Vietnam Transshipment Operations Kick Off

On November 12, 2017, the Babycape Richard Oldendorff arrived at the Go Gia buoys in South Vietnam with the largest ever bulk cargo to be discharged in Vietnam.

The 118,532 dwt bulker berthed at the transhipment platform Lena with a cargo of about 115,000 mt to unload a part cargo of 74,634 mt of coal into lighters for South Vietnam clients with restricted draft ports.

After lightering in South Vietnam, the 2011-built Richard Oldendorff will proceed to Campha port in North Vietnam to discharge the remaining 40,000 mt of coal on-board, according to Oldendorff.

The Vietnam transshipment operation is a 3-partner alliance between Welhunt, a commodity trader, Oldendorff Carriers, an ocean transportation company, and Haivan Shipping Services Corporation (Haivanship), a provider of Vietnam domestic waterway transportation services. The alliance is set up to provide bulk delivery service to power stations and industrial users in South Vietnam.

As explained, Vietnam has a fast growing demand for imported coal due to the current and planned construction of coal fired power stations. The power stations are being built in clusters at ports on the Mekong River delta that have restricted draft.