The volume of cargo handled at Vietnamese seaports was estimated to reach almost 630 million tonnes in the first 11 months of 2020, an increase of 5% against the same period last year, according to the Vietnam Maritime Administration.

Unloading containers at Cat Lat port

Container goods handled in the reviewed period was close to 20 million TEUs, representing a 12% rise year on year.

In November alone, the freight volume via seaports was estimated to surpass 57.2 million tonnes, a decline of 3% against the same period last year. Container goods were estimated at over 1.8 million TEUs, a year-on-year decrease of 5%.

The freight volume going through Vietnam’s seaports has contracted for two consecutive months. The figure hit more than 57.6 million last month, down 2%.

Deputy General Director of the Vietnam Maritime Administration Hoang Hong Giang said the impacts of COVID-19 to maritime activities are attributable to the slight decline of cargo volume via seaports.

The volume of goods usually tends to surge at the end of the year, but the figure inevitably saw a decrease given the adverse impacts of the pandemic to global supply chains, he explained.