On August 18, 2020, the Vietnam National Shipping Lines (VINALINES) transformed its brand identity and name to Vietnam Maritime Corporation (VIMC), and began operating as a joint stock company – the Vietnam Maritime Corporation JSC. In the first half of 2021, VIMC’s revenue and gross profit both increased sharply over the same period last year. Along with business development, VIMC has been making strenuous efforts to help the government and the community control the pandemic.
Ensuring worker safety, business operations
VIMC vaccinated its employees early in keeping with the government’s request of organizations and enterprises to both help control the pandemic and maintain production and trading activities. VIMC was thus able to continue handling large amounts of cargo at Vietnamese ports despite the pandemic’s complicated developments.
VIMC has directed its member units to apply the “three-on-the-spot” solution (to arrange for employees to temporarily work, eat and sleep on-site) or “one route, two destinations” solution (arrange one transportation route between the accommodations and the workplace), and take the initiative in applying appropriate trade and production measures to help control the pandemic.
VIMC’s seaport operators have been working hard and creatively. For example, Hai Phong Port, Nghe Tinh Port, Da Nang Port, Quy Nhon Port, Cam Ranh Port, and those in the south, including Saigon Port, Cai Mep-Thi Vai Port, and Ha Tien Port, among others, all have been applying suitable solutions to maintain continual operations.
The seaports have procured equipment and applied measures to control the pandemic, such as QR code scanners for medical declarations, automated body temperature screening systems, requirement of valid negative Covid-19 test certificates, disinfection spray for vehicles returning from pandemic-hit areas, and “three-on-the-spot” solution application.
Thanks to their strict implementation of pandemic control measures and flexibility in production and trading activities, VIMC’s ports have been doing a good job in ensuring the circulation of goods, including container shipments to foreign countries and domestically transported containers. All the ports of 15 port operators in the northern, central and southern regions are operating continuously, steadily and without interruption.
Joining hands with the community to fight the pandemic
Apart from donating VND50 billion to the National Vaccine Fund to help Vietnam reach herd immunity soon, and responding to the government’s call to “fight the pandemic like fighting the enemy”, VIMC has supported its employees and pandemic-hit residents of southern provinces.
VIMC transported and presented 30 containers of goods to southern provinces
On July 31, 2021, VIMC sent six containers of goods, including 40 tonnes of rice, 30 tonnes of vegetables, and 1,000 boxes of canned food in addition to other essential goods to the Ho Chi Minh City Fatherland Front Committee for delivery to those hard hit by the pandemic.
On the same day, the Tan Thuan Port received and delivered to Saigon Port workers placed under the “three-on-the-spot” solution two containers of essential goods and medical supplies funded by employees and member enterprises of VIMC (Da Nang Port, Quy Nhon Port, Hai Phong Port, and the Vietnam Ocean Shipping Joint Stock Company or VOSCO, among others).
Handling cargo at the Hai Phong Port
VIMC’s “Maritime Bridge” project is contributing significantly to transporting a large amount of raw materials to production enterprises. In addition, hundreds of tonnes of goods donated by localities, organizations and businesses have been transported for free from Hai Phong Port in the north to residents of southern provinces and cities.