CAT LAI PORT TO HANDLE 1.6 MILLION TONS OF CARGO OVER TET

Delegates perform the ritual to officially launch the first cargo handling operations of the Year of the Horse 2026 at Tan Cang - Cat Lai Port in HCMC - PHOTO: VNA

HCMC – On Lunar New Year’s Eve (Feb. 16), Tan Cang–Cat Lai Port in HCMC processed approximately 11,200 TEUs, equivalent to 155,000 tons of goods, marking a strong start to Lunar New Year operations with a combined throughput of 1.6 million tons of cargo.

Following this start, the Marine Economic Corps (Corps 20) under Saigon Newport Corporation (SNP) officially launched its first cargo handling ceremony for the Year of the Horse 2026 on the night of Feb. 16. During the transition, the port welcomed seven container vessels, with the first shipment consisting of electronic components loaded onto the vessel Ever Brave.

The Ever Brave, operated by Evergreen Line, has a deadweight of 36,972 tons and a capacity of nearly 3,000 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units). Its route spans Cat Lai (Vietnam), Laem Chabang (Thailand), Singapore, Port Kelang (Malaysia), and onward to Chennai and Vizag (India). The shipment of electronic components highlights a key export sector that helped drive HCMC’s total export turnover to more than US$98 billion in 2025.

To ensure smooth operations during the Tet holidays, more than 1,000 employees per shift are stationed at Cat Lai to manage production and serve import-export clients. The port is expected to handle 70 vessels during the holiday period, with a projected throughput of 112,000 TEUs, or nearly 1.6 million tons of cargo.

Major General Ngo Minh Thuan, Commander of Corps 20, said that in 2026 the corporation aims for a 12% increase in revenue and profit, with labor productivity rising by more than 8.5%. The logistics segment, in particular, is targeted to grow by over 20%. The company’s strategy remains focused on five core business pillars: port operations, logistics, maritime services, free trade zone investment, and renewable energy.

In 2025, the corporation’s total container throughput reached 11.4 million TEUs, equivalent to nearly 160 million tons of cargo, contributing significantly to the national budget.

Speaking at the event, Bui Xuan Cuong, vice chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee, said the city will accelerate infrastructure projects—including Ring Road 3, the Ben Luc–Long Thanh Expressway, and the An Phu and My Thuy intersections—all scheduled for completion in 2026. These projects are expected to form strategic transport corridors, ease gateway congestion, and enhance trade capacity.

The very first containers being loaded onto the container vessel in the Year of the Horse – PHOTO: VNA

In the longer term, the development of Ring Road 4 and dedicated roads linking Cat Lai and Phu Huu ports will further strengthen the competitiveness of the Southern Key Economic Region, supporting the city’s goal of achieving more than 10% growth in 2026.

During the ceremony, Corps 20–SNP also donated VND5.4 billion (US$200,000) to the HCMC Fund for the Poor, the national sea and islands fund, and local communities.

Source: The Saigon Times