism to attract container ships through Cua Lo port up to now is only in the form of a draft document and the level of support has not been able to spend as many resources to create a breakthrough as other provinces vicinity…

Many experts believe that, in order to continue to attract container ships and contribute to promoting the logistics chain in the North Central region, in addition to the above-mentioned preferential policies, it is necessary to improve the capacity of logistics enterprises and the quality of services. In addition, it is necessary to strengthen linkages between logistics enterprises and between logistics enterprises and enterprises using logistics services. Because the connectivity of businesses in the North Central region is still weak. In addition, logistics businesses need to expand markets, diversify types of services, develop value-added services, and strive to cut costs in logistics activities...