Break through Can Gio with a billion USD 'superport'

By thanhnien.vn - 14/02/2023

Just last weekend, the construction of a billion-dollar "superport" in Can Gio was mentioned twice. Previously, from the end of 2022, in the plan to develop the seaport infrastructure system in the area until 2030 of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, the investment in an international transshipment container port in Can Gio is also a successful item. priority city planning research.

With all necessary conditions in place, Cần Giờ requires decisive actions to push forward the construction of a super transshipment port to drive economic breakthroughs not only for the city, the Southeast region, but also for the entire country.

Opportunity for an international transshipment port

Speaking about the importance of an international goods transshipment port, Mr. Nguyễn Lê Chơn Tâm, General Director of Saigon Port Joint Stock Company, noted that nearly 50% of international goods transshipment activities occur in East Asia. On this axis, from Europe to Asia and from Asia to America, ships pass through Vietnamese waters. The East Sea is a crucial trade route not only for several nations but for the entire world. However, according to maritime consultancy data, Vietnam only accounts for 2.5% of global freight traffic.

Currently, Cái Mép - Thị Vải does an excellent job of receiving large ships but only serves as a gateway port, handling less than 5% of transshipment cargo from Cambodia, with no international transshipment cargo. "Out of 900 million TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) of global freight, transshipment accounts for 30%. This is a market segment that the Vietnamese maritime industry has long aspired to. The Vietnam Maritime Corporation has researched and invested concretely in Vân Phong port for over 20 years, aiming to create an international transshipment port, but has not achieved the desired outcome. MSC's commitment to bring transshipment cargo to the port to realize the goal of establishing an international transshipment port in Cần Giờ will create a transshipment hub for mother ships (with a capacity of 10,000 - 24,000 TEUs), boosting container transshipment activities between other global centers. This will enhance cargo handling capacity and alleviate congestion at existing ports in Vietnam," affirmed Mr. Nguyễn Lê Chơn Tâm.

Mr. Phạm Anh Tuấn, General Director of Portcoast Consultant Corporation, stated that an international transshipment port in Vietnam is not merely a dream of a single enterprise but of everyone involved in the maritime industry and shipping. With a transshipment port, there will be numerous feeder routes distributing cargo, providing opportunities for maritime transport and inland waterway transport companies to develop. Therefore, all plans from the 2005 Planning 791 to subsequent plans have aimed to develop international transshipment ports in Vietnam. Resolution 36 of 2018 on the strategy for sustainable maritime economic development by 2030, with a vision to 2045, continues to affirm the international transshipment function. However, despite many years, Vietnam has not been able to accomplish this, although the Vietnam Maritime Corporation initiated the construction of a port in Vân Phong from 2005 to 2007 as a "bait".

According to Mr. Phạm Anh Tuấn, forming an international transshipment port requires necessary and sufficient conditions. Necessary conditions include proximity to international shipping routes, favorable natural depth, transportation connections, policy mechanisms, and conditions related to fleet development. The most essential sufficient condition is having shipping lines - those who directly transport global containers. "These things have not been achieved in Vietnam so far. Now, when MSC - the world's largest shipping line - proposes building an international transshipment port in Cần Giờ, it truly presents a national opportunity. The dream of an international transshipment port will be realized," emphasized Mr. Phạm Anh Tuấn.

Cần Giờ as an opportunity for a breakthrough in the city's economy

In a recent meeting with VCCI, when discussing projects that Ho Chi Minh City leads with regional connectivity, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Văn Mãi mentioned the proposal to build a container transshipment port in the Cần Giờ island district. City leaders have repeatedly affirmed that Ho Chi Minh City's future growth model needs regional connectivity to boost the maritime economy, seaports, and associated coastal urban chains. In this context, the Cần Giờ Bay offers a pivotal opportunity to transform the city's development model from land-based growth to maritime-based growth. The Cần Giờ port, located at the mouth of the Cái Mép River with deep water, lies on international shipping routes, capable of accommodating large vessels on routes to Europe, Africa, and America. These favorable conditions facilitate the formation of an international container port, creating a competitive advantage with other countries in the region and driving Ho Chi Minh City's and the nation's maritime economic development.

Currently, Cát Lái port in Ho Chi Minh City is the largest port in the country, with a capacity of 6.4 million TEUs/year. In 2021, cargo throughput at Ho Chi Minh City ports exceeded 160 million tons, surpassing the 2030 planning target by 2.6%. In 2022, Cát Lái port alone continued to record growth, handling over 5.5 million TEUs (equivalent to 78.5 million tons of cargo). Therefore, the construction of container ports in the 2021-2030 period is essential to meet the export-import demand of Ho Chi Minh City and the southern key economic region.

Having researched Cần Giờ for 25 - 30 years, developing Cần Giờ has been a long-standing concern for Dr. Trần Du Lịch, former Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Economics. According to him, with the advantage of being a gateway port since its inception, the city's main task now is to upgrade and expand the existing port system, further develop maritime transport companies, and complete a high-class coastal urban model. While a high-end eco-tourism and resort service system in Cần Giờ will lay the foundation for Ho Chi Minh City's journey to the sea, a transshipment superport will be the solid cornerstone for this journey. Therefore, Dr. Trần Du Lịch emphasized: "It's time for Ho Chi Minh City to act; it cannot be delayed any longer. The city must incorporate this project into Resolution 24 on socio-economic development for the Southeast region to quickly include it in the national port cluster No. 4 planning. For too many years, Cần Giờ has not developed, and its residents still engage in traditional agricultural production. If we delay further, we will lose the opportunity because investors will not wait for us forever."

To achieve the goal of making Ho Chi Minh City the largest maritime economic hub in Vietnam through developing a chain of green coastal urban economies linked to the Cần Giờ coastal area, the city has officially issued a resolution to develop tourism and create an economic breakthrough for Cần Giờ after nearly 30 years of being a "sleeping beauty." The resolution aims to make Cần Giờ a high-quality eco-tourism and resort city with regional competitiveness by 2030. If both proposals are quickly completed, Cần Giờ will not only become a regional high-end coastal resort city but also Vietnam's first international transshipment port.

Boosting service industries

According to Mr. Phạm Anh Tuấn, with more than 7 km of wharves capable of receiving the world's largest container ships (about 24,000 TEUs, throughput capacity of about 10-15 million TEUs), the Cần Giờ international transshipment port will significantly contribute to the national budget, create jobs for thousands of workers, and boost the development of service industries. The supply chains and logistics around the port will drive infrastructure development, industrial growth, and other fields, with a large ripple effect. Additionally, such a large seaport and logistics hub will attract major global transport and financial companies to establish headquarters in the area. "When forming a large 'market', there will be many financial, banking, and insurance services. Many major global financial centers are linked with transshipment activities, such as Hong Kong, Singapore, and Dubai. An international transshipment port will greatly help promote the formation of Ho Chi Minh City's financial center," Mr. Tuấn assessed.

Meanwhile, Dr. Trần Du Lịch emphasized that the project is not only aimed at Ho Chi Minh City's development but also at boosting the economy of the entire Southeast region. The project should be implemented with the goal of supplementing and optimizing the potential of port cluster No. 4. Cần Giờ will not compete with or overshadow existing port clusters like Cái Mép - Thị Vải but will complement the potential of the current port system. Therefore, if an opportunity like this proposal with MSC is realized, the Cần Giờ transshipment port will transform the Southeast region into the top international trade gateway in Southeast Asia as stated in Resolution 24. This will bring the greatest national benefit in integration.

HA MAI