|
Improper port development programming causing goods jams: Vinamarine
Nguyen Ngoc Hue, Deputy Head of the Vietnam National Maritime Bureau (Vinamarine), talked about problems in port development programming.
Do you think that the goods jams at ports are because of problems in port development programming?
Vinamarine anticipated that the volume of goods going through ports would increase alongside economic development. Therefore, we recommended a plan to relocate ports in HCM City. If the relocation had been implemented and the construction of new works had been done on schedule, the goods jams would have not occurred as seen in recent days.
However, I have to say that there are other reasons for the goods jams at ports recently, including tardiness in building Cai Mep-Thi Vai port. Moreover, the development of the port system has not been commensurate with the national transportation system.
Experts say that the biggest problem in port development programming is that Vietnam has a lot of ports, but it lacks big international ports. Do you think so?
We did not accurately forecast the volume of goods going through ports, so we did not have suitable port development programming. As we have not integrated into the world before, we have been very slow in updating and applying international standards. I mean, it is understandable that we do not have many ports that can meet international standards.
However, we must solve this problem in the coming years. We are now reconsidering the port development programme. In 2007, a working mission with representatives of the Ministries of Transport, Industry (now the Ministry of Industry and Trade), Planning and Investment, Finance and Construction worked together to check the whole port system. The mission then reported directly to the Prime Minister about the current situation and solutions for the future.
We have proposed that the government rewrite the port development programme for the period from now to 2020 with vision until 2030. I believe that we will have qualified foreign consultants involved in the programming, building and examining, so that Vietnam will have ports of international standard that can meet the requirements of the country’s economic development.
The construction of Van Phong international container transit port has been drawing public notice. What is the official viewpoint of Vinamarine about the project?
Vinamarine has expressed its official viewpoint on the issue. On February 18, 2008, Vinamarine sent a document to the Prime Minister, affirming the important role of Van Phong international container port in comparison with the construction of other ports. The bureau proposed that the Prime Minister agree to prioritise the construction of Van Phong port.
The goods jams in the south remain the hottest problem nowadays. What should we do now to ease the problem?
60% of goods go through southern ports, so it is understandable why the goods jams occur primarily in the south. Vinamarine has allowed long, large ships to operate at night, which can help ‘free’ the jammed goods more quickly.
In the long term, seaport development programming must be more scientific and strategic. What would you suggest to the government about the programme?
As I said above, we have proposed that the government check the port development programme with vision to 2030. From now to 2015, we need to give accurate forecasts about the volume of goods going through ports and build key ports in the north, central region and the south. In the north, we will turn Lach Huyen port in Hai Phong into an international port. In the central region, we will have Van Phong container international port, while in the south we will prioritise the construction of Cai Mep-Thi Vai port.
We will not rely on the state budget to develop ports, because the state budget alone is not sufficient to build all the ports, each of which costs hundreds of millions of dollars. We have drawn up a project on strengthening port management and development, which says that Vietnam needs to call for investment from different sources, including private and foreign investors.
In the future, the current model of public port services, which is considered ineffective, will need to be replaced with a modern model being applied in the world. The state will invest in building seaport infrastructure items, and then lease them to private enterprises which will develop services. Additionally, the government should also encourage private investors to invest in ports, or team up with foreign investors to develop ports by offering suitable and flexible mechanisms.
VNN
|
