Named “BRITANNIA,” this service represents a crucial development for Vietnam’s maritime sector. MSC, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, is renowned as the world’s largest shipping line and a leader in the global shipping and logistics industry.

MSC TOKYO is one of the vessels assigned to the BRITANNIA service, providing a direct link between Vietnam and Liverpool, with additional connections to major hubs in Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Hamburg. This unique corridor also extends to Scandinavia and Baltic destinations, offering an unprecedented connection from China and Vietnam to Liverpool. The BRITANNIA service is set to enhance trade routes between China, Vietnam, the UK, and Northwest Europe.

Currently, SSIT handles five weekly services, including one U.S. service and four intra-Asia services. Additionally, a new MSC intra-Asia service, “SAOLA,” will commence at SSIT in late July 2024.

Mr. Robert Hildebrand, General Director of SSIT, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to serve MSC, emphasizing the significance of this milestone for enhancing trade relations. “SSIT sincerely appreciates the opportunity to serve MSC with the commencement of the first direct European service in Vietnam. This is a significant milestone for MSC Vietnam, which further enhances trade between Vietnam, China, the UK, and several other countries within Northwest Europe,” he said. 

“SSIT will continue offering a premier ‘world-class service’ to MSC and all its customers. I would like to sincerely thank the entire MSC team, especially Mr. Benoit de Quillacq, Managing Director of MSC Vietnam, for their great support in allocating this new service to SSIT,” he added.

SSIT, a deep-sea terminal located in Cai Mep Thi Vai, Ba Ria Vung Tau province, was established in 2006 as a joint venture between SSA Marine, Vietnam Maritime Corporation (VIMC), and Saigon Port. It operates large container vessels up to 200,000 DWT and is equipped with modern container handling equipment, including some of the largest STS cranes in Vietnam. 

With a land area of 60 hectares and a 600-meter berth, SSIT also features a 435-meter specialized berth for handling barges that connect export and import goods from inland container depots and other terminals in Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, and Binh Duong areas to the Cai Mep area.

PV