Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Container loading and unloading service chargesshould be increased to approach the regional level so investors would not feelhesitant when pouring money into developing seaports.

The proposal was raised at a recent online conference held by the Vietnam MaritimeAdministration to discuss measures to remove difficulties for seaport andmarine transportation companies. 

Statistics showed container loading and unloading services charges of seaportsin Vietnam were much lower than other regional countries.

According to Nhu Dinh Thien, Deputy General Secretary of the Vietnam ShipAgents and Brokers Association, the charges were about 33-53 USD per 20ftcontainer and 57-98 USD per 40ft container. In comparison, Thailand chargesaround 59 USD per 20ft container and 91 USD per 40ft container, Singapore 111 USDand 159 USD and Cambodia 65 USD and 95 USD, respectively.

Nguyen Tuong Anh, general director of Hai Phong Port, said with such lowservices charges, it would be difficult for ports to have funds forre-investment and improving services quality.

He said it was necessary to raise container loading and unloading servicescharges so seaports could have funds for expanding investment and improvingquality.

The charges should also be attractive enough to draw investors to seaportdevelopment, he said.

He proposed container loading and unloading services charges be increased by 10percent, starting from 2021, then a 10 percent increase every two years.

According to Thien, the charges should be raised by 10 percent from 2021 andanother 10 percent in 2022 and 2023.

Phan Thong, General Secretary of Vietnam Shippers’ Council, said the increasesin loading and unloading services charges should be appropriate to make up forthe costs of seaport companies while not significantly pushing up logisticscosts.

Bui Van Trung, General Secretary of Vietnam Shipowners’ Association, saidappropriate container loading and unloading services changes were important toattract investment to develop seaports.

The charges should be adjusted to gradually approach regional levels, Trungsaid. 

Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Cong said that increasing seaportservices charges was necessary given the significant gaps in services fees withother countries in the region.

Cong said container loading and unloading charges needed to increase to beequivalent to 60-70 percent of the regional average by 2025 and to approach theregional level after that, or at least equivalent to Cambodia’s.

Cong stressed the increases were only in ceiling prices, meaning shipownerscould have the room for negotiations.

He also asked the Vietnam Maritime Administration to develop an appropriateframe for seaport services charges to ensure companies would have funds forreinvestment and upgrades of infrastructure.

He said that the ministry would make efforts to complete the draft amendingCircular 54/2018/TT-BGTVT about seaport services charges and submit it to theGovernment for issuance before January 1, 2021.

Mai Phuong Hong, from the Ministry of Finance’s Price Management Department,said the increases of seaport charges needed to be given careful considerationin the context of the COVID-19 pandemic to limit the impacts on businessoperation, imports and exports as well as the consumer price index. 

In the first half of this year, more than 339 million tonnes of cargo wereshipped through seaports in Vietnam, up by 7 percent against the same periodlast year, statistics of the Vietnam Maritime Administration showed.

The capacity of Vietnam's seaport system increased from 73 million tonnes ofcargo in 2000 to currently 650-700 million tonnes./.