APM Terminals’ Cai Mep set to boost box volumes to 600,000TEUs in 2012
Cai Mep International Terminal (CMIT) has been operational for only a year and despite having five competing terminals within the Cai
Mep port area, CMIT will handle close to 600,000 TEU in 2012, representing 50% of the volumes currently moving through the port. “Our productivity has already reached worldclass levels regularly exceeding 40 crane moves per hour which shows how competitive Vietnamese ports can be” commented Steen Davidson, Managing Director of Cai Mep International Terminal.
Vietnam continues to play an important role in global sourcing with the leading brands of footwear, textiles and electronics selecting the country as a strategic, reliable location. Port infrastructure, accessibility and productivity strengthen the site selection attractiveness for global supply chains. CMIT’s management works closely with the import/export community to ensure high performance.
Reflecting the national focus on ports, State President of Vietnam, H.E. Truong Tan Sang, led a delegation including President of Ba Ria-Vung Tau People’s Committee Mr. Tran Minh Sanh, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Deputy Party Chief Mr. Nguyen Hong Linh, Vice Minister of Planning & Investment Mr. Nguyen Van Trung and several high ranking central and local officials for a visit to Cai Mep International Terminal (CMIT) on 28th June 2012 to see firsthand how the port is leading the country’s international ambitions.
“We are honored to host a visit by the State President, the Provincial Leaders and delegation. The shareholders have made a long-term investment in CMIT and we are here to stay in order to support the growth of Vietnam’s international trade” said Bui Van Trung, CMIT Chairman.
“Given the current surplus capacity in Cai Mep, terminal operators need to attract more transshipment volumes to Vietnamese ports to fuel future growth” Mr. Nguyen Xuan Ky, Commercial Director of CMIT stated. “To achieve this, we need assistance from the government to make port charges more competitive with other Southeast Asian countries and this is a key message we shared with the President” he added.
Background on the Vietnam market
Located in Southeast Asia, and bordering China, Laos and Cambodia, Vietnam has 3,444 km (2,140 miles) of coastline on the Gulf of Thailand, the Gulf of Tonkin and the South China Sea. Slightly smaller in area than Finland, Vietnam has a population of 91.5 million. Vietnam has one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia, expanding by 5.8% in 2011 to $121.6 billion USD. The IMF has forecast a 6.3% growth rate for 2012.
Vietnam’s primary export markets are the USA, Japan and China, with China, South Korea and Japan the leading source of imports. Vietnam exports clothing, shoes and electronics, and imports machinery and equipment, and raw materials for export products. Terminals in Ho Chi Minh City, on the Saigon River, and Cai Mep in southern Vietnam account for more than 60% of all Vietnamese container traffic, with a combined 4.3 million TEUs handled in 2010, representing growth of 10.8% over 2009. Cai Mep International Terminal (CMIT), in which APM Terminals is a shareholder, opened in March 2011. Located in the Ba Ria‐Vung Tau Province, southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, CMIT is currently the only terminal in Vietnam capable of accommodating larger deep-draft vessels. CMIT handled 186,000 TEUs in 2011.
Cai Mep International Terminal Co., Ltd. (CMIT) was established on January 26, 2007 as a joint venture between the Vietnam-based Saigon Port, Vietnam National Shipping Lines and APM Terminals BV. CMIT is located strategically in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province. This modern and efficient container terminal facility offers shipping lines and their clients fast and direct access to and from the main shipping markets in Asia, Europe and the Americas. It is CMIT’s policy to conduct its activities in a manner that protects the health and safety of its employees and communities.
About APM Terminals
APM Terminals’ Global Terminal Network of ports and inland services provide the infrastructure for the growth of international trade, 90% of which travels by sea. International commerce is an economic growth engine, creating jobs, lifting economies and improving people’s lives around the world. With world headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands, the company’s core expertise is the design, construction, management and operation of ports, terminals and inland services with a Global Terminal Network of 62 port facilities in 36 countries and Inland Services operations in over 150 locations in 46 countries.