With the advantage of a deep-water port, Cai Mep-Thi Vai port cluster (CM-TV) is increasingly attracting large container ships to handle cargo. In response to this trend, the Ministry of Transport has agreed in principle to allow some ports in CM-TV to adjust their planning and test the reception of large-tonnage ships.
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| Vietnam Maritime Administration supports the proposal to receive 200,148 DWT vessels entering and leaving SSIT port. |
Destination of super ships
At the end of March, the super container ship OOCL Spain with a capacity of 24,188 TEUs of Hong Kong shipping line OOCL on its first voyage connecting Asia - Europe docked at Gemalink port.
OOCL Spain is one of the world's largest super container ships, which was just launched on February 16, 2023. This is the largest container ship ever to dock at the Vietnamese port system. This event marks a new milestone not only for Gemalink port but also for CM-TV and the Vietnamese maritime industry in general.
Mr. Do Cong Khanh, Chairman of Gemalink Port, Deputy General Director of Gemadept Joint Stock Company, said that large-sized ships like OOCL Spain are the upcoming trend of the world. In the next 5 years, OOCL shipping line will have 28 new ships built and put into operation. This is an opportunity for CM-TV - the only deep-water port cluster in Vietnam that is qualified to receive "super ships" and have direct voyages to America and Europe.
Previously, in two months (September and October 2022), SSIT and CMIT ports also welcomed the two largest container ships ever to dock at that time.
Since 2020, large ships over 200,000 DWT have been calling at CM-TV more frequently. Currently, MSC shipping line is planning to bring large ships to SSIT port to load cargo, replacing some medium-sized ships on the existing Sentosa service route. Sentosa is a fixed shipping route that calls at SSIT port every week, carrying export goods with schedules from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, SSIT, ports in China and Korea before traveling to the US. Notably, among the large ships expected to be brought to this route, there is the MSC Jade ship with a designed tonnage of 200,148 DWT. Therefore, SSIT has requested the Ministry of Transport to consider and approve the port to receive the MSC Jade ship with the actual tonnage mentioned above.
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| Loading and unloading import and export goods at CMIT Port. |
Continue testing to receive large ships
To meet the trend of large-capacity ships, the Ministry of Transport has agreed in principle to allow some ports in CM-TV to adjust their planning and test the reception of large-capacity ships. For example, at SSIT port, the Ministry of Transport has issued a document approving in principle the port to study and develop a plan to receive ships with a capacity of up to 200,000 DWT entering/leaving this port.
Mr. Phan Hoang Vu, Deputy General Director of SSIT Port, said that currently, shipping lines tend to receive a lot of large ships, such as: Evergreen of Cosco, OOCL of MSC. They receive ships up to 24,000 TEU, with a capacity of up to 220,000 - 232,000 DWT. The Ministry of Transport allowing SSIT as well as ports in the CM-TV area to receive and test receiving ships over 200,000 DWT will enhance the competitiveness of Vietnam's container ports with other ports in the region and effectively exploit port infrastructure.
Mr. Nguyen Xuan Ky, General Director of CMIT Port, General Secretary of the Southeast Asian Seaports Association, shared that the ports at CM-TV receiving container ships with a capacity of up to 214,121 DWT will shape the shipping route from Vietnam to Europe and North America, promoting the existing advantages of Vietnam's maritime economy , making the most of the existing maritime infrastructure, creating favorable conditions for businesses, maintaining and promoting the shipping routes currently being exploited.
According to port experts, CM-TV’s ability to welcome super ships means that the competitiveness of the CM-TV deep-water port cluster will be enhanced compared to other ports in the region. And in the future, CM-TV can completely think of a new position, leading Vietnam and ranking 2nd in Southeast Asia.
Article and photos : TRA NGAN
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