Thoroughly grasping the undertaking of combining economy with defence and defence with economy in the spirit of the Party’s 13th Congress, Saigon Newport Corporation is constantly renovating and innovating in performing the tasks to build itself a leading economic-defence group in Vietnam, a bright spot for combining economic development with defence and security assurance.
From a small business - a logistics and technical base and a bridgehead for gathering forces and vehicles, loading and unloading, transporting goods to support units in the southern sea and islands, and North - South military transporters, Saigon Newport Corporation has become a reputable enterprise, operating in multiple industries and trades - a typical example for economic-defence enterprises with successful integration and business operations.
During 32 years of construction and development (1989 - 2021), under the leadership and direction of the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defence, directly the Navy Party Committee and High Command, the attention of central ministries and branches, localities, and units inside and outside the Army, along with the trust of customers, the Corporation has been united and creative to overcome difficulties and strive to fulfill its tasks. It has developed and implemented the Strategy for sustainable production and business development to become one of the leading enterprises in the country in port operation and marine economic sectors and make a positive contribution to the cause of industrialisation, modernisation, and development of the country. In 2020, the Corporation ranked 19th among the largest container ports in the world, "Top 100 enterprises with sustainable development in 2020", “Top 5 leading logistics enterprises in Vietnam”, and several noble awards.
In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic inflicted heavy damage on the domestic economy, disrupted the supply chains, and sparked the global economic downturn, leading to fierce competition for the port operations, logistics, transportation, and marine economic sectors. Determining that the context was a "test" for the high competitiveness in production and business of Saigon Newport, the Corporation proactively and promptly built up production operation scenarios and plans to respond to different levels of the Covid-19 and quickly kicked start the modes for online information connection and online meeting with customers and shipping lines. At the same time, it deployed procedures for goods delivery, online payment, and digital signatures and applied flexible support policy packages to suit with each customer and shipping firm that contributes to maintaining the unit stability and ensuring smooth, safe, and uninterrupted production and business. To quickly release goods through ports, the Corporation invested in and applied strongly and effectively information technology to port management and operation, optimised piers and berths to receive container ships under long-term schedules and delayed ships, and limited the pier waiting time. It has also closely coordinated with Region 1 Saigon Newport Customs Sub-department in moving long-standing goods containers to Cat Lai Port and re-exporting containers that did not meet technical standards and with State management agencies in completing procedures for receiving large tonnage ships into ports, which contributed to improving the port operation capacity.
Besides, the Corporation promoted the development of logistics services in association with port areas, ICDs, depots, and transportation activities and expanded markets to Binh Duong, Tay Ninh, and the North. It also strengthened research, analysis, and assessment of domestic and international markets and customers and regularly updated customers’ information and situation to solve problems arising in E-port, Edo, Customs, etc. Moreover, it conducted a service quality survey in the whole system, well implemented regulations on organisation of marketing activities, and directly discussed and resolved outstanding issues to improve service quality and care and attract customers and shipping lines to use the Corporation’s logistics services, ports, and ICDs. It actively cooperated to expand services and successfully participate in large projects of transporting oversized, overloaded, super-sized, and super-weighted goods, improved competitiveness, and developed marine services to foreign markets. Accordingly, the Corporation successfully completed the production and business plan ten days ahead schedule to continue affirming its position as the number one container port operator in Vietnam with 62% market share of import and export containers nationwide.
The Corporation determines that military and defence task is not only the central political on but also a decisive condition for production and business activities of the unit. As the Corporation’s area of operation is being expanded, military and defence requirements and tasks to ensure security and order in the stationing area, seaport security, fire and explosion prevention and fighting, labour safety, traffic safety, maritime safety, etc.. are increasingly heavy and complicated. Meanwhile, units are tasked to both conduct production and business and be ready to perform BM and CV tasks. Therefore, the Corporation has always fully grasped the superiors’ resolutions, directives, orders, and instructions on military and defence task and developed and strictly implemented plans for military work and building of comprehensively strong "exemplary and typical" unit, combat training, etc. To fulfill the tasks well, first of all, the Corporation has reviewed to firmly grasp the internal political situation and ensure the standards of recruitment, especially the forces performing the BM and CV tasks. On that basis, it has improved professional qualifications and skills for cadres, soldiers, and employees and ensured nearly 100% of healthy soldiers to meet the requirements and tasks of military, defence, production, and business, under new development requirements. Along with that, the Corporation has focused on training patrol skills, practicing firefighting plans for IMO hazardous goods, developing and implementing a plan for coordinating with the Naval Region 2 in organising BM training on marine and island protection operations. It has also regularly reviewed, supplemented, and completed documents and plans on combat readiness, natural disaster prevention and mitigation, and search and rescue to suit local conditions and production and business tasks; and strictly maintained combat readiness shifts and crews with proper composition and capability for handling situations.
To build a solid all-people defence posture and sea-based people's security, the Corporation has proactively coordinated with the local Party Committees and authorities in propagating and mobilising people and fishermen to implement the Party's undertakings and lines and State's policies and laws, especially the contents related to the sea and islands. Thereby, it has enhanced awareness and created high consensus in marine economic development in association with firmly protecting national sovereignty, together with the people of the whole country, to contribute to protecting the sea and islands of the Fatherland. As the Corporation’s military ports and logistics and technical bases in strategic economic and defensive areas are dual-use to serve economic development in peacetime, it is convenient for implementing the task of protecting sovereignty over sea and islands in all situations. Along with that, the Corporation has effectively implemented the movement entitled "Saigon Military Port joins forces to build the new countryside and joins hands for the poor - No one is left behind”. It has also actively participated in the movement entitled "Gratitude repayment" with practical deeds, such as supporting monthly benefits, celebrating longevity anniversary, presenting gifts to 186 Vietnamese heroic mothers, assisting policy families and meritorious people, and helping people eradicate hunger and reduce poverty and prevent, combat, and overcome consequences of natural disasters to contribute to economic development, social security and consolidating, strengthening, and building a solid "people's heart-and-mind posture" in the locality.
Promoting the achieved results, the cadres, soldiers, and employees of Saigon Newport Corporation continue striving to successfully implement the vision and mission to become a Vietnam's leading economic-defence-security group in the field of marine economy and logistics services. At the same time, it will remain a bright spot for combining economic development with strengthening defence and security to contribute to successfully implementing the Strategy for sustainable Vietnam marine economic development to 2030 and vision to 2045 as determined by the Party.
Senior Colonel PHAM VAN PHEN, Secretary of the Party Committee, Deputy General Director