The port of Quy Nhon launches a direct transport service to Northeast Asia. — Photo cafef.vn

The port of Quy Nhon launched a direct transport service to Northeast Asia on Wednesday.

Ho Lien Nam, head of the port’s sales department told Vietnam News Agency that to expand production and business, the port has opened many new transport service routes, including a route from Quy Nhon port to Northeast Asia, connecting central Viet Nam with South Korea, Japan and China.

Nam said: “The volume of goods between Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia has grown and a direct service route from Quy Nhon port to these areas holds a lot of potential.”

He said without a direct route, normally 60 per cent of goods from the port, included timber, compressed wood pellets and tapioca starch, as well as high-value items such as frozen fruit, have not been transferred directly.

They must go through Singapore before entering Northeast Asia, extending transportation time, adding shipping costs and reducing the value of specific export items such as fresh fruit.

Nam said: "Therefore, a direct route will solve the above shortcomings and open up ways to exploit a new market for the port."

Nam estimated that the service will transport about 1,400 containers, equivalent to about 17,000-19,000 tonnes of goods each month. The port planned to run the route once a week now and increase to twice a week by the middle of August.

According to the Viet Nam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines), the route was very important and a new development stage for the central region and also for Binh Dinh Province to develop the market in North Asia by reducing time and transportation costs as well as increasing its competitiveness in the region.

Vinalisnes’ leaders also said: “The route will bring many benefits to import-export enterprises.”

After officially belonging to Vinalines since last June after buying shares from Hop Thanh Mineral Joint Stock Company, Quy Nhon Port maintained good growth thanks to its petrol and oil supply service, and logistics services.

In the first quarter of 2020, the volume of goods handled through the port reached more than 2.4 million tonnes, up 14 per cent over the same period of 2019. In the same period, the port’s revenue reached VND212 billion (US$9 million), an increase of 18 per cent compared to the same period of 2019. — VNS