Nghe An proposes to establish a Logistics Service Center Planning for the period 2020-2030

The conference was chaired from the Hanoi bridge by Comrade Nguyen Van The - Member of the Party Central Committee, Minister of Transport. Also attending were representatives of relevant ministries, sectors, enterprises, the Seaport Transport Association and the bridge from 63 provinces and cities.

Comrade Le Hong Vinh - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee chaired the conference at Nghe An bridge. Also attending were representatives of relevant departments and branches.

Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The opened the online conference from Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Hai

A large transport ship unloads goods at Cua Lo port. Photo: Nguyen Hai

At the conference, representatives of VCCI, transport enterprises and provincial Transport Associations raised a number of difficulties affecting transport and logistics services such as:high freight rates, the shortage or empty containers greatly affects transportation efficiency. Industries and localities need to continue to focus on investing in improving transportation capacity, coordinating with theinternational transportHandling of empty container status.

Consider simplifying procedures for issuing travel permits for crew members and transport businesses, and reducing the price of Covid testing services to reduce costs for businesses. Prioritize vaccination for crew members and introduce a vaccine passport policy to facilitate crew members who have been fully vaccinated with two doses to exit, enter, or enter ports more conveniently.

A representative of the Association of Shipping Brokers in Ho Chi Minh City spoke about some difficulties and requested the Ministry of Transport, relevant ministries, branches and localities to resolve them. Photo: Nguyen Hai

Attending the conference, a representative of Nghe An province said that in the first 8 months of 2021, goods passing through Nghe An port were 8.316 million tons with 1,778 ships. Despite being affected by the Covid-19 epidemic, all activities at Cua Lo port are still taking place normally; transportation and logistics activities are in accordance with the plan and direction of the Central Government. The province is reviewing and gradually completing logistics infrastructure, improving business capacity, developing logistics services and warehousing services. Currently, the whole province has 200 import and export enterprises. In 2020 and 2021, despite being affected by the Covid-19 epidemic, the volume of goods transported in the whole province is estimated to still increase by 8.45% compared to 2019.

Nghe An proposed that the Ministry consider supporting to reduce transportation fares, and direct provinces to remove difficulties caused by social distancing and travel restrictions affecting the transportation of goods through Covid-19 quarantine checkpoints.

Quarantine at seagoing vessels entering Cua Lo port is strictly implemented, but the quarantine is conducted outside the Cua Lo port anchorage area, so the time from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. every day is difficult, small ships running domestic routes have difficulty being quarantined during office hours; priority is given to vaccinating crew members, workers and officers at the ports.

Comrade Le Hong Vinh - Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee chaired the conference with the Ministry of Transport from Nghe An bridge. Photo: Nguyen Hai

Based on the assessment of the current status of maritime transport infrastructure and logistics services, Nghe An proposed that the Government and the Ministry of Transport have policies to support corporate income tax to overcome difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic; pay more attention and have more specific directions in building the Planning.Logistics Center in Nghe An2020-2030 period; continue to invest in infrastructure serving logistics in the area; soon deploy the Hanoi - Vientiane (Laos) expressway, thereby connecting Thanh Thuy border gate with neighboring Laos.

Based on the reception of opinions and proposals from departments, associations, shipping enterprises as well as provinces, the leaders of the Ministry of Transport directly responded; at the same time, assigned representatives of the Departments under the Ministry to answer and resolve difficulties. The Ministry will record the contents of recommendations related to the authority of other ministries and branches, to forward to relevant ministries for consideration and response or submit to the Government for comments and solutions.