Central ports in Vietnam upgrading to meet jump in demand

QUANG NGAI: Many ports in the central region are improving their capacity or proposing upgrades to meet the rising demand for foreign trade.

Several businesses are investing in upgrading ports in Quang Ngai Province’s Dung Quat Port Cluster, a network of eight ports, including three general and five specialised ones meant for private businesses.

Among the ports, one specialised facility is capable of berthing ships of 150,000-200,000 tonnes ships, while the remaining seven can only receive vessels of 50,000-70,000 tonnes.

The province has over 20 businesses exporting and importing goods using container ships and around 6,500 containers annually, and they currently have to use ports in Da Nang and elsewhere in the central region.

Dang Van Minh, chairman of the Quang Ngai Province People’s Committee, said the Dung Quat Port Cluster has reached full capacity, and so fresh investment is crucial for the province’s export-import needs.

In Binh Dinh Province, Quy Nhon Port is handling 2,500 tonnes of goods per berth metre, more than five times its capacity.

The Quy Nhon Port Joint Stock Company will begin upgrading one of its piers in August to expand its capacity.

Phu Yen Province is planning to build a deep-water port.

The Cam Ranh Port Joint Stock Company in Khanh Hoa Province is planning on building a new berth in its Cam Ranh Port.

Dr Tran Du Lich, a member of the Government Advisory Group, said coastal provinces in central Vietnam had been soliciting investment in ports.

Now the region typically transports goods to ports in Hai Phong or HCM City for exporting, and investment is spread too thin for many ports to berth large vessels, according to Lich.