The Director of the Maritime Administration requested ports to monitor service prices and require businesses to sign long-term contracts with shipping lines to avoid price increases.
Last week, the Maritime Administration inspected the shipping situation, monitored seaport service prices, and container freight transport at the ports of Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Vung Tau and Ho Chi Minh City, in the context of freight shipping prices. Freight by sea to European countries and the US tends to increase sharply due to congestion at some Asian ports.
According to statistics on the container shipping price index of Drewry (an independent maritime research center providing information on the maritime market), the price of container shipping services from Asia to Europe and America has begun. increased from the beginning of 2024, peaking at the end of January.
In February, fares gradually decreased. But by May, the price continued to increase rapidly again, currently 17% higher than in January and 45% higher than the peak price at the time of Covid (September 2021).
Loading and transporting goods at Cat Lai port, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Thanh Nguyen
According to Gemalink port representative, the port has prepared a plan to welcome increased cargo output in the near future due to congestion at Singapore port, shipping lines will shift to neighboring markets, including Vietnam due to profit. about deep water ports. Regarding transport routes, there has also been a remarkable growth, in the Hai Phong area there are 7 transport routes to the Americas, while the Cai Mep – Thi Vai port area has over 35 transport routes to Europe, America and Vietnam. ASIAN.
Port enterprises also reported that ships operating in and out of seaports were smooth and efficient, with no cargo congestion and that the ports were still capable of handling ships even when goods were being transported. forecast to increase in the near future.
Representatives of major shipping lines providing container shipping services to Europe and the US affirmed that there is currently no shortage of container shells. Firms still ensure to meet container containers to serve the needs of import and export of goods for the Vietnamese market.
To meet the demand for goods output forecast to increase in the near future due to the trend of shifting from Singapore to Vietnam, Mr. Le Do Muoi, Director of the Maritime Administration, has directed maritime port authorities and businesses to step up Speed of release of goods at ports, reduction of administrative procedures, creating favorable conditions for ships and boats to circulate.
For businesses importing and exporting goods, leaders of the Maritime Administration assess that small shippers are most affected by the increase in freight rates, while large shippers with a stable source of goods sign long-term contracts. Rates will be kept stable and unchanged while the contract is valid.
To avoid being affected by price fluctuationsthe Director of Vietnam Maritime Administration has asked industry associations to gather member businesses to jointly develop production and transportation plans, as a basis for signing long-term contracts with shipping lines, minimizing impacts. of freight rates during the current period of complex market developments.
Maritime port authorities are also required to strengthen monitoring of service prices at seaports and prices and surcharges in addition to the price of container shipping services by sea; Monitor congestion at ports, provide containers, and periodically report to the Vietnam Maritime Administration.
In the long term, the Maritime Administration said it will continue to coordinate with relevant authorities such as customs to speed up the release of long-standing goods at seaports, and supplement regulations on resource allocation. funding for dredging maritime channels.
In the first 5 months of the year, Vietnam’s seaports have achieved an output of 7.56 million TEU of import and export container goods, an increase of 16% over the same period in 2023. This is the highest growth rate in the last 5 years, twice as high. 3 times the average growth in 5 years is 5.5%.
Currently, container freight rates from Asia to Europe and the US have the largest increase, but from the Americas, Europe to Asia and intra-Asia transport routes do not fluctuate much. Container shipping rates are regulated according to the international market, according to market supply and demand, so Vietnam’s shipping rates are also adjusted.