1. Empty Containers – An “Untapped Goldmine”
Empty containers are shipping containers that do not contain any cargo and are awaiting their next use or need to be relocated for reuse. This situation often arises due to imbalances in import and export flows between different regions.
In the world of logistics and supply chains, containers are indispensable tools, playing a crucial role in cross-border freight transportation. However, a significant issue is that millions of empty containers are either wasted or moved inefficiently, resulting in considerable economic and environmental losses.
Statistics show that more than 30% of containers moving worldwide are empty, which not only increases transportation costs but also puts immense pressure on infrastructure, ports, and the environment. Especially in the context of container shortages following the COVID-19 pandemic, reusing empty containers is not only a cost-saving measure but also a sustainable development strategy. Additionally, if shipping companies, ports, and supply chains can effectively utilize empty containers, they can enhance operational efficiency and significantly reduce long-term costs.
2. Benefits of Optimizing Empty Containers
Reusing empty containers provides numerous benefits to stakeholders across the supply chain, including shipping lines, import-export businesses, and logistics service providers:
Cost Savings in Transportation: Instead of moving empty containers from one place to another, businesses can utilize them on-site, reducing operational expenses. This is especially crucial for trade routes with trade imbalances, where imports exceed exports or vice versa.
Reduced Congestion at Ports and in Transportation Systems: Empty containers account for a significant portion of transport flows. Reducing inefficient container movement helps ease congestion at ports and on roads. This is particularly important for high-traffic ports such as Hai Phong Port and Cat Lai Port (Ho Chi Minh City), where tens of thousands of containers move daily.
Lower Carbon Emissions: Reducing unnecessary movements of empty containers contributes to environmental protection and lowers CO₂ emissions. Major shipping companies such as Maersk, MSC, and CMA CGM have already implemented strategies to optimize empty containers to move towards sustainable transport and reduce harmful emissions.
Maximizing Container Lifespan: A container has an average lifespan of about 15 years, but if not reused efficiently, its actual usage time may be much shorter, leading to resource wastage. Particularly, with container prices rising in recent years, efficiently using empty containers is a solution that helps businesses significantly cut investment costs.
3. Vietnam and the Challenge of Empty Containers
Despite Vietnam’s strong port development, the management of empty containers still faces many challenges. According to data from the Vietnam Logistics Business Association (VLA), only about 1.5% of imported containers are immediately reused for exports. This means that most empty containers have to be returned to storage yards or transported elsewhere before re-entering the supply chain, leading to significant waste.
The key reasons for this situation include:
Lack of a Unified Data Connection Platform: The fragmentation of data among import-export businesses, shipping lines, and ports makes it inefficient to coordinate empty containers, preventing companies from utilizing available containers effectively.
High Storage Costs: Many businesses are reluctant to keep empty containers for too long due to high storage costs. Vietnam’s container yard system is not yet fully optimized, and rising storage fees continually increase overall logistics costs.
Lack of Flexibility in Operations: Many companies still do not have strategies for optimizing empty containers. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in particular, often lack the resources to invest in technology or effective container management processes.
4. International Best Practices for Reusing Empty Containers
Many countries have successfully optimized empty containers and achieved significant results:
United States: Digital platforms such as xChange allow businesses to easily connect and exchange empty containers among partners, minimizing storage time. This is an effective solution helping logistics companies and shipping lines significantly cut costs.
Singapore: The country has implemented a “smart port” model, utilizing AI to analyze container data and suggest optimal reuse strategies. Singapore also has a strong infrastructure network connecting logistics businesses, helping to optimize empty container transport.
Netherlands: Transport companies at the Port of Rotterdam use a “match-back” model, where an empty container from one route is immediately allocated to a new shipment to avoid wasteful movement. This approach has helped reduce operational costs by up to 20% for businesses using logistics services at the port.
5. Solutions for Vietnam: Technology as the Key
To address the issue of empty containers in Vietnam, breakthrough solutions are needed:
Develop a Shared Empty Container Platform: A unified system connecting shipping lines, ports, and logistics businesses to maximize the use of empty containers within the country.
Apply AI and Big Data: These technologies can help forecast container demand and optimize movement flows, minimizing unnecessary empty trips.
Public-Private Partnership in Logistics Infrastructure Development: The government should support businesses with policies encouraging empty container reuse, such as tax reductions or financial assistance.
Promote the “Match-Back Logistics” Model: Utilize empty containers immediately for other transport routes, minimizing costs and storage time.
6. Conclusion: Immediate Action for Lasting Change
Reusing empty containers not only brings economic benefits but also reduces negative environmental impacts and enhances supply chain efficiency. This is not just a trend but an urgent requirement in the modern logistics industry. If implemented effectively, Vietnam can optimize its supply chain, improve competitiveness, and create sustainable value for the entire sector.
Source: Transport Newspaper
