Previously, the cost of transporting goods by road from Hai Phong to Bac Ninh was about 4 million VND/container, and by waterway was about 3.4 million VND/container. After Hai Phong City decided to reduce fees, enterprises saved about 250,000 VND for a 40-foot container. Estimations show that annually, there are about 80,000 TEUs and 3.5 million tons of export and import goods through the Hai Phong seaport by inland waterway vessels. The fee reduction will save about 40 billion VND a year.

Last August, the total output of goods through the Hai Phong seaport was estimated at more than 8,600 tons, more than 1,300 tons of which goods are through the port by inland waterway vessels, an increase of 138% over the same period.

Hai Phong officially applies a policy of reducing 50% of seaport infrastructure fees for goods transported by inland waterway vessels, which not only creates convenience for businesses but also serves as a boost, a driving force for growth in waterway transport, bringing both immediate and long-term benefits. According to the experts, barge transportation can cut emissions by up to 75% compared to inland transport, thus relieving traffic pressure from northern provinces to Hai Phong City./.