It is expected that from the first quarter of 2025, phase 1 of the two container terminal projects 3, 4 and 5, 6 in Lach Huyen (Hai Phong) will be put into operation. According to experts, seaports in the region will start a new race to compete for goods sources.
Accelerating completion of new ports
In the last days of 2024, the construction atmosphere at container terminals 3, 4 and terminals 5, 6 of Lach Huyen port is more bustling as the workforce is increased to soon put phase 1 into operation.
The YM Truth vessel belongs to Yang Ming's PN2 trans-Pacific service at TC-HICT port.
Of which, container terminals No. 3 and No. 4, invested by Hai Phong Port Joint Stock Company, are urgently completing the remaining items.
The first batch of 8 rubber-tired gantry cranes (RTGs) has arrived at container terminals 3 and 4. Aiming to develop a green port, the port's specialized container handling equipment all apply modern and energy-saving technology, using 100% electric energy. In December, cranes and specialized ship platforms (STS) will also continue to be installed.
Similarly, berths 5 and 6, invested by Hateco Group Corporation, are also accelerating and completing the final stages to put them into operation in the first quarter of 2025. In addition to construction items, the port has also invested in the first loading and unloading equipment.
According to the investigation, berths 5 and 6 have received 3 new generation STS cranes using electric energy, with a handling range of up to 24 rows of containers (equivalent to the size of the world's largest container ship today). This is the first of a total of 3 trips in the shipment including 5 STS cranes and 14 RTG cranes.
Shipping goods to Europe and America without transit
According to experts, new ports that will be put into operation in Lach Huyen in the first quarter of 2025 will help increase cargo capacity through Hai Phong seaport.
This is even more significant as the volume of goods passing through the region continues to grow. According to statistics from the Hai Phong Maritime Port Authority, over the past 5 years, the volume of goods passing through Tan Cang Hai Phong International Container Port (TC-HICT) with 2 berths in Lach Huyen has increased from more than 431,000 TEUs in 2019 to more than 1.4 million TEUs (as of early December 2024).
The fact that berths 1 and 2 of TC - HICT port have exceeded the designed capacity shows the great potential of the seaport here.
At Lach Huyen, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 (TC-HICT) currently consist of two 750m long container terminals. The port can accommodate container ships and general cargo ships with a capacity of 100,000 DWT fully loaded, with an initial design capacity of about 1.1 million TEUs/year. The company is investing and adding equipment to increase the design capacity to about 1.4 million TEUs/year.
Project of berths 3 and 4 has a scale of 750m of berth for ships of 100,000 DWT (about 8,000 Teu) and a design capacity of about 1.1 million Teu/year.
Wharf No. 5 and 6 have a scale of 2 wharves with a length of 900m (450m/wharf) to receive container ships up to 12,000 TEU - 18,000 TEU. In addition, there is also a barge wharf to receive barges with a capacity of 160 TEU, along with a system of warehouses and infrastructure serving the port.
Having new ports operating in Lach Huyen will help transport goods directly to America and Europe without having to transit through a third country. Thereby, helping to reduce time and costs, and improve the competitiveness of Vietnamese goods.
However, this could also create new developments for Hai Phong seaports. Among them, it is not excluded that there will be a tendency to shift goods from ports in the Cam River to the deep-water port of Lach Huyen, creating a new race in the competition for goods sources.
Need to synchronize traffic infrastructure
Secretary General of the Vietnam Port Association (VPA) Ho Kim Lan assessed that adding new ports in Lach Huyen could help increase cargo throughput here to the same level as the existing cargo throughput in the Dinh Vu area.
According to Mr. Lan, because Lach Huyen currently has only berths 1 and 2 in operation, most containers are concentrated at ports in the Dinh Vu area. However, the shipping channel to the ports in Dinh Vu has a shallow draft (about -7.2m), so if there are more berths in operation, Lach Huyen deep-water port will easily attract shipping lines and cargo owners.
"Deep-water ports can receive large cargo ships, helping to reduce transportation costs, logistics costs, and benefit many parties. This is the competitive advantage of the port in Lach Huyen compared to ports in the Cam River," Mr. Lan affirmed.
However, Mr. Lan is still concerned about the inadequacies in the synchronization of connecting traffic infrastructure.
Specifically, the road to Lach Huyen currently has only Tan Vu - Lach Huyen bridge. If new terminals are put into operation, having only one bridge may not meet the requirements, causing congestion.
"In case of inconvenient traffic, goods may remain in Dinh Vu area. This is an obstacle for the seaport in Lach Huyen if the government has not invested in building a new bridge," Mr. Lan analyzed.
With a system of more than 40 ports stretching from Lach Huyen area to ports on the Cam River, in the last days of 2024, Hai Phong seaport is bustling with hundreds of ships coming and going every day.
In the Master Plan for the Development of Vietnam's Seaport System for the 2021-2030 Period, with a Vision to 2050, approved by the Prime Minister, Hai Phong Seaport is a special seaport in the national port system with the functions of an international gateway port and a national general port. The volume of goods throughput in 2030 is expected to reach 305 - 367 million tons, growing by 5 - 5.3%/year.
Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/ky-vong-moi-cho-cang-lach-huyen-192241217141539665.htm
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