Container and warehouse shortages and surging container shipping costs have hit the textile and garment industry hard, insiders told a seminar in HCM City.

Speaking at the seminar organised by the Viet Nam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS) and Saigon Newport Corporation last Friday (December 10), Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai, deputy general secretary of the association, said container shortages and delays at ports are causing a headache for exporters and importers globally.

Delivery delays mean textile and garment businesses could have to pay compensation to buyers, she said.

Logistics costs threaten to affect Viet Nam’s economic competitiveness, particularly its textile and garment industry, she said.

Viet Nam needs to develop shipping lines for shipments to Europe and the US, which are large markets for its textile and garment businesses, making it less reliant on international shipping lines, she added.

Nguyen Thi My Le, deputy marketing director of Saigon Newport Corporation, said her company has made efforts to provide a full package of logistics services and solutions to help customers reduce costs.

Textiles are among the country’s major export items, and Saigon Newport accounted for their largest cargo throughput last month, she said.

Exports this year are estimated at US$39 billion, up 11.2 per cent, according to VITAS. — VNS