Seaports are preparing to increase container loading and unloading prices

Many major ports issue new price frames

Since the beginning of 2024, many seaports in the Cai Mep - Thi Vai area have been busy listing new port loading and unloading service prices to be applied from February 15. The new price according to the regulated price frame increases by about 10% compared to the old price.

Increasing port loading and unloading service prices helps port businesses have more revenue to invest and upgrade capacity.

Accordingly, the current price range for loading and unloading import and export containers with goods is 57-66 USD/20-foot container; 85-97 USD/40-foot container and for containers over 40 feet, the price for loading and unloading is from 94-108 USD/container.

For transit and transshipment containers, the unloading price ranges from 34-40 USD/20-foot container and 51-58 USD/40-foot container with goods.

This is also a separate price frame applied at the two deep-water ports of Lach Huyen and Cai Mep – Thi Vai. Seaports in other areas apply different prices.

In Hai Phong seaport area, Nam Dinh Vu port also issued new container loading and unloading service prices.

The price for loading and unloading import and export containers from ships to the port yard at this seaport is 46 USD/20-foot container with goods; 68 USD/40-foot container and 78 USD/container over 40 feet.

For Hai Phong port, the price for loading and unloading import and export containers from ships/barges to the port yard and vice versa at Chua Ve port is listed at 39 USD/20-foot container with goods; 58 USD/40-foot container and 66 USD/container over 40 feet.

At Tan Vu port, the prices are 42 USD/20-foot container, 63 USD/40-foot container and 73 USD/container over 400 feet.

Previously, the price listed by this enterprise at Chua Ve port was 35 USD/20-foot container, 52 USD/40-foot container and 60 USD for containers larger than 40 feet.

With the new unloading service price, from the beginning of 2024, Hai Phong Port set a revenue target in 2024 to increase by about 7% compared to 2023, reaching 2,310 billion VND (2,157 billion VND in 2023).

However, not all seaports have increased their loading and unloading service prices this time. As a seaport located in Region II, Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Director of Lao-Viet International Port Joint Stock Company (in Ha Tinh), said that the goods passing through the port are mainly bulk cargo, so they are not much affected by the new regulations.

Opportunities to improve port capacity

According to businesses, increasing loading and unloading prices helps seaports increase revenue, have funds and resources to invest in port equipment, maintain capacity and increase port competitiveness with new ports.

According to Circular 39/2023, Vietnam's seaports are divided into 3 regions: Region I (including seaports in provinces and cities: Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Thai Binh, Nam Dinh); Region II (including seaports in provinces and cities: Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien - Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan); Region III (including seaports in provinces and cities: Ho Chi Minh City, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Dong Thap, Can Tho, An Giang, Vinh Long, Ca Mau, Kien Giang, Long An, Soc Trang, Tra Vinh).

In particular, for new container routes at ports in region II and ports in the Mekong Delta region, port enterprises are allowed to apply a container loading and unloading service price frame equal to 80% of the prescribed price frame within 3 years from the official opening date of the new route.

Assessing that Vietnam's ports currently have loading and unloading productivity, cargo delivery and wharf capacity that is not inferior to ports in the region, Mr. Pham Quoc Long, Deputy General Director of Gemadept Joint Stock Company, said that currently only the seaport in Lach Huyen area (Hai Phong) can apply the ceiling price.

Other ports still only apply the floor price, or slightly higher than the floor price, due to competition factors, to attract shipping lines.

Therefore, in addition to increasing service prices, in the coming time, ports also need to increase investment to improve capacity, meeting the needs of shipping lines and customers in the coming time.

For Gemadept, in the Northern region, the enterprise is implementing the project of dredging Ha Nam canal to a channel depth of -8.5m for 48,000 DWT ships and implementing the Nam Dinh Vu port project phase 3 (expected in 2024) so ​​that when completed, it can receive feeder ships, the largest intra-Asian ships in the river port area.

In the South, Gemalink deep-water port phase 2 is also researching and implementing procedures to start construction to double the operating capacity and wharf.

According to research, many businesses are planning to make large investments in seaports in 2024. Typically, Vip Greenport plans to invest in equipment with 2 new RTG cranes, shore power system, and smart gate.

Vietnam National Shipping Lines (VIMC) also identified in its production, business and investment plan for the 2021-2025 period to focus resources on investing in the construction of new deep-water seaports and international transit ports.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Ky, General Director of Cai Mep International Terminal (CMIT), affirmed that with the increase in container handling service prices, the revenue of seaports can grow at a corresponding rate, especially at deep-water ports because the main source of revenue of the ports comes from container handling prices.

Not to mention, increasing service prices also attracts more investment into the seaport market, enhancing socialization. New investors have more basis and foundation to implement projects.

According to a seaport enterprise, the actual price of cargo handling services at seaports is not exactly the same as the public price list.

Actual prices are based on many factors and may apply to individual customers such as regular customers, walk-in customers... but must still be within the prescribed price range.

A price increase of about 10% may not help businesses bring in profits immediately. Because ports have had to make large investments in infrastructure and equipment to meet the demands of shipping lines and the green development trend.

The Ministry of Transport has just issued Circular 39/2023 on promulgating the price list for pilotage services, services using bridges, wharves, mooring buoys, container loading and unloading services and towing services at Vietnamese seaports.

Accordingly, the price for loading and unloading 20-foot domestic containers ranges from 260,000 - 427,000 VND, from 439,000 - 627,000 VND/

40 feet container; 658,000 - 940,000 VND/container over 40 feet with goods.

The price for loading and unloading imported, exported and temporarily imported and re-exported containers in region I ranges from 36-53 USD/20-foot container and 55-81 USD/40-foot container with goods; in region III, the price for loading and unloading containers ranges from 45-53 USD/20-foot container and 68-81 USD/40-foot container; in group 5 of seaports, the price for loading and unloading containers ranges from 23-27 USD/20-foot container and 34-41 USD/40-foot container.

The two deep-water seaports of Lach Huyen and Cai Mep - Thi Vai are subject to separate price frames.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/cang-bien-ruc-rich-tang-gia-boc-do-container-192240222231602352.htm