Saigon Port is a network of port

Port

A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....

s in Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...

. The port name is derived from the former name of the city.

History

Saigon Port played an important role in the foundation and development of the city of Saigon. During the era of French Indochina

French Indochina

French Indochina was part of the French colonial empire in southeast Asia. A federation of the three Vietnamese regions, Tonkin , Annam , and Cochinchina , as well as Cambodia, was formed in 1887....

, the port played a significant role in the import and export of materials from the colony.
Today, this port network is the hub for export-import of goods in south Vietnam - the economic hub of the nation, which accounts for more than two-thirds of Vietnam's economy. In 2006, Saigon Port handled more than 35 metric tonnes of cargo and 1.5 million TEU

TEU

TEU may refer to:* Twenty-foot equivalent unit, a measure used for capacity in container transportation* Treaty on European Union, formal name of the Maastricht Treaty on the creation of the euro...

 of containers.

Relocation

Due to urban planning, the network of Saigon Port has been relocated to the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...

, specifically to the Hiep Phuoc New Urban and Port Area, Cat Lai New Port area and especially to Thi Vai Port and Cai Mep Port in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province

Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province

Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu is a province of Vietnam. It is located on the coast of the country's southeastern region. It also includes the Côn Đảo islands, located some distance off Vietnam's southeastern coast...

, 60 km South-East of Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...

, 30 km North-West of Vung Tau

Vung Tàu

Vũng Tàu is a city in southern Vietnam. Its population in 2005 was 240,000. The city area is including 13 urban wards and one village. It is the capital of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, and is the crude oil extraction center of Vietnam. It is also known as one of the most beautiful cities of tourism...

. The Thi Vai Port with the capacity of handling ships up to 50,000 tonnes will be the leading deep-water port of this region.