HCM City is seeking to build a US$6-billion international container terminal in its coastal Cần Giờ District.

HCM City is seeking to build a US$6-billion international container terminal in its coastal Cần Giờ District.

It plans to carry out the construction together with the Việt Nam Maritime Corporation (VIMC) and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC).

VIMC and its subsidiary, Saigon Port, have tied up with foreign partners to concretize the contents of cooperation, investment and operation.

Saigon Port and MSC have done studying the proposed site of around 570 hectares with a main wharf of 7.2km and capacity to berth ships of up to 250,000 tonnes.

Located in the Thị Vải maritime channel, Cần Giờ has deep waters and is not seriously affected by waves or winds, and is ideal for international container transhipment.

Along with natural and economic factors, the co-operation of large global shipping lines is also essential for success.

VIMC has been working with MSC, the world’s second-largest container shipping company, to develop seaport infrastructure in Việt Nam.

MSC operates a fleet of more than 625 ships.

The project has a designed capacity of 15 million TEUs. The two sides are working hard with foreign partners to finalise plans for investment and operations.

According to statistics from VIMC, in 2021 the volume of container goods passing through the country’s ports, mainly in HCM City, Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province and Hải Phòng City, was 23.9 million TEU, but international transhipment was relatively low.

In 2015 – 20 the volume of goods passing through HCM City’s ports grew by an average of 7.34 per cent a year, and it is expected to fall to 5 per cent in 2021-25.

In 2021 the volume was 164.19 million tonnes as against a target of 116.9 million tonnes and even higher than the target for 2030 of 160 million tonnes.

In the event, the early construction of container ports is imperative to meet the city’s trading needs.