Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 5, 1994 TAG: 9402050037
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium
Vietnam "is going to be considered a port by many ship lines, and that will give us access to that part of the world," said Joseph Dorto, general manager and chief executive of Virginia International Terminals. VIT manages docks in Norfolk, Portsmouth and Newport News for the Virginia Port Authority.
Vietnam operates ports in Haiphong, near Hanoi; in Da Nang, midway down the coast; and in Ho Chi Minh City, the former Saigon. The last two ports were used by U.S. forces during the Vietnam War.
"Vietnam has good port facilities because of the war - better than a lot of people might think," Dorto said.
The country is in the booming Southeast Asia market, increasingly an area of choice for manufacturers seeking highly skilled, low-wage workers. Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia are among the countries in the region that are turning out more and more clothing, shoes and toys sold in the West.
As the Southeast Asia market grows, more ship lines have begun serving the area. In the past two years, several steamship companies have started direct service from Southeast Asia to the East Coast of the United States via the Suez Canal.
The opening of Vietnam will give those shipping lines one more country to serve.
"It will benefit the ship lines that are using the Suez Canal, which in turn will benefit us, hopefully," said Philip Newswanger, director of market analysis and business development for the Virginia Port Authority.
- Associated Press
by CNB