Improving the efficiency of seaport exploitation in Nghe An

Great potential

According to the planning, Nghe An has seaports: Cua Lo port area (currently has 5 wharves, 3 warehouses and a 39ha storage yard, total capacity of 5 wharves is about 6 - 8 million tons of goods/year);The Vissai Cement PortNghi Thiet commune, Nghi Loc district has a land use area of ​​about 407.15 hectares, serving ships from 70,000 DWT (tons) to 100,000 DWT; DKC petroleum port (a specialized port serving the import and export of petroleum for large ships up to 49,000 DWT); Cua Lo deep-water port north of Cua Lo port (construction scale of 1 wharf for 30,000 DWT ships and 1 wharf for 50,000 DWT ships, land use area of ​​about 20 hectares. The project is currently in the stage of completing legal procedures) andDong Hoi porthas an area of ​​1,096.7 hectares (including land and water areas).

Large tonnage ships loading and unloading goods at Vissai - Nghi Thiet wharf. Photo: Sach Nguyen

In recent years, Nghe An province has attracted many investors to invest in building industrial parks in the province, so the demand for import and export of general goods, containers, and specialized goods at ports for ships with large tonnage from 70,000 DWT and over 100,000 DWT is very large. However, the seaport infrastructure in Nghe An is still limited.

The general and container port area in the North of Cua Lo (Cua Lo deep-water port) has not been invested in construction. Cua Lo port area only has 5 berths in operation, the channel to Cua Lo port is silted (depth - 5.9m) allowing only 10,000 DWT - 30,000 DWT ships with reduced load to dock. The maximum operating capacity of Cua Lo port cluster is only 6-8 million tons of cargo/year for general cargo and containers. It is forecasted that the demand for imported and exported goods through Nghe An province's seaports in the coming period will increase to 20-30 million tons of goods/year.

To meet the socio-economic development needs of Nghe An province at present and in the coming period, the Provincial People's Committee invites potential investors to participate.development and exploitation of seaport systemsDuring that process, it is possible to upgrade, add functions, and exploit specialized seaports in the province.

Planning of Cua Lo - Nghi Thiet Port area.

During the meetings between the Ministry of Transport, Nghe An Provincial People's Committee and consultants, many opinions proposed expanding the scale, adding functions to the invested ports, expanding routes so that larger capacity ships can enter the ports; at the same time, continuing to review to supplement post-port logistics capabilities, connecting port infrastructure with the road traffic network, connecting with regional ports such as Nghi Son (Thanh Hoa) and Vung Ang (Ha Tinh); adding more logistics transit areas...

Referring to this field, Standing Vice Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee Le Hong Vinh once affirmed the importance of planning seaports in the current period until 2030 and vision to 2050. On that basis, the province and consulting units must calculate the loading and unloading capacity through the regional port group; consider feasible plans; make specific calculations to build and exploit general, specialized, and tourist seaports reasonably; review land funds to build port logistics areas, dry ports, and logistic areas, etc.

Activities at Nghi Thiet Deepwater Port (Nghi Loc) of Song Lam Cement Joint Stock Company. Photo: Xuan Thuy

Comrade Nguyen Nhat - Deputy Minister of Transport said that the process of seaport development, Nghe Anneed to build strategy, vision. The process of planning and developing in an open direction so that when there is a lot of goods, we can invest in upgrading the port without having to ask for permission to adjust the planning because these procedures are very complicated.

Efficient exploitation of seaports

Realizing the potential of Nghi Thiet seaport area, with a negative depth (-) from 9 to -13.5m, in addition to the specialized port currently operating to serve ships of 70,000 DWT - 100,000 DWT (exploited according to the Decision on port announcement No. 1625/QD- CHHVN dated October 17, 2017 of the Vietnam Maritime Administration), The Vissai Group and Song Lam Cement Joint Stock Company are investing in ports in the direction of general port exploitation. On that basis, it is possible to reasonably exploit the ports in Specialized Wharf Area No. 1.

Workers anchor ships at Nghi Thiet wharf. Photo: Sach Nguyen

Currently, the Company has completed the investment in construction of berths No. 1, 2, 3 and the breakwater, waterway system, water area, pilot pick-up and drop-off area to accommodate ships up to 30,000 DWT - 50,000 DWT (currently operating and exploiting according to the Decision on port announcement No. 1052/QD-CHHVN dated July 9, 2020 of the Vietnam Maritime Administration). At the same time, the Company is accelerating the construction of berths No. 4, 5, 6, 7 according to the approved planning. Nghe An Provincial People's Committee and Song Lam Cement Joint Stock Company also proposed the Ministry of Transport to add the function of general and container berths to the Vissai Nghi Thiet Seaport area.

“When the Ministry of Transport approves the adjustment of ship size and additional functions for Wharf Area No. 1, the Vissai Nghi Thiet Nghe An Seaport area will certainly have positive effects. For a long time, Wharf Area No. 2 has made an important contribution to Song Lam Cement Joint Stock Company exporting Clinker and domestic cement to dozens of countries. Another advantage is that the D4 route connecting National Highway 1A with Vissai Nghi Thiet Seaport has been invested in and upgraded, meeting the needs of transporting goods through the port. We are promoting the construction and completion of seaports and logistics service systems for goods storage, packaging, packaging, warehousing, goods circulation... to serve businesses with the need to load and unload goods through Vissai Nghe An Port”, Mr. Hoang Minh Tuan - Director of Song Lam Cement Joint Stock Company affirmed.

Cement conveyor belt at Vissai - Nghi Thiet wharf. Photo: Sach Nguyen