Cargo throughput at seaports in Vietnam has dropped in the first nine months of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011, local media reports said.
Traffic volume from January to September 2012 reached 37.6 million tons, down from the 39.15 million tons recorded for the corresponding period last year, according to an online report published by the Vietnam Seaports Association.
As reported by the Department of Transport, transit cargo registered the biggest drop, falling to 12.5 million tons in January-September 2012 from 18 million tons for the corresponding period the previous year.
Container shipments went up to 5.6 million tons from 4.5 million tons, dried commodities rose to 9.7 million tons from 9.2 million tons, and liquid commodities grew to 9.8 million tons from 7.4 million tons.
Vu Ngoc Thao, director of the transport department, attributed the decline in throughput to the prolonged global financial crisis, which has forced international shipping companies to reduce their calls from Europe and the United States to the Cai Mep-Thi Vai area. From 16 direct routes last year, these are now down to nine.
The cut in the number of calls to the Cai Mep-Thi Vai area has caused intense competition among seaports, and handling fees have plummeted as a result, affecting performance and profitability, the reports said.
Photo: on1stsite
