HIGH REVENUE, RECORDED THROUGHPUT

            In order to deal with daily difficulties and problems just arising in 2009, Saigon port has implemented many strategies such as changing cargoes structures, types of cargoes and increasingly applying advanced technology, upgrading operational and management processes of strategic cargoes: domestic containers, metal, bulk/bagging cargoes, rice and transshipment river sand, exports...thus, there has been a significant increase in throughput. The business result is projected to reach over 14 millions ton cargoes in 2009, setting new record for Saigon port and utilizing Saigon port's nearly full capacity after the modernization program using ADB's loan since 2000! Together with the decisive strategies, Saigon port also utilizes its infrastructures, offices, warehouses, yards, project land⬦so the revenue of 2009 continually reach over 1.000 billions dong, nearly the planed revenue for 2009, being the highest turnover until presence. Therefore, profits and contributions to the State's budget exceed the planned standard.  Saigon port is in the progress of intensely preparing for the tasks of building new seaport systems, moving, reconversion; however still tries to utilize the current resources; as a result, it achieved good growth in production scheduled figures in 2007, 2008 and 2009 and also cared for the living standard of workers. This is significant for Saigon port's stabilization and eagerly reaching to the sea.

CONSOLIDATING INTERNAL FORCES

In 2009, initially, Saigon port efficiently developed the new management model - Saigon port Company Limited with many basic changes and importantly it is authorized to be active in many aspects; particularly the investment in activities of business and production, the new organization structure is fully done and well operated, based on re-organising departments, business clues toward focusing on specialty and professional competence. Saigon port equitized 2 subsidiaries and is preparing to equitize other 3 branches, step by step carrying out the policy of conversing business activities to the model of parent company ⬠subsidiary company; in the mean time, incessantly develops the functional role of Saigon Port Center of Real Estate by using land for business, current infrastructures more efficiently with the purpose of participating in real estate business market, creating premise for expanding business production scale toward multi-industries and multi-fields of Saigon port.

           
The model of separating stevedoring services from the port and establishing new company specializing in handling cargoes and providing related services is gradually completed. At the presence, the management of human resources and means of cargo handling become more flexible and effective. In the coming years, Saigon port owns an enterprise specializing in cargo handling and related services supplying which is strong enough to serve new-established seaports.

Coming to 2010, with the forecasted challenges due to global financial crisis and economic recession still directly affecting to Vietnamâ¬"s economy, the General Director Le Cong Minh said that Saigon port strives for overcoming difficulties, well completing the business scheduled figures and improving the living standard and stabilizing incomes of laborers. In which, the main role of Saigon port in 2010 is to continually stabilize production and intensely exploit capacity of material facilities, equipments being invested at current port areas: hastening the progress of projects, putting new port projects at Hiep Phuoc and Cai Mep - Thi Vai into operation to serve for the moving and development of the port; transferring subsidiary units to joint-stock companies having share capital governed by Saigon port and continually changing Saigon port to the model of parent/subsidiary company.

REACHING TO THE SEA

On 16/05/2009, Saigon port started construction of Saigon - Hiep Phuoc port at the urban industrial zone Hiep Phuoc port, Nha Be district, Ho Chi Minh city, which is a destination of Nha Rong - Khanh Hoi port. In the first stage, the construction is worked on the area of 54 ha, having 3 wharves of 800m length and annual estimated throughput of 8.7 millions ton. Saigon port strives to put the first 200m wharf into operation at the end of 2010 and plans to build the second stage of 1000m wharves⬦with the capacity of handling 10 millions ton cargoes per year. At Hiep Phuoc, Saigon port still concentrates on developing types of handling cargoes in bulk such as fertilizer, manioc, cassava and other agricultural products. The handling of these kinds of cargoes does not bring to the port a lot of profits however it essentially serves for the demand of production, export/import of people, especially for the Mekong Delta area. There is a wide river namely Soai Rap serving for this port area, which was dredged -8.5m, then -9.5m and -12m in the coming time and road traffic routes connected to this port area are also being built; therefore Saigon port has better conditions to develop its roles and functions in nearly 150 years of operating within the city. Besides Hiep Phuoc, Saigon port forms joint-venture, associates with partners inside and outside the country having financial capability, experience in seaport operation and stable cargo sources to build deep water seaports and significant container ports at Cai Mep - Thi Vai (Ba Ria - Vung Tau). This aims to meet the development demand in the future of the Southern focal economic areas and attract transshipment cargoes from countries in the region. They are International Port SP-PSA (joint-venture of Saigon port and PSA - Singapore and Vinalines) having handling capacity of 1.500.000 TEUs/year after 2 stages of construction, Cai Mep International Port (CMIT) including 3 partners: Saigon Port - Vinalines - Maersk Group (Denmark) with the handling capacity of 1.050.000 TEUs/year. SP-SSA International Container Port including 3 partners: Saigon Port - American SSA Company - Vinalines with the handling capacity of 1.100.000 TEUs/year. At the end of May 2009, the first 600m wharf of SP-PSA has been put into operation, which can accommodate 80.000 - 100.000 DWT vessels and achieves turn-around time of advanced seaports.

Mr.Le Cong Minh - the General Director of Saigon port said that the port is determined to take advantage of opportunities of 2010, use employees' efforts and solidarity, promote emulation movement of production from the beginning days and months of new year, significantly contributing to the development of Vietnam National Shipping Lines and meeting the growth demand of Ho Chi Minh city and the Southern focal economic areas. From 2010, Saigon port has enough power and strength ready for reaching to sea.

            In the future, the seaport systems of Saigon port at Hiep Phuoc and Thi Vai - Cai Mep area would play an important role in developing seaport systems in Ho Chi Minh city and the Southern focal economic area, gradually reaching to the sea, proceeding the heroic history, building and developing the brand of Saigon port in the international economic integration period.

                                             CONG TOẠI