On the morning of November 24, 2025, at the berth of Tan Cang–Cai Mep International Terminal (TCIT), container FFAU6456618 carrying electronic components was loaded onto the ONE GRUS vessel operating the EC3 service connecting Vietnam and the United States, deployed by the Premier Alliance.
It was not merely a routine handling operation, but the moment TCIT recorded the 2,000,000th TEU throughput volume in 2025 – 22 days earlier than in 2020 and nearly one month earlier than in 2021, despite ongoing volatility
in the global shipping market and world economy.
One Milestone – Three Different Journeys
This is the third time in the terminal’s history that TCIT has surpassed 2m TEU within a year, and each occasion has been tied to a distinctive story.
In 2020, amid the Covid-19 pandemic and a fractured global supply chain, TCIT first crossed the 2m TEU milestone on December 17, with total throughput of 2,089,555 TEUs – a year of “weathering the pandemic” and striving to keep cargo flows from being disrupted.
In 2021, as the pandemic remained complex and transport demand fluctuated sharply, the 2m TEU milestone came later, on December 25, with 2,028,308 TEU handled – at a time when TCIT’s management, staff, and workers had to “eat together – stay together – work together” at the terminal to ensure safe and uninterrupted operations. A victory built on sacrifice, resilience, and responsibility.
By 2025, global supply chains continued to restructure, tariff policies shifted frequently, operating costs climbed, and green and sustainable development requirements became increasingly stringent. In such a challenging economic landscape, TCIT once again achieved the 2m TEU milestone earlier than in the two previous phases — on the morning of November 24 — marking a significant breakthrough in productivity, efficiency, and competitive strength.
Three milestones, three different contexts – from a pandemic shock to supply-chain restructuring – yet one common thread remains: the tougher the conditions, the more steadfastly TCIT innovates and rises.
Spreading the Value of Trust from Shipping Lines and Customers
The 2m TEU milestone is not just a “nice number” printed in a throughput report; it is evidence of TCIT’s operational capability and the market’s confidence in the terminal. TCIT is currently operating 12 international service routes, connecting major ports across Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. The terminal can receive mother vessels of up to 173,724 DWT, handle Cambodian transshipment cargo via feeder systems, and serve domestic cargo through barge and trucking networks linking destination ports and industrial parks.
With throughput in 2025 projected to reach about 2.2m TEU, TCIT continues to affirm our position as Vietnam’s largest deep-water container terminal and the second-largest container terminal nationwide in throughput volume.
As total volumes across the Cai Mep – Thi Vai area rise rapidly, gateway terminals face mounting pressure on infrastructure and operational capacity. Under such conditions, maintaining service quality and stable growth is far from easy. TCIT must simultaneously raise berth and yard productivity while strengthening coordination with shipping lines, logistics operators, and vendors to keep the logistics chain running smoothly – minimizing the risk of “bottlenecks” as volumes surge. TCIT has also promoted direct container pick-up and drop-off at the terminal to shorten lead times and reduce overload at hinterland transit hubs.
Navigating Toward 2026: TCIT’s Journey to a Smarter, Greener, and More Connected Era
Entering 2026, TCIT is stepping into a pivotal period as port infrastructure, logistics networks, and regional connectivity continue to accelerate. In this context, TCIT remains committed to strengthening our role as Vietnam’s leading deep-water gateway through digital transformation, greener operations, and deeper integration across the port–ICD–industrial ecosystem.
TCIT does not stand alone. As a joint venture between Saigon Newport Corporation (SNP) and three major global partners — Wan Hai Lines, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, and Hanjin Transportation — TCIT brings together international experience and Vietnam’s strongest port–logistics foundation. Supported by SNP’s nationwide network of seaports, ICDs/depots, pilotage and tug services, warehouses, and multimodal transport, TCIT is well-positioned to deliver comprehensive logistics solutions.
Digital transformation and green initiatives remain core pillars of TCIT’s strategy. Systems such as ePort, eDO eBooking, and the TOPX/TOPOVN operating platforms enable smarter, more transparent, and more efficient operations — reducing waiting times, logistics costs, and emissions while elevating service quality.
As Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding regions move toward becoming a mega-urban logistics hub, TCIT will enhance connectivity with ports, ICDs, and industrial parks, expand value-added logistics services, and stay firmly on the path of digital and green transformation aligned with the ESG priorities of shipping lines and customers.
From this milestone, TCIT advances toward a future to become not only the gateway for Vietnam’s dynamic Southeast region but also a modern, green, and digital logistics hub more deeply integrated into global supply
chains—continuing the journey to go beyond the waves.
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