According to the regulations of the Ministry of Transport, from 01-01-2013, foreign-flagged vessels shall not be permitted shipping on domestic routes. However, on the occasion of Lunar New Year 2013, this Ministry have still authorized foreign vessels to transport on domestic routes and this will be reduced from 01 April.

According to the regulations of the Ministry of Transport, from 01-01-2013, foreign-flagged vessels shall not be permitted shipping on domestic routes. However, on the occasion of Lunar New Year 2013, this Ministry have still authorized foreign vessels to transport on domestic routes and this will be reduced from 01 April.

In fact, licensing or not to vessels carrying foreign flags transport on inland routes does not affect the quantity of cargoes through the Cai Mep- Thi Vai port system. However, the operation of ports in Ba Ria – Vung Tau province shall be affected more or less. For loading and uploading cargoes for mother ships in Cai Mep - Thi Vai area, apart from collection of goods by road, transit through the sea in areas such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong ... through the system of inland ships also involved, according to Mr. Le Van Chien, Director of the Vung Tau Port Authority.

From the recommendations of seaport investors, the provincial People"s Committee requested the Ministry of Transport to temporarily allow a certain number of ships of foreign carriers participating in domestic consolidation to the Cai Mep – Thi Vai area, transporting transport empty carrier- owned-containers (COC) between ports in Vietnam in limitation.

According to the Vietnam Maritime Administration (Vinamarine), at present, out of 1,700 Vietnamese - flagged vessels operating on domestic routes, only 30 container ships, meeting about 30% of the demand for transport of goods, especially imports and exports. Foreign carriers account for 40% of domestic transport, the rest are transported by domestic vessels.

Together with licensing for foreign- flagged vessels docking at Cai Mep - Thi Vai area, Vinamarine announced that if foreign carriers required the licensed domestic container shipping, it may consider the license for a period not exceeding 6 months. The vessels to be considered licensing including foreign vessels transport consolidation directly to mother ships in Cai Mep - Thi Vai area (Ba Ria - Vung Tau license up to 7 ships (according to the first come first served), issuance of certificates to a number of carriers wishing to transport COC, the vessel carrying on routes without Vietnamese ship services, license renewal.

Earlier, the Ministry of Transport had a written notice for not permitting foreign ships with containers transport on inland routes in order to gain the market share for the domestic fleet. According to opinions of a number of enterprises, the domestic fleet has very much limition, no commitment to keep freight rates, no assurance for loading and uploading schedule, large vessels cannot cosolidate in many ports in the North and Central Vietnam.