To change the fact that some types of Vietnam seaport service charges are lower than regional seaports (lower than the service prices at Cambodian seaports), the Ministry of Transport is developing a draft circular amending the April 54, 2018 on the framework of seaport service charges in Vietnam.
Commenting on the draft, Hai Phong Port General Director Nguyen Tuong Anh said that the current price of container loading and unloading services at Vietnamese seaports is too low compared to ports in the region. Therefore, seaports are proposing to increase container loading and unloading prices by 10% from 2021, then increase by 10% annually until 2023.
Mr. Pham Quoc Long, deputy deputy director of the Vietnam Container Ship Owners Association (Vietnam Association of Ship Owners - VSA) said that if the price of loading and unloading containers at seaports increases, logistics costs will not increase. use of Vietnam. Due to the fact that some types of fees the owner collected from the shipper is higher than the amount payable to the port.
This position cited, currently, each import-export container, the ship owner collects over 120 USD of loading and unloading costs at the port, but only has to pay for the Vietnamese port from 40-50 USD / container (depending on the port); Shipowners benefit from 55-80 USD / container. While 99% of the market share of Vietnam's exports and imports currently falls into the hands of foreign shipping companies, each year Vietnam's seaports suffer about $ 1 billion.
With the cost of loading and unloading domestic containers, according to Mr. Long, it is also low, so it is necessary to increase to support the ports. Accompanying that is the enforcement of supervision to avoid unfair competition from domestic shipping lines, reducing freight rates below cost.
VSA Secretary General Bui Van Trung said that because port service prices, especially container loading and unloading prices are too low, for large ports such as Cai Meo - Thi Vai, even though operating beyond capacity, the financial picture still does not some good. Therefore, although the increase in port service charges may be affected by shipping lines, it is necessary to increase to ensure costs for ports, attracting investment in ports.
“Currently, most of the Vietnamese shipping companies are doing seaports, so the costs are offset. Stemming from common interests, we think that the increase in port service charges is reasonable, in the direction of approaching ports in the region. We are always in favor of lowering prices, but declining to pull together to bottom shouldn't be. Now raising the port service price is to coexist, "Trung said.
According to the representative of VSA, in the context of the COVID-19 epidemic the past, the world seaports have reduced the output of goods, in Vietnam alone, still increasing, foreign shipping lines still have good profits from Vietnam. Mr. Trung only commented on lowering the price of pilotage and tugboat services to support businesses.
On the side of shippers, General Secretary of the Association of Shippers (VNSC) Phan Thong also supports the principle of needing to increase a number of seaport service prices. However, it is necessary to better control the post-port costs in order not to increase prices, not to increase the total logistic costs of manufacturing enterprises, to ensure competition. According to Mr. Thong, these service prices should be increased only after 2021, to support manufacturing businesses affected by COVID-19 epidemic.
Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Cong said that the increase of some seaport service prices this time is basically a part of the money back for Vietnamese businesses, which for a long time foreign shipping lines have benefited. Therefore, increasing the prices of these services will not increase logistics costs, nor will it affect the domestic consumer price index. However, according to Mr. Cong, seaports need to improve their services, to compete with seaports in the region not only on price. The leaders of the Ministry of Transport assigned the Maritime Administration to receive the opinions of enterprises and soon complete the draft circular for the Ministry to report to the Government before signing for promulgation.
