Despite the falling number of ships arriving in Vietnamese ports as a result of the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the volume of goods going through seaports has posted impressive growth.

Figures indicate that there has been approximately 6,790 cargo ships and boats entering and leaving Vietnamese seaports from or via China and other nations that have been hit by the outbreak of the COVID-19 as of early March.

The first quarter of the year has seen the number of cargo ships entering and leaving Vietnamese seaports, primarily from China, fall by approximately 15% in comparison with the same period last year.

Most notably, the number of cargo ships on the route between Quang Ninh and China suffered a drop of 48%.

The Vietnam Maritime Administration have stated that amid a decreasing number of ships arriving, the first two months of the year has seen the volume of goods passing through the nation’s ports grow with an estimated 95.7 million tonnes, an annual increase of 10 per cent. Meanwhile, container volume is thought to stand at over 3.1 million TEUs, a rise of 14% on-year.

Seaports recording the highest increase in cargo volume include Can Tho which has enjoyed a 50% rise due to coal-fired power plants needing a large volume of coal for operation. In addition, seaports located in the central provinces of Quang Ngai, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien Hue have recorded rises of between 18% and 23%.

Despite these signs of growth, there remains some areas where the volume of goods passing through seaports has endured a slump. This can be seen in Quang Nam with a 72% drop, An Giang down 33% , Nam Dinh with a 36% fall, and Ho Chi Minh City down 18% annually.

In the context of complicated developments surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak the Vietnam Maritime Administration has been sending frequent documents to seaport authorities in a bid to co-ordinate closely with relevant agencies to control cargo ships and boats.

Moreover, special attention must be given to those either arriving from or heading to nations that have recorded large numbers of COVID-19 cases, most notably China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea.

As a result, cargo ships are now only allowed to operate in port areas after undergoing thorough checks and being confirmed by the health quarantine agency that they are free from any epidemic diseases.

Seaport authorities have been asked to work closely alongside medical quarantine centres, with a particular focus given to passenger ships arriving at ports in order to collect information from tour operators and help those on board conduct their health declarations before arrival in port.