Cut costs and strengthen the linkage of core solutions to improve the efficiency and quality of logistics services in Vietnam. This is the opinion of experts at the "Workshop on improving the efficiency of logistics services in Vietnam" by the Trade Promotion and Investment Center of Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh City (ITPC) held on 1/2.
Dao Trong Khoa, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Logistics Services said at the seminar.
Fast growth but many inadequacies
Dao Trong Khoa, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Logistics Service Enterprises, said that logistics is one of the most important service sectors, deciding the circulation of the entire chain of production - distribution of goods in the background. economy. Along with the economic prosperity in recent years, logistics industry in Vietnam is also growing rapidly with a growth rate of 15-16% per year and contribute about 3% to GDP of the country.
However, according to Dao Trong Khoa, logistics costs in Vietnam are still high compared to many other countries in the region and the world (equivalent to 20% of the country's gross domestic product) due to the cost of freight transportation. Roads too high, surcharges at seaports that foreign ship owners collect from Vietnamese goods owners. In addition, the quality of service is not stable, the level of management, application of information technology and quality of human resources in the industry is limited.
Ms. Pham Thi Thuy Van, Deputy Director of Marketing of Saigon Newport Corporation analyzed the logistics infrastructure including transport network, port system, internal clearance point (ICD) Depot ... The fact is that logistics facilities for logistics now only concentrated in certain areas. Typically in HCMC. The logistics service centers are also located around Cat Lai Port, IDCs in Thu Duc area, Depot in Song Than, Linh Trung and Pho areas. Dong Nai bridge. This concentration puts great pressure on traffic systems, congestion, traffic jams that often increase the costs incurred for businesses.
According to Pham Thi Thuy Van, the essence of logistics is the linkage between localities, regions and countries, but in Vietnam, each locality has its own strategy of developing its own logistics. Zoned domain. The lack of a common logistics development plan in the region also leads to a lack of consistency in management, investment and the application of legal regulations among localities.
In addition, the inadequacies in specialized management are also affecting the logistics operation in particular and the process of goods circulation of enterprises in general. In spite of the fact that the goods have been processed electronically, they are simple and fast but the specialized inspection procedures are complicated and overlapping among different functional agencies. The rate of goods subject to specialized inspection is still too great, which causes a lot of manpower, cost and time of both enterprises and management agencies.
Cut costs and strengthen links
Business representatives exchange at the seminar.
To improve the efficiency of logistics services, cut costs and strengthen linkages are the top two solutions recommended by experts. Dao Trong Khoa said that cutting freight charges is the first thing to do because this is the biggest factor affecting the total cost of logistics services and easy to create negative costs. Specifically, the state needs to cut official costs and transparency of BOT fees, removing the hidden costs of road transport. At the same time carry out restructuring of transport, improve the ability of transportation of cheap modes such as waterways, railways ...
At the same time, shippers associations need to fight with foreign shipping lines to eliminate the imposition of unreasonable charges on seaports to ensure fair competition for Vietnamese goods in the market. Foreign schools.
Regarding the association, Pham Thi Thuy Van said that the adjacent provinces and regions need to have a common action plan in the planning, building logistics centers and distributing concentrated area of the region. Infrastructure synchronization and can meet the needs of the broader market area.
The construction of centralized distribution also has an active role in increasing service quality and reducing inventory costs for businesses. However, prior to the construction of logistics centers and centralized distribution depots, there should be detailed research on the volume of cargo traffic, goods flow, vehicle lines, road systems, waterways and railways connected. to minimize overcrowding and traffic congestion, or to waste.
Pham Thi Bich Hue, Chairman of Long An International Port Board, said that the high costs associated with the quality of logistics services stem from the fact that most Vietnamese businesses are now Small businesses only operate at individual stages such as transport, warehouse rental, or customs registration. In addition, logistics logistics infrastructure is fragmented, lack of linkage, distances from depots to ICDs, seaports too far, which increases the cost and time of goods traffic. Therefore, to reduce costs and improve the efficiency of logistics services, the authorities should coordinate in the planning, development of synchronous infrastructure, more reasonable to shorten the transport distance .
Logistics companies need to actively apply information technology in managing, operating and training logistics supply chain, integrating logistics services with manufacturing, import and export to improve management capacity. and quality of service. Small businesses must strengthen their links to make good use of all resources and strengths of each enterprise to invest in the development of new package logistics services that can cut costs, improve service quality and step by step. Asserted prestige for customers.
In the context of the review, experts also recommended the establishment of a state-owned organization to manage logistics activities as well as to link with trade, import and export. At the same time, it is necessary to unify and clarify legal provisions governing the business of logictis services to facilitate trade and logistics activities and promote other economic sectors to develop.
Articles and photos: Xuan Anh (TTXVN)