HCMC – Cai Lai Port in HCMC’s Thu Duc City, faced with a huge container backlog, has requested businesses to take their cargo within 48 hours after customs clearance is done and containers are unloaded, according to the Saigon Newport Corporation, which manages the Cat Lai Port.
The corporation has announced measures for supporting the transport of containers from the Cai Mep-Thi Vai Port in neighboring Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province to HCMC.
The corporation will prioritize the transport of cargo of enterprises that commit to receive their goods at the port within two days.
Enterprises that receive cargo at the Cai Mep-Thi Vai Port will be entitled to a reduction of 50% of the container handling fee.
The Cai Mep-Thi Vai Port will help shipping firms and enterprises amend the destination ports quickly.
Amid the mounting container backlog at the Cat Lai Port, the competent agencies and the Saigon Newport Corporation have worked out multiple solutions to the problem. The corporation has recommended that enterprises make arrangements to receive goods at the Cai Mep-Thi Vai Port or the Tan Cang Hiep Phuoc Port in HCMC.
Containers left at the port for more than 90 days will be moved to the Tan Cang Hiep Phuoc Port.
Saigon Newport Corporation has also reduced some fees to encourage enterprises to receive their cargo early.
Three days after employing some solutions, the container backlog at the Cat Lai Port has dropped. According to statistics from the Vietnam Maritime Administration, the container backlog at the port were nearly 108,800 TEUs on August 3 but dropped to 106,700 TEUs the next day.
The number of vessels docked at the port has also fallen 28%, while the volume of imported containers tumbled by over 6,300 TEUs, or 32.67%.
As the port might have to stop receiving vessels, on August 5, the Ministry of Transport proposed the prime minister direct the Ministry of Finance to allow the Saigon Newport Corporation to transport imported goods, including those left at the port for more than 90 days, to the Tan Cang-Hiep Phuoc Port, the Tan Cang-Long Binh and Tan Cang-Nhon Trach inland container depots (ICD) in Dong Nai and the Tan Cang-Song Than ICD in Binh Duong.
The ministry also suggested facilitating the laborers of ports to travel to work. Those living in Nhon Trach District, Dong Nai Province, should be allowed to travel to the Cat Lai Port through the Cat Lai ferry if they have certificates proving they are workers of the port and have negative Covid-19 test certificates.
By Le Anh
