Vietnam currently has a modern, comprehensive port system that meets the needs of import and export of goods in the economy.
On July 8, 2022, Vice Prime Minister Le Van Thanh signed Decision No. 804/QD-TTg announcing the list of ports in Vietnam. According to this decision, the list of ports in Vietnam includes 34 ports, including 2 special ports, 11 class I ports, 7 class II ports, and 14 class III ports. In particular, the capacity to handle goods is increasing, and the number of large-tonnage ships being handled is increasing. Vietnamese ports in Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City, and Ba Ria-Vung Tau are included in the list of the 50 busiest ports in the world in terms of cargo throughput. Gateway berths such as Lach Huyen (Hai Phong) and Cai Mep (Ba Ria-Vung Tau) can handle the largest container ships in the world today, up to 200,000 DWT.
The total volume of cargo transported through Vietnamese ports in 2022 was estimated at 733.18 million tons, up 4% from 2021. Of this, exports reached 179.07 million tons, down 3%; imports reached 209.26 million tons, down 2%; and domestic goods reached 342.79 million tons, up 12% from 2021. In particular, the volume of containerized goods through ports in 2022 was estimated at 25.09 million TEUs, up 5% from 2021. High growth in routes to China, Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, and some European routes, along with rising sea freight rates in 2022, helped many Vietnamese shipping companies record high revenue and profits.
The Vietnamese port system has been invested in a comprehensive infrastructure (bridges, jetties, cargo handling equipment) with full functions, scale, and is distributed widely by region, meeting the requirements for the transportation of goods by sea. In 2022, businesses operated stably, exports continued to thrive, and the demand for domestic and international cargo transportation increased significantly compared to previous years. The volume of goods transported by sea in 2022 was estimated at 108.9 million tons, up 27.9% from 2021; cargo turnover reached 235.9 billion tons/km, up 37.7%. In the first 2 months of 2023, seaborne cargo transportation continued to thrive with a volume of transportation reaching 17.9 million tons, up 17.2% from the same period in 2022; cargo turnover reached 34.3 billion tons/km, up 13.7%. Although seaborne cargo transportation accounts for a small proportion in the structure of transportation by transport mode, the turnover accounts for a relatively high proportion. In 2022, seaborne cargo transportation only accounted for 5.4% of the total volume of goods transported but accounted for up to 53.4% of the volume of goods transported.
After a period of being heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, sea passenger transportation has gradually been restored, serving a part of the demand for travel by sea for many people. In 2022, the estimated volume of passengers transported by sea was 7.6 million passengers, up 56.7% from 2021; passenger turnover reached 415.3 million passenger-km, up 72.7%. In the first 2 months of 2023, sea passenger transportation continued to recover with a volume of transportation reaching 3.7 million passengers, up 131.5% from the same period in 2022; passenger turnover reached 147.8 million passenger-km, up 94.7%. However, sea passenger transportation accounts for a very small proportion, less than 1% in the structure of transportation and turnover by transport mode.
Despite achieving many positive results in 2021-2022, the global shipping industry in general and Vietnam in particular continue to face some difficulties in 2023 due to the global economic slowdown. Sea freight demand has fallen sharply in many major consumer markets, partly due to a decline in purchasing power due to inflation and slow economic recovery. In addition, freight rates are falling as shipping companies have been aggressively adding vessels in the past two years due to high profits. The global shipping price index has now returned to the average level of the 2011-2020 period. As a result, companies with their main revenue from providing shipping services are likely to face greater competition and significantly lower profit margins than in the previous period. The period in which shipping companies benefited from the strong increase in global demand for goods during the Covid-19 pandemic is seen as having passed.
(According to the website of the General Statistics Office of Vietnam)