Quang Nam proposes banning 5-axle trucks from circulating on National Highway 14D: Businesses worried

Lack of wharves, warehouses, and vehicles parked right in the center of the border gate. Photo: TD

Overloaded

It was not until the People's Committee of Quang Nam province requested the Ministry of Transport to consider and implement an emergency measure: banning trucks with more than 5 axles transporting ore from traveling on National Highway 14D while waiting for the entire route to be upgraded and renovated that businesses "reacted".

Just a few days after the Department of Transport requested the Provincial People's Committee to consult with the Ministry of Transport and the Vietnam Road Administration to issue this ban, 12 transport and logistics enterprises operating regularly on National Highway 14D, from Ben Giang Bridge to Nam Giang International Border Gate, petitioned the Quang Nam authorities, the Vietnam Road Administration, the Management Board of Economic Zones & Industrial Parks, and the Department of Transport to consider.

The advisory body and the Provincial People's Committee stated the reason for requesting the "ban" because currently, Highway 14D has many ore-carrying vehicles (vehicles with over 5 axles, total weight of about 48 tons) from Laos to Vietnam through the Nam Giang International Border Gate (about 250 vehicles of this type) traveling every day, so the road has deteriorated very quickly.

Not only is it difficult to maintain, repair, and ensure traffic safety when these vehicles travel on National Highway 14D, exceeding the prescribed budget for road maintenance; this route also has many curves, small radius, narrow, and has not been renovated, causing traffic congestion and environmental pollution.

Transporting ore through Nam Giang International Border Gate can be done by transferring to regular trucks with small load capacity (≤ 30 tons) for convenient travel and to overcome congestion...

According to the estimate of the Nam Giang International Border Gate Management Board, every day there are about 250 vehicles with 5 axles (accounting for over 85% of total vehicle types) passing through the border gate.

Compared to the same period last year, in the first quarter of 2024, transit goods increased by 1,925% (200,026 tons), the total number of vehicles passing through the border gate increased by 407% (over 14,114 trips). It is forecasted that in the second quarter of 2024, it will increase by 150%, increase by 200% by the end of 2024 and will grow very strongly from the following years.

Transport and logistics businesses along Highway 14D said that if this proposal is implemented, they will face many difficulties due to soaring logistics costs.

According to the company, QL14D is a unique route, passing through high mountains, many steep passes, and there is no flat ground to organize offloading. Transporting ore by small trucks will cause traffic volume to increase very high, while the existing narrow road with poor road surface quality will certainly cause many local congestion points.

According to a survey by the enterprise, the mineral mines in Se Kong have very large reserves. The coal mine of Phonesack Company in Ka Lum has an approved reserve of more than 826 million tons, the bauxite mine of LBD Company has an approved reserve of more than 340 million tons and many other mineral mines in Laos are also planning to exploit...

The volume of goods cleared through the border gate will increase. Since mid-2023, transport and logistics enterprises have signed long-term transportation contracts with cargo owners and mine owners.

Many businesses have invested huge amounts of money to buy vehicles with more than 5 axles to transport ore, hoping to develop smoothly with Nam Giang International Border Gate.

The ban on vehicles with more than 5 axles traveling on Highway 14D will pose a risk of “suffocating” the logistics route through the border gate to Vietnam’s seaports due to increased transportation costs. Many businesses will be fined for their contracts, while the border gate will lose a large source of revenue due to the suspension of transportation.

What is the solution?

The Ministry of Transport and the Vietnam Road Administration have yet to comment on Quang Nam's proposal to "ban trucks with more than 5 axles carrying ore from traveling on National Highway 14D".

Ore trucks transiting Nam Giang International Border Gate. Photo: TD

However, according to economic experts, National Highway 14D is an important route for trade between Vietnam and Laos, and is an important East-West economic corridor in the Mekong sub-region's traffic system.

Many hydroelectric, thermal and wind power projects have been invested. Mineral mines (bauxite, coal...) in Se Kong will be put into industrial exploitation, which will dramatically increase the volume of goods cleared through Nam Giang International Border Gate.

According to the announcement from the Department of Transport, the cost of road maintenance for the 74.4km section of National Highway 14D from Ben Giang Bridge to Nam Giang International Border Gate is about 4 billion VND/year, which is too little. The plan to upgrade and expand this route to promote the development of the international border gate has not been implemented yet for many reasons.

Mr. Tran Tri Hieu - Deputy Director of Thanh Phat Investment and Trading Joint Stock Company (an enterprise transporting ore from Laos to Chu Lai port from August 2023) said that professional transport enterprises clearly understand the difficulties of management agencies to ensure the smooth operation of National Highway 14D.

During working sessions between the enterprise and the Nam Giang International Border Gate Management Board, the enterprise has repeatedly requested to contribute funds to participate in the maintenance of National Highway 14D.

Enterprises request the People's Committee of Quang Nam province and relevant agencies to consider and soon have a reasonable and appropriate plan to ensure traffic on National Highway 14D; at the same time, have solutions to remove existing difficulties and obstacles, creating conditions for traffic through the border gate to become increasingly safer, more convenient and more open.

Article 26 of the Protocol implementing the Agreement on facilitating road motor vehicles crossing the border between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Government of the Lao PDR signed in Hanoi on September 15, 2010 (effective from December 15, 2010) states that the inspection of oversized and overloaded vehicles shall only be carried out once at the border gate or vehicle weight inspection station nearest the border.

Overloaded vehicles must be unloaded at the inspection site (not to mention the ban on 5-axle vehicles). Through 4 weighing sessions (from January 2023 to November 2023) by the Quang Nam Department of Transport Inspectorate on vehicle load control, only 1 vehicle exceeded the load by 10.5%. The rest exceeded, but by a small amount (less than 10%).

Up to now, the trucks carrying ore have ensured the load capacity according to regulations when participating in traffic on National Highway 14D. Meanwhile, if the transfer of loads is approved, the Nam Giang International Border Gate Economic Zone still lacks wharves and warehouses.

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