HÀ NỘI – The country’s maritime transport sector posted growth for two consecutive years, notwithstanding losses, restructuring and even bankruptcy of several large foreign carriers.

Nguyễn Văn Công, Deputy Minister of Transport, hailed results of the maritime transport sector at the conference of the Việt Nam Maritime Administration (Vinamarine) held in Hà Nội on Monday.

In 2016, Vinamarine was active in issuing documents guiding the implementation of the Việt Nam Maritime Law 2015. The two most important contents -- price listing and seaport service prices -- have eased business difficulties, helping to avoid economic losses.

Công said growth rate of 4 per cent this year, with total output of 123 million tones, is impressive in the current situation.

“In particular, the Cái Mép-Thị Vải seaport saw a high growth rate of containers. In 2016, the seaport received two million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), surging from 499,000 TEU in 2012. More than 1,200 arrivals of vessels weighing more than 80,000 tonnes came to the seaport,” he said.

The deputy minister asked Vinamarine to continue undertaking checks on seaport service prices. Vinamarine was particularly asked to research and invest into key maritime corridors to develop multi-modal transportation.

Đỗ Hồng Thái, Vinamarine’s deputy head, said this year, the number of maritime accidents was 21, reducing by two cases from last year. The port authorities also conducted checks on nearly 13,000 arrivals of vessels on local routes, discovering 1,300 vessels with defects. The authorities also implemented checks on more than 2,000 foreign vessels and uncovered 817 with defects.

“There is no security incident with the country’s seaport system this year. Vietnamese seaports continue to be safe destinations for foreign vessels,” Thái said.

In 2017, Vinamarine will continue to prepare legal documents guiding implementation of the Việt Nam Maritime Law 2015. It is expected to submit eight decrees and one decision to the Prime Minister for approval. It will also complete several plans such as the seaport development planning by 2020 with a vision to 2030.

In addition, it will also ensure maritime security by investing in infrastructure and enhancing international co-operation. – VNS