International train carrying export goods from Song Than station ( Binh Duong ) to China. (Photo: NGOC NAM)
The positive changes in the railway industry show that the important thing is that if you want to do it, dare to do it and have a method of doing it, and strongly break the "iceberg" of old thinking, you can completely solve the difficulties and obstacles that have long hindered the development of the industry. Catching up with the "race" of international transport According to the plan, on May 2, Vietnam Railways Corporation will officially run the first international freight train departing from Cao Xa station (Hai Duong). This is a class 4 station on the Hanoi-Hai Phong railway line, near the large industrial parks of Hai Duong. Hai Duong province has planned to build a logistics center in the Cao Xa station area. Organizing international freight transport activities by rail here will provide additional solutions for businesses importing and exporting goods in the province to China, Europe, Central Asia, ... shortening the time by 2/3 compared to traditional sea routes. Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Danh Huy assessed that upgrading Cao Xa station into an international transit station is extremely important and necessary at this time. From Cao Xa station, two railway lines will be formed to Dong Dang and Lao Cai. Import and export goods will be directly connected to Chinese railways and railways of countries on the Asia-Europe railway transport route. Enterprises in the area are having trade relations with nearly 100 countries and territories. Hai Duong has great potential to become a satellite center, focusing on logistics services for goods production, contributing to shifting the proportion of services in the economic structure. Leaders of the railway industry assessed that international transit trains are a very convenient method for businesses, capable of preserving fresh goods such as fruits, seafood, etc., while creating a network connecting bonded warehouses and local logistics areas. From now until 2025, international transit stations will continue to be upgraded, striving to reach 4-5 million tons/year of international transit by 2030, 4-5 times higher than the current level. “Vietnam Railways Corporation has invested in upgrading railway infrastructure to serve transportation, expanding the freight yard from 2,000m2 to about 5,400m2 with crushed stone aggregate structure, installing lighting systems, renovating the road to the freight yard and station architectural works to meet the conditions for transportation, including international transit trains. In the coming time, the station will continue to expand the freight yard to about 10,000m2, invest in building new related works to be able to carry out customs procedures at the station for import and export goods,” said Dang Sy Manh, Chairman of the Board of Members of Vietnam Railways Corporation. Although it is considered slow in international transit activities with countries in the region, the railway industry has caught up with the "race" of intermodal trains quite quickly. In early 2023, the railway industry launched an international transit train from Kep station (Lang Giang district, Bac Giang ) to China, marking a new milestone in international transit for Vietnam's railways. This is considered an important milestone in the development strategy, improving the international transit capacity of the railway, reducing the load on the two international transit stations of Yen Vien (Hanoi) and Dong Dang, and reducing customs clearance time for goods. In mid-July 2023, the railway industry continued to launch an international transit train carrying refrigerated containers running on the Song Than-China railway line, meeting the need to transport agricultural and frozen products from the south to the north and then to China for consumption. “The railway network planning for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, clearly states that the country will have eight international transit stations. Following the direction of the Government and the Ministry of Transport, Vietnam Railways Corporation has urgently upgraded Kep station infrastructure to exploit transit and worked with Binh Duong province to promote international transit activities at Song Than station, organize ICD bonded warehouses, logistics, etc. The goal of the railway industry is to bring border gates deep into the interior, creating favorable conditions for businesses and localities, not only in transporting goods but also developing ICD warehouses, logistics, etc.,” said Mr. Hoang Gia Khanh, General Director of Vietnam Railways Corporation. Launching many new products and services On April 27, before the holiday, the railway industry launched the high-quality train SE21/22 (Ho Chi Minh City - Da Nang) following the success of the high-quality train Hanoi - Da Nang (SE19/20). This is a new product with many outstanding utilities and aesthetics, expected to become a product that attracts tourists this summer. The carriages of the SE21/22 train are of the best quality, upgraded and renovated to increase utilities and bring high aesthetic effects. To create a recognizable highlight, the carriage shell is newly painted in gray-white and blue tones with the image of a crane on the Dong Son bronze drum - a symbol associated with Vietnamese culture. This is also one of the first trains to be installed with free wifi on board to serve passengers. According to Mr. Hoang Gia Khanh, the railway industry has been established and developed for more than 140 years. The existing national railway network consists of 3,143 km, passing through 34 provinces and cities across the country, with nearly 300 stations, most of which are located in the centers. Many stations have high architectural and cultural values. Notably, the north-south railway line was voted by Lonely Planet travel magazine as the most beautiful and worth-experiencing railway line in the world. In mid-April, the Corporation launched the Da Lat-Trai Mat night train called "Da Lat Night Journey", 6.7 km long, the only unique cog railway line in Vietnam serving tourists visiting Da Lat. The Corporation also launched the movement "Each route - A flower; Each station - A destination". To date, the whole industry has planted about 70 km of trees and flowers of all kinds; Collecting thousands of tons of waste,... With an impressive transformation, after three years of losses, in 2023, Vietnam Railways Corporation made a profit of nearly 100 billion VND. This year, the Corporation is determined to complete the assigned plan, strive to maintain the growth momentum of consolidated indicators on revenue, profit, employee income, fulfill its obligations to pay the state budget and perform well the public service task of managing and maintaining railway infrastructure. The Corporation aims to have total consolidated revenue of 39,544 billion VND by 2025; parent company revenue of 26,190 billion VND, the average annual growth rate in the period of 2024-2025 strives to reach 4.7%/year; pre-tax profit in the period of 2023-2025 is 327 billion VND (loss in the period of 2021-2022 is 1,194 billion VND). Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Danh Huy assessed: On February 28, 2023, the Politburo issued Conclusion No. 49-KL/TW on the orientation for railway transport development to 2030, with a vision to 2045, with the goal of developing modern and synchronous railway transport to promote rapid and sustainable socio-economic development. Railway transport plays a key role in the north-south economic corridor, the main east-west transport corridors and passenger transport in major cities. This can be seen as a "starting shot" to revive a mode of transport with many advantages, but is slow to innovate and backward. On that basis, the Ministry of Transport has planned a strategy, determining the development of the railway industry based on three pillars: Infrastructure (including maintenance and management, exploitation of infrastructure), transport and railway industry. The Ministry will continue to build and perfect institutions, mechanisms and policies for the railway sector; at the same time, coordinate with relevant ministries and branches to study policies on the railway industry and supporting industries (mechanics, manufacturing, metallurgy, etc.) to help the industry develop sustainably, especially for the high-speed railway that is preparing for investment in the coming time. When directly inspecting at Hanoi station, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his impressions, emotions and concerns about the railway industry right from the beginning of his tenure with the desire to revive and develop the railway sustainably. “The same assets, the same people, the same policy mechanisms, but with new ways of doing things, new thinking, changes in management and operation, etc., the quality and efficiency achieved by the railway industry have clearly changed. When boldly breaking the "iceberg" of old and outdated thinking, the industry will certainly overcome the difficulties and obstacles that have held it back for so long,” the Prime Minister emphasized.QUANG HUNG
Source: https://nhandan.vn/thay-doi-tich-cuc-cua-nganh-duong-sat-post807172.html
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