During recent 9^th Da Nang Urban Development Forum in Japanese city of Yokohama, a delegation from Da Nang met with representatives from the Ports and Haburs Bureau in Yokohama, the Yokohama-Kawasaki International Port Corporation (YKIP) and Yokohama Port Corporation in order to discuss port management models.

Mr Bui Hong Trung, the Deputy Director of the municpal Department of Transport introducing the Japanese hosts to the public transport system in Da Nang

The Port of Yokohama is one of Japan’s 5 biggest container ports, along with Tokyo, Kobe, Nagoya and Osaka. The port consists of 3 piers: Minami Honmoku, Honmoku and Daikoku, all of which are operated under the landlord port model.

The landlord port is the dominant port model in larger and medium-sized ports. In the landlord port model, infrastructure is leased to private operating companies or to industries such as refineries, tank terminals, and chemical plants.

In particular, the Yokohama city’s government owns the entire land, seaport waters, and directly manages this port through the Yokohama Port Authority, and organises the planning and construction of the entire infrastructure.

The port’s operation activities are carried out by YKIP, a port operating company designated by the Japanese Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

After being designated as the port operating company, YKIP receives investments from the national government, the City of Yokohama, the City of Kawasaki and other private businesses.

YKIP offers services, namely operation and development planning for the container terminals at the ports  of Yokohama and Kawasaki; development of port facilities utilizing interest-free loans; integrated  lease  out  of terminal  facilities owned  by the national  government, the port  management body and Yokohama Port Corporation to lessees; and formulation and implementation of plans concerning port-related sales promotional activities such as cargo collection.

According to Ms Le Thi Kim Phuong, the Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Planning and Investment, representatives of Yokohama City have firmly grasped the real situation and port development needs in Da Nang, and will continue to assist the Vietnamese city in building an effective port government model.

In particular, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) also expressed its support for the bilateral cooperation programme between the two cities regarding port development plans.

Representatives of JICA Tokyo will discuss more details with the Da Nang authorities during their upcoming trip to Viet Nam.

The Politburo has agreed about the policy of piloting the model of a unified port authority in Da Nang in the advanced and modern direction, in accordance with international practices.