Ho Chi Minh City, August 2025 - Half a century since its takeover and establishment (August 22, 1975 - August 22, 2025), Nha Be Petroleum Terminal under Petrolimex Saigon has grown continuously, becoming one of the most modern petroleum terminals in the region and serving as a "strategic weapon" of Vietnam National Petroleum Group (Petrolimex).
From war-torn foundations to steady progress
After the liberation of Southern Vietnam, Nha Be Petroleum Terminal inherited facilities from three foreign companies - Esso, Shell, and Caltex. In its early, difficult days, infrastructure was limited, with rudimentary storage tanks, manual operations, a receiving capacity of just 1 million m3 tons per year, total storage of only 260,000 m3 and a workforce of more than 830 employees whose qualifications varied widely. These constraints posed enormous challenges for the first generations of managers and operators.
Between 1975 and 2010, NPT expanded its storage capacity to 570,000 m3 throughput to nearly 4.7 million m3 tons per year, while streamlining its workforce to just 407 employees-a testament to modernization and effective management. During this phase, Nha Be Petroleum Terminal gradually adopted international standards such as ISO 17025, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and OHSAS 18001, along with tools like 5S. Customer-centric thinking went hand in hand with facility upgrades.
Breakthrough Through Technology
From 2011, NPT embarked on a transformation journey with the establishment of a Central Operations Center, applying modern systems such as SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition), HMI-integrated safety programs, GIS-based loading simulation, logistics information portals, and 24/7 surveillance. These tools enabled real-time monitoring of imports/exports, tank management, vehicle operations, and safety-security oversight.
2017 marked an important "take-off" year, as Petrolimex Saigon leaders launched major IT development projects: the "Modernization of NPT 2018-2025, Vision 2030" and the "IT Development Program to 2025, Vision 2030." These initiatives planted the first seeds of digital transformation, nurtured with the dedication of NPT's workforce.
In 2018, Nha Be Petroleum Terminal implemented the "Automatic Vehicle Queuing & Scheduling System," reducing waiting times, boosting efficiency, and ensuring transparency. Vehicles receiving multiple product types could load at a single bay without turning back-improving both customer satisfaction and operational convenience.
Later that year, Nha Be Petroleum Terminal adopted Automatic Tank Gauging (ATG), elevating transparency, reducing risks, and improving safety. Recognized by shippers, carriers, and independent inspectors, ATG also reduced manual labor and safeguarded worker health compared to traditional manual tank measurement.
In 2019, Petrolimex Saigon rolled out the "Online Order Management System (SMO)", allowing customers to manage orders, schedules, and tracking seamlessly. Ticket issuance became faster and more accurate, cutting errors and saving time in SAP-ERP integration.
From December 2019, the "Smart Card Identification System" was applied at Nha Be Petroleum Terminal, enabling faster and more accurate loading while optimizing workflows. Initially piloted with JET A-1 trucks at Tank Farm B, the program reduced workload for operators and clerks, improved turnaround time, and has since been scaled across all tank farms.
Comprehensive Digital Transformation
Each day, NPT handles an average of more than 570 trucks and dozens of barges. To prioritize safety and worker health, electronic grounding and spill-prevention devices were installed across all loading arms. These systems interlock with electronic flowmeters, ensuring operations proceed only under safe conditions-significantly reducing spillage risk.
During 2023 – 2025, Nha Be Petroleum Terminal continues to strengthen its governance capacity and elevate its digital transformation strategy to a new level under the “techno-management” orientation. In this stage, software and applications are being developed in depth to enhance product management. Programs such as “Seal and Gauge Plate Management” have significantly supported the standardized issuance and control of seals; the “Throughput Management Program” ensures transparency and clarity in fuel delivery; the “Tank Inventory Control Program”prevents leakage and fuel loss; and the “PM – Portal”, among others, have brought a fresh, multi-faceted landscape to petroleum business operations.
In parallel with growth, Nha Be Petroleum Terminal has remained committed to environmental protection by embedding the principle of a “green – clean – beautiful” environment into all directives, operations, and port activities. This is exemplified by investments in upgrading the centralized wastewater treatment system with the latest technology from Singapore, building new dedicated facilities for municipal waste treatment, and constructing warehouses for hazardous waste storage.
Achievements and Vision
With a solid foundation of comprehensive IT infrastructure and decisive, close-knit leadership from the Group/Company across all “fronts,” the Terminal has achieved record milestones with throughput volumes reaching 6.3 million m³/tons in 2023 and 6.4 million m³/tons in 2024. At the same time, TKNB continues to advance digital transformation, targeting transparency, efficiency, and sustainability for the development of Petrolimex Sai Gon in particular, and Petrolimex as a whole.
Key Milestones:
- 22 August 1975 – Establishment of Nha Be Oil Terminal.
- 2011 – Establishment of the Central Operations Department.
- 01 April 2018 – Launch of the automated vehicle queuing and dispatching system.
- 01 October 2018 – Application of the Automatic Tank Gauging (ATG) system.
- 15 March 2019 – Deployment of SMO (Stock Movement Optimization) and the Export ID Card program.
The 50-year journey of Nha Be Petroleum Terminal is a story of resilience, modernization, and innovation. From the challenging days of post-war takeover to today, Nha Be Petroleum Terminal has affirmed its strategic role in Vietnam’s national energy supply chain—ready to embark on the next chapter of development, “moving further ahead.”
Today’s workforce of Nha Be Petroleum Terminal proudly follows in the footsteps of their predecessors, carrying forward the legacy with responsibility and ambition for greater horizons.