From the first shipment to the “billion dollar seaport”

(Baothanhhoa.vn) - Since the first ship docked in 2002, the Nghi Son Port system has had more than 25 operational wharfs, handling more than 56 million tons of cargo each year. Surpassing all planning forecasts, Nghi Son Port is gradually becoming an important logistics center of the North Central region. However, to reach the level of a "billion-dollar seaport", this place needs a new development mindset, along with stronger and more synchronous policies on infrastructure and mechanisms.

Thanh Hoa province's budget collects hundreds of billions of dong from crude oil shipments supplied to Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical Plant.

From primitive port to central logistics hub

On the morning of April 1, 2002, at Terminal No. 1 - Nghi Son General Port, the ceremony to welcome the first ship and cargo was solemnly held, marking the beginning of the development journey of one of the strategic seaports of the North Central region(*).

At this ceremony, the Vietnam Maritime Administration (now the Vietnam Maritime and Waterways Administration) announced the decision to allow pier No. 1 to receive Vietnamese and international ships with a capacity of up to 3,000 tons. At the time of operation, pier No. 1 had a wharf system 165m long, nearly 8m wide, with a turning area and a navigation channel to ensure safe operations. At exactly 9:00 a.m., the Tay Do ( Hai Phong ) transport ship docked at the port, receiving cement from Nghi Son Cement Plant. The order to receive the ship and unload the first ton of cargo was officially issued, opening the journey of industrial and logistics development in Nghi Son, gradually turning this place into a large-scale seaport center of the whole country.

According to information from the Vietnam Maritime Administration, by 2024, the volume of goods through Thanh Hoa Seaport has reached 56.27 million tons, of which Nghi Son Port alone accounts for 99.8% with 56.14 million tons, far exceeding the forecast scenarios in the Detailed Planning of the North Central Seaport Group (period to 2020, orientation to 2030); in which, the exploitation capacity at the South Nghi Son wharf area reached 32.05 million tons, exceeding 94.9%; the North Nghi Son wharf area (including SPM buoy wharf) reached 24.08 million tons, exceeding 12%.

Nghi Son Port System can currently receive ships with a capacity of up to 70,000 tons at the wharf and 320,000 tons at the SPM floating wharf. There are a total of 28 hard wharfs with a length of over 5,343m, an increase of nearly 6 times in quantity and 5 times in length compared to 2010. The ports are mainly concentrated in the South and North Nghi Son areas, serving both general ports, cement, petrochemical refineries, thermal power plants, etc. Enterprises have continuously invested in and modernized the port system to meet the needs of loading and unloading goods.

Typically, Nghi Son International Port is planned with a total area of ​​72 hectares, including 16 hectares of water surface. Of the 9 planned ports, Nghi Son International Port Company Limited has invested in completing 6; at the same time, upgrading the equipment system serving the loading and unloading of goods including 11 pedestal cranes, forklifts, excavators... for bulk cargo. For container cargo, the company has also successfully installed software for 3 automatic container axle systems, ensuring the release of goods within 24 hours.

A series of domestic and foreign logistics enterprises have come to establish representative offices. The international container route has been opened, and big names such as CMA-CGM and SITC have scheduled regular operations through the port. Expressing her impression of the rapid development of Nghi Son Port, Ms. Esra Bora, General Director of CMA-CGM Vietnam Joint Stock Company, once affirmed her desire to accompany Thanh Hoa province for a long time in promoting transportation activities.

container: “We are committed to accompanying Thanh Hoa province to regularly and effectively exploit the container route through Nghi Son Port, while expanding the list of import and export goods, aiming to balance between outgoing and incoming goods, better meeting the logistics needs in the region”.

According to Ms. Esra Bora, the current structure of goods exported through the port mainly focuses on plastic beads and stones. Meanwhile, Thanh Hoa province has great potential in import and export industries such as textiles, footwear, seafood, steel, etc. If local departments, branches and enterprises coordinate closely, diversify products, and develop the accompanying logistics service supply chain, Nghi Son Port can completely become a strategic transit point of the Central region.

Not only playing the role of a strategic logistics center in the North Central region, Nghi Son Port is also the financial "pillar" of the import-export industry of Thanh Hoa province. According to data from the customs sector, in the period of 2019-2023, the total state budget revenue from import-export activities of Thanh Hoa continuously increased, from more than 9,300 billion VND in 2019 to nearly 16,600 billion VND in 2023, peaking at more than 19,400 billion VND in 2022. In 2024 alone, the revenue will reach about 18,000 billion VND, of which Nghi Son Port contributes up to 98% of the total revenue of the entire Provincial Customs Department. Notably, in the first quarter of 2025, revenue from import-export activities continued to increase by 12.28% over the same period - showing signs of recovery and sustainable growth. This contribution not only comes from traditional products such as cement, plastic beads, limestone, but also extends to value-added goods such as container goods, steel, seafood, textiles, etc.

"Unlocking" billion-dollar potential: Special mechanisms and synchronous infrastructure are needed

Despite its strong acceleration, Nghi Son Port is still assessed as not reaching its full potential due to many "bottlenecks" in infrastructure and mechanisms. Assessments by enterprises show that currently, the port and post-port logistics are still fragmented, not commensurate with the scale of contribution and potential of the port area. The road system connecting the port to the highway, National Highway 1A, and railway has not been invested in proportionately. Along with that, the lack of equipment for loading and unloading goods and warehouses has increased logistics costs, losing competitive advantages compared to localities with large-scale seaports such as Hai Phong, Quang Ninh or Da Nang .

Ships dock at Long Son Bai Ngoc Port to load goods.

According to the development orientation of Vietnam's seaport system in the period of 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050 approved by the Prime Minister, Nghi Son seaport has been planned as a special port, with the function of meeting the needs of goods trading, connecting Northern Laos, Northeastern Thailand, and Thanh Hoa's neighboring areas with national and international maritime routes.

To realize this orientation, provincial leaders have repeatedly emphasized the need for a "special mechanism" to exploit the great potential of Nghi Son Port. Accordingly, in addition to issuing policies to support import and export goods by container (Resolution No. 248/2022/NQ-HDND dated July 13, 2022 of the Provincial People's Council), Thanh Hoa is developing a project to plan the port area and a regional logistics center. Specifically, Thanh Hoa province is studying and proposing the Central Government to supplement the planning and issue a breakthrough mechanism to invest in an international transit container port at Nghi Son Port. This orientation will be associated with the formation of a Depot system (dry port) in Thanh Hoa City, Lam Son - Sao Vang area, Nghi Son Economic Zone and key industrial parks. If implemented, this will be a strategic “push” to help Nghi Son become a regional logistics center and a destination for major global shipping lines, creating a breakthrough in developing the marine economy and attracting international investment.

In order to soon bring Nghi Son Port to the standard of a Class I seaport and become a leading logistics center in the region, Thanh Hoa province is also focusing on completing technical infrastructure according to modern planning. Port investors are required to accelerate the implementation of specialized container terminals; at the same time, upgrade the system of machinery, equipment for loading and unloading, and synchronously transporting goods. The province also directed to focus on dredging the port channel to meet standards, qualified to receive ships with a capacity of up to 100,000 DWT - a key factor to increase customs clearance capacity and reduce logistics costs. In addition, Thanh Hoa is assigning departments and branches to study preferential policies for investment in warehouses and logistics centers, including support for site clearance, land rent exemption and reduction, investment in connecting transport infrastructure, electricity, water, etc. These efforts not only create favorable conditions for import-export enterprises, but also affirm the province's determination to create a modern and sustainable logistics corridor - the foundation for a strong breakthrough of Thanh Hoa's economy in the new period.

Article and photos: Minh Hang

(*) Thanh Hoa Newspaper, No. 4454, published on April 2, 2002.

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/tu-chuyen-hang-dau-tien-den-cang-bien-ty-do-248685.htm