Vinalines will devise a number of measures to further promote growth of its three key sectors of seaport, shipping industry and maritime services towards joining in the Global Shipping Alliances (GSA).

According to Acting General Director of Vinalines Nguyen Canh Tinh, the firm will focus resources on these three decisive fields, which are expected to create breakthrough development for the corporation.

Vinalines will pay attention to improving its competitiveness through providing all-in-one logistics service to customers, and promoting application of information technology, especially in managing and operating seaports.

Tinh said in the strategy of developing sea transport after equitisation, Vinalines will conduct investment expansion and cooperate with container shipping firms between Vietnam and other countries in the world through transshipment and deep-water ports of Vinalines.

The firm is looking to join GSA to affirm itself as a container transshipment unit in the region, he stressed.

According to Tran Tuan Hai, head of the Development Strategy and Communication Department of Vinalines, maritime services is one of the core segments that bring great profits to the corporation.

The firm will cooperate with the Vietnam Logistics Business Association and other business associations to research and advise the Government to complete the legal framework for logistics management in Vietnam; boost cooperation and form joint ventures with member businesses and foreign partners in order to create a global shipping services supply network.

It will also develop added-value services for customers and multimodal logistics services, as well as expand its service network by building a wide network of agents in and outside the country to increase competitiveness.

Hai stressed that beside the above-mentioned solutions, it is also important to find new markets. Vinalines will also pay heed to investing in development of inland container depots (ICD) and distribution depots in strategic locations, towards forming a chain of services and key ports, towards attracting businesses to participate in activities and providing package services to customers, Hai said.

According to the Vietnam Maritime Department, 300,000 enterprises have registered to operate in logistics-related fields in the country, with 1,300 of them being providers of maritime and logistics service. Vietnam is home to about 30 transnational logistics businesses.

Vinalines is a State-owned enterprise engaging in shipping, port management, maritime services and logistics in Vietnam and abroad.

The firm reported that more than 106 million tonnes of goods were shipped via its port network last year, 6.3 percent more than in 2018. Its vessels transported 23 million tonnes of cargo, up 11.6 percent against the previous year.

By the end of 2019, Vinalines' consolidated revenue was estimated at more than 12.4 trillion VND (518 million USD), 6 percent above the 2018 figure, while its profit reached 669 billion VND.