Ship of world’s largest container shipping company docks at Cai Lan port

Marshall Islands-flagged Synergy Busan, with a loading capacity of over 50,000 tonnes, docks at Cai Lan port in the northern province of Quang Ninh. (Photo: VNA)

The ship, which carried over 2,000 empty containers, is on one of the two pilot trips to be operated by Maersk Lines to evaluate the economic efficiency towards the opening of an international container route to Cai Lan port in the future.

To shorten the time for procedures, the People’s Committee of Quang Ninh province has allowed relevant agencies to perform quick COVID-19 test for all crew members instead of PCR tests. However, they must ensure that there would be no direct contact between the ship’s crew members and people on shore. Other vessels are also not allowed to dock alongside the ship.

The fact that ships from the world’s largest container shipping company arriving at CICT  is a positive signal that Quang Ninh can exploit the advantages of a large deep-water port in the northern region.

Frank Van Rompaey, General Director of Cai Lan International Container Terminal Co. Ltd said MAERSK’s container ships used to dock at the port because large ships cannot go to other ports in the area, adding that Quang Ninh province should take this advantage to attract investment and increase local competitiveness.

He said that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused difficulties for countries all over the world but Quang Ninh province has excelled in containing it with the adoption of strict measures.

According to Rompaey, once international container ship routes through Cai Lan port are set up, connecting with major markets in the world, especially Europe, the United States, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea and ASEAN, many great opportunities will be opened up for import and export, investment attraction and production development in the locality./