Danang is stepping up cooperation with A.P. Moller-Maersk to accelerate the development of its Lien Chieu port and expand logistics capabilities, as the central Vietnam city seeks to strengthen its role in regional supply chains.

Construction on the Lien Chieu container terminal project started on Saturday, developed by a joint venture between Hateco Group and APM Terminals B.V., an unit of of A.P. Moller-Maersk.

With a total investment estimated at around VND45.3 trillion ($1.7 billion), the port is designed to include eight container berths with a combined length of 2,750 meters, capable of handling vessels of up to 18,000 TEU.

Illustration of Lien Chieu container port in Danang city, central Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Hateco.

The port will have a designed capacity of 5.7 million TEU per year, equivalent to about 74 million tons of cargo. The first phase is expected to reach four million TEU annually within three years of operation.

At a meeting with Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc as part of the groundbreaking ceremony, Danang Chairman Nguyen Manh Hung said the Lien Chieu container terminal project is a strategic project in the city’s long-term development plan, with a focus on synchronizing infrastructure and improving connectivity between seaports, airports, and economic zones, while maintaining environmental sustainability.

Danang Chairman Nguyen Manh Hung (right) presents a gift to Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc on April 25, 2026. Photo courtesy of Danang newspaper.

Maersk, which already operates two ports in Hai Phong city and Ho Chi Minh City, views Lien Chieu as its next major step in expanding its footprint in the country. Clerc said Vietnam remains a strategic market within the group’s global network.

He added that Lien Chieu port has strong potential to become a modern logistics hub linking central Vietnam to global supply chains, particularly if supported by green infrastructure, digital technologies, and integration with future free trade zones.

Both sides agreed to accelerate project implementation to bring the port into operation as soon as possible. Maersk also signaled interest in expanding investments in Danang across logistics, warehousing, supply chain infrastructure, and green transport solutions.

Under the national port master plan for 2021-2030 with a vision to 2050, Lien Chieu is expected to become an international gateway and a key endpoint of the East-West Economic Corridor, a critical trade axis linking Vietnam with Southeast Asia and the Mekong subregion.