Good roads needed to support Vietnamese deepwater ports

VIETNAM is being urged to develop inland roads to support the giant deepwater container port that opened south of Ho Chi Minh City last year.

"These are essential if we are to maximise capacity of the new deepwater terminals to handle main line mother vessels," said Cai Mep International Terminal Commercial (CMIT) officer Malcolm Gregory, reported American Shipper.

CMIT, a joint venture of APM Terminals and state-owned Vinalines and Saigon Port, is to commence operations in January with five terminals expected to open a year later.

The existing Ho Chi Minh City terminals handle more than 90 per cent of southern Vietnam's total container traffic, which amounted to 3.6 million TEU in 2009. South Vietnam's throughput is forecast to increase to 4.8 million TEU by 2012, the report noted.

Much of Vietnam's container cargo is transported by barge to and from inland points pending the buildings of roads and bridges. The port is only 60 kilometres from Ho Chi Minh City, but it takes two hours or more because of poor roads.

"To support just four main line vessel calls per week, as many as 55 barge calls may be required," Mr Gregory said. "Every container lifted on or off a barge reduces the capacity of the terminal to handle main line vessels by the exact same amount, potentially reducing the main line capacity of the terminal close to 50 per cent. So quickly upgrading the landside infrastructure supporting Cai Mep is an essential."

(Source: www.schednet.com )