Unlocking the Potential: THILOGI’s Endeavor to Revolutionize Official Durian Exports Through Chu Lai Port

Rising Durian Exports

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports reached $3.4 billion in the first half of 2024, a 28% increase compared to the same period last year. Durian, a popular tropical fruit, has been a significant contributor to this growth, with exports reaching $1.32 billion, a 45% increase year-on-year. The Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association predicts that durian exports will continue to rise in the coming months as the main harvesting season begins in the Central Highlands, the largest durian-producing region in the country.

Additionally, durian prices have remained high since July due to the end of the harvesting season in Thailand, which has reduced the supply in the market. Meanwhile, Vietnamese durian has a competitive advantage as it can be produced year-round thanks to advanced cultivation techniques that allow for staggered planting and prolonged harvesting periods. This has enabled Vietnam to become the second-largest fresh durian supplier to China in less than two years since gaining market access.

Durian fruits ready for export

Currently, durian is mainly transported and exported by road through northern border gates such as Tan Thanh, Huu Nghi, Chi Ma (Lang Son), and Mong Cai (Quang Ninh). However, during peak seasons, these border gates often experience congestion, resulting in prolonged transportation times that affect the quality of the fruit and reduce their competitiveness in the market. This presents a challenge for agricultural product exporters, especially those dealing with perishable goods like fruits, and with production areas located in the South-Central, Central, and Central Highlands regions, which are far from the border gates.

Recognizing the vast potential in the market, THILOGI has stepped up its logistics services to facilitate the official export of durian to China through the Chu Lai International Seaport. By implementing comprehensive solutions to enhance service quality, Chu Lai Port is establishing itself as a dedicated container port for refrigerated goods, particularly fresh fruit exports. This addresses the challenges of logistics costs and increases the competitiveness of Vietnamese agricultural products in the international market.

Enhancing Logistics Capacity to Support Durian Exports

THILOGI has been working closely with key durian exporters in provinces like Dak Lak, Dak Nong, and Gia Lai to understand their needs and provide tailored solutions for exporting through Chu Lai Port. The company offers a range of services focused on ensuring the technical requirements for durian preservation during transportation, reducing transit time, and optimizing costs.

Durian exports at Chu Lai Port

Additionally, Chu Lai Port assists customers with obtaining necessary certifications, such as the Certificate of Origin (using the pure origin criterion – WO, and the origin criterion of the manufacturer/domestic raw material supplier), phytosanitary certificates for export (issued at Chu Lai Port), and coordination for pesticide residue checks at import ports in China (Shekou, Xiamen, Nansha, Xinsha, and Huangpu).

As a large-scale logistics company, THILOGI possesses several advantages, including a well-established fixed and continuous intermodal transport network, a nationwide depot and warehouse system, and transportation routes connecting the entire Central Highlands region, southern Laos, and northern Cambodia to the East-West Economic Corridor and Chu Lai Port for exports to Northeast Asian countries. With a fleet of over 200 tractor units and a modern system of refrigerated containers (40 and 45 feet) and cold storage facilities built to international standards at Chu Lai Port (covering an area of over 12,500 square meters and capable of accommodating 1,000 refrigerated containers), THILOGI is well-equipped to meet the export, storage, and preservation requirements of its customers.

“We focus on exploiting multimodal transport models and providing a full range of export, quarantine, customs declaration, warehousing, and preservation services to create convenience and cost savings for customers,” said Mr. Bui Tran Nhan Tri, Deputy General Director of Business at THILOGI. “By doing so, we aim to enhance the value of Vietnamese durian exports and facilitate their access to major markets like China, South Korea, and Japan.”

Chu Lai Port welcomes new international shipping lines

In late August 2024, Chu Lai Port will welcome additional international shipping lines, increasing the frequency of foreign vessel calls to four sailings per week. This development will help stabilize transportation costs, provide more options for shipping lines, and further reduce transportation costs for businesses.