Asia/Pacific News
Deeper Channel Opens for Vietnam Port
DP World says a new channel to its Saigon Premier Container Terminal (SPCT) in Hồ Chí Minh City, Vietnam officially opened Monday, cutting steaming time in half and helping vessels save on fuel costs.
The 30,832 deadweight tonne (dwt) MSC vessel Xutra Bhum, with a capacity of 2,378 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), sailed the 54 kilometer channel on the Soai Rap River in a ceremony to mark the opening.
The new channel has a draft of 9.5 meters and a tidal rise of up to 3.4 meters, doubling the size of vessels that can get to the SPCT to 50,000 dwt and allowing Panamax vessels access to the port.
"The new Soai Rap channel will make an enormous difference to us and to our customers, allowing cargo to be moved more efficiently, saving both time and money," said Boris Cohen, Vietnam general director for MSC.
"MSC is proud to be the first shipping line navigating this important new channel."
DP World noted last year that the rising size of vessels is putting more pressure on ports worldwide to accommodate larger ships.
