SP-SSA International Terminal welcomes ZIM WILMINGTON

The vessel docked at SP-SSA International Terminal (SSIT) in Vietnam's southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau. The service is operated by Mediterranean Shipping Company SA and ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd.

The M/V ZIM WILMINGTON. Photo: MoC

The ZIM WILMINGTON is one of 12 vessels in a fleet deployed on a new service run by Lone Star Express/ZSL, directly connecting cargo flow from Vietnam and East Asia with US East Coast ports and Singapore.

The event was a strategic step in the context of Vietnam's strong growth in exports to the United States.

According to the General Statistics Office, in the first four months of 2025, the United States was Vietnam's largest export market, with a turnover of $43.4 billion, up 13 per cent on-year. This growth has resulted in demands for new services between the two countries, such as MSC and Zim's Lone Star Express/ZSL.

With the advantage of optimizing delivery time, this new route will enhance capacity to align with market demands and bring significant benefits to consumers in the US and globally.

“SSIT greatly appreciates the trust of MSC and ZIM, in particular, and Benoit de Quillacq, MSC Vietnam's managing director, and Fernando De La Ros, ZIM Vietnam's managing director, and the MSC and ZIM teams in allocating this new container service to SSIT for cargo handling, thus promoting the increasingly prosperous trade relations between Vietnam and the US,” said Phan Hoang Vu, general director of SSIT.

“SSIT will strive to improve its world-class service, being one of the largest deep-sea terminals in the country and making an important contribution to the development of the Cai Mep region and the Vietnam seaport system,” he added.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau to become a global logistics hub The southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau has implemented solutions to modernize its seaports and logistics infrastructure, as well as improve its investment climate by streamlining its administrative procedures in the hope of attracting further investment.

Ports poised for more growth amid ferocious competition Marine transportation is currently navigating turbulent times. Patrick Lenain, senior associate at the Council on Economic Policies, notes how Vietnam's ports are ready for progress amid the fierce competition.

Big players keen on port development Vietnam's port sector is gaining traction as both local and foreign companies seek to invest in new ports to capitalize on increasing cargo throughput.