Cargo is being loaded on containerized vessels at Quy Nhon Port. Photo by L.Q

In spite of long-lasting rains in January 2007, the port served 115 turns of ship transportation including comings and goings of 41 foreign vessels. Volume of cargo transported via Quy Nhon Port was up to 320,000 tons in which 136,000 tons was of export goods, 107,000 tons of import goods and the rest 77,000 tons of domestic goods. Volume of containerized goods through the port was at 9,400 TEU. Average 17,501 tons of cargo was handled each day. Last month saw the highest volume of cargo that the port had achieved so far.

The January 2007 also witnessed a big event- successful entrance of Barbados Federal Saguenay vessel with 11,000 tons of kali fertilizer to the port. The Federal Saguenay has been the ever biggest vessel (200m in length and 36,000 DWT in tonnage) to Quy Nhon Port until now. The port’s Centre of Cargo Controlling assigned its stevedores and laid down its facilities to discharge the fertilizer within 4 days, 2 days earlier than schedule. “This is the first time we have arrived Quy Nhon Port. Before our departure from a Sait Peterbourg Port in Russia, we had been informed that passages, nautical buoy system and berths of the port weren’t good enough. However, what we witness with our eyes here turns out to be totally different. I am very impressed by infrastructure of the port, hard working spirit of the port workers and management capability of Director Board as well as the Cargo Controlling Centre ” said Capt. Kazi Sikander Mushitaqal.

This achievement proves the fact that Quy Nhon Port is capable of handling heavy-tonnage vessels. In order to get such record, in 2006, Quy Nhon Port invested VND 64 billion (USD 4 million) worth of its equity in buy of new equipments such as a 100-ton crane with multi-functional wheels, in upgrading infrastructure, in expanding its warehouses and storage yards, etc., let alone other previous investments. In January 2007, the port bought two 40-feet automatic spreaders at total VND 1 billion (6.250 USD) to facilitate quick release of the vessels as containerized import-export goods has increased more and more. 

Good news in the beginning of 2007 in fact encourages the port’s staff a lot to fulfil their planned tasks of the year. Besides successful application of ISO 9001:2000 quality management system, new staff recruitment, capacity strenghthening trainings for the staff, application of IT in business have been expedited. The port often promotes emulation movements of quick vessel handling, high labour productivity, initiatives of technical improvement and logicised production. It expects to reach its 2.9-ton target volume of of cargo transported via the port in 2007.

• Reported by Le Quang
• Transported by To Uyen