Vietnam needs more deepwater ports, says APMT

WITH four new container terminals to open in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City port area between 2011 and 2013, including Cai Mep International Terminal, CMIT's chief commercial officer has been drawing attention to the pressing need for more deepwater ports.

Malcolm Gregory told delegates at the Fourth Vietnam Container Port and Logistics Conference that the increasing need for deepwater facilities will be a significant factor in utilisation forecasts for South Vietnam's container traffic in the years ahead.

"Long-haul transpacific and Europe trades, representing nearly 30 per cent of Ho Chi Minh City port traffic, will continue to migrate to the new deepwater terminals as newer, larger vessels come into service, so there is a very real need for capacity and capability expansion, but new project completion dates need to be aligned with expected market need," said Mr Gregory.

"Sufficient access channel depth will be one of the primary determining factors of which facilities cater to which segments of Vietnam's container trade," he said.

He said water depth of 14 metres is required for non-tide restricted access for vessels up to 8,000 TEU, which are expected to be entering the Vietnam trade. A lack of modern road and rail infrastructure keep much of Vietnam's container transportation inland by barge service, which is projected to account for almost 50 per cent of deep water terminal traffic in 2010, adding to capacity requirements.

"Growth in trade and corresponding container traffic at Southern Vietnam's gateway Ho Chi Minh City Port complex is jumping, and in response there has been tremendous activity in terminal investment," said Mr Gregory.

He noted that an extra 1.1 million TEU of annual capacity at Cai Mep International Terminal, part of the APM Terminals Global Port and Terminal Network, is scheduled to come on line in January 2011.

Container volume at the Ho Chi Minh City and Cai Mep ports, which handles approximately two out of every three TEU in Vietnam, surged by 16 per cent in the first half of 2010 leading to a full year 2010 estimated throughput of close to 4.2 million TEU, a statement from APM Terminals said.
(Source:www.schednet.com)