Speaking at the 6th Asean Ports and Shipping conference, Mr Hoogwaerts added: “We hardly make our schedule for Singapore. Too much cargo sits in the port for too long a time here in Vietnam; terminals are not storage areas.”

Martin Gaard Christiansen, vice president Asia and Oceania region, APM Terminals, blamed a lack of infrastructure outside the gate for congestion, while OOCL Vietnam managing director Michael Xu acknowledged “certain challenges” that the country’s ports will face over the next two years.

Vietnam is in the throes of an ambitious port expansion plan, adding capacity at its existing ports and developing deepwater river ports in the Southern Cai Mep area.  

Ports acknowledge the problems and claim to have place pressure government to invest and improve traffic flow. Ho Kim Lan, secretary general of Vietnam Seaports Association, said: “Port and shipping development issues are on top of the agenda of our government and community to tackle relieving congestion and promoting the country economic development.”