The Administration has urgently recommended that the Ministry of Finance review and revise Circular No. 203/2014/TT-BTC, which guides handling the backlog of containers at ports to streamline procedures and reduce related processes so that containers stuck at ports for over 90 days can be cleared.
According to the Vietnam Maritime Administration’s records, the number of containers backlogged for more than 90 days in Vietnamese port areas has exceeded 7,650 ones in major ports in Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Da Nang, and Vung Tau. The backlog leads to additional costs for storage and reduces the customs clearance capacity of Vietnamese seaports.
Specifically, there are approximately 5,800 containers in backlog in the Ho Chi Minh City port area while the Northern city of Hai Phong has around 1,500 containers, Da Nang has 186 containers, and Vung Tau has 120 containers. Among these, 3,100 containers have been stuck for over 3 years, 1,240 containers for 1-3 years, and 3,200 containers for less than a year. There are also 1,000 scrap containers and 450 containers containing frozen items.
The Vietnam Maritime Administration identifies several reasons for the container backlog including dissolved or bankrupt shipping companies and cases where cargo owners refuse to accept shipments or cargo owners can't be contacted.
However, handling backlogged cargo poses challenges related to inspection, counting, and processing. For instance, some containers have completed procedures and undergone auctions, but buyers refuse to purchase them due to excessively high valuations. Other containers are listed in violation categories; therefore, they are kept at ports following investigative agency requirements, yet there is still no information on their resolution.
To soon clear backlogged cargo, the Vietnam Maritime Administration recommends that the Ministry of Finance and the General Department of Vietnam Customs provide guidance to relevant units on allocating financial resources and personnel. This will help accelerate the processing timeline, facilitate the timely release of port yards, and reclaim empty containers.
Additionally, the Vietnam Maritime Administration suggests revising Circular No. 203/2014/TT-BTC to reduce procedural complexity and related paperwork.
