With average annual growth of 25 percent and an important contribution to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), the marine economy as well as seaport development is serving a vital role in Vietnam’s economy.
Vietnam has a favourable geographical location with more than one million square metres of territorial seawater, more than 3,200 kilometres of coastline with a strategic position in the region, and more than 3,000 islands spotted along the S-shaped country. It is an open gateway to the seas of neighbouring countries. Lying close to international maritime routes where the density of crossing vessels is among the highest in the world, Vietnam has many favourable conditions for building and developing seaport systems, including deepwater ports along the coast of the country. Currently, the Vietnamese seaport system consists of 98 ports with nearly 350 piers and quays where cargo throughout always rises, with an average growth of 15.5 percent.
Aware of the importance of seaport development, the Government of Vietnam approved the seaport system development plan from now till 2020 and vision to 2030, in an attempt to develop the Vietnamese seaport system comprehensively, integrate with countries with advanced seaport development, and help realise the Vietnam Sea Strategy till 2020. To achieve this goal, Vietnam needs the knowledge exchange, experience sharing and extensive cooperation with world-leading maritime powers, especially the United Kingdom.
UK Ambassador to Vietnam Antony Stokes said, to achieve economic development objectives, particularly in investment, export and import, Vietnam necessarily promotes the development of seaports. In most fields related to ports like design, construction, consulting services, project management, training, equipment supply, financial - legal services, logistics, marine safety and liquefied petroleum gas depots, the UK has very rich experience and has practical solutions for the Vietnamese seaport system. The UK’s seaport experience can help Vietnam to find appropriate solutions to its need for modernisation of its port system, depending on its own particularities. Mr Antony Stokes said the British Government and seaport businesses are willing to help Vietnam improve port management and operation capacity in the process of industrialisation and modernisation, as well as achieve breakthrough progress in port development to meet growing demand for sea management and shipping.
Mr Vuong Dinh Lam, Director of Vietnam Maritime Administration (Vinamarine), said: Currently 90 percent of Vietnam’s imports and exports are transported by sea. Thus, to achieve the targeted cargo throughput of 400 million tonnes by 2020, the Vietnamese seaport system will essentially be upgraded and synchronously developed in all aspects of infrastructure, scale and management capacity. However, the State budget alone is not enough for seaport system development, but it requires a flexible mechanism to mobilise capital from various sources like official development assistance (ODA) and concessional loans from governments and international institutions, and creating conditions favourable for private and foreign investors to participate in seaport investment and operation.
Currently, Vietnam is seeking all measures to promote advantages and exploit sea potential and investment capital sources to develop seaport infrastructure and create a favourable mechanism on port operation to boost investment effectiveness. A seaport system which develops rapidly and synchronously and meets all international conditions and standards will make significant progress in container shipping in the next decade.
Mr Tim Brownbill, British Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, said: To achieve that goal, Vietnamese seaports need to improve quality, develop a wide range of services, and high technical standards to boost competitiveness. Seaports and port-related industries require logistics service zones interconnected with seaports to create a complete, continuous service chain to meet all the requirements of foreign partners. In addition, Vietnam needs to actively maintain and develop external relationships, actively participate in activities of the ASEAN Ports Association and the International Ports Association, and strengthen marketing, searching and promoting port market information.
Hong Hanh
Vietnamese
