The management board has conducted research and coordinated with relevant units to finalize bidding documents for the project and submit them to the Department of Finance for appraisal and the chairperson of the city People’s Committee for approval.

The objective of the bidding and investor selection process is to choose an investor with sufficient capacity and operational experience to develop a system of eight modern container berths meeting green port standards and international transshipment port criteria, it said.

Specifically, on October 20, 2025, the management board issued bidding invitations to three investors with valid qualifications. During the bidding document issuance process, it received three requests for clarification from investors and provided full and timely responses.

By December 24, 2025, the bidding process was closed and the bid opening ceremony was held.

At the time of bid closing, two investors submitted bids, namely the consortium of Hateco Group (Vietnam) - Hateco Seaport Co., Ltd. (Vietnam) - APM Terminals B.V. (the Netherlands); and the consortium of Vietnam Maritime Corporation (VIMC) - Terminal Investment Limited Holding (Luxembourg). The consortium of Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd. (India) - T&T Group (Vietnam) did not submit a bid.

Currently, the management board and its consulting team are urgently evaluating the bid documents. The results of investor selection are expected to be submitted to the municipal Department of Finance for appraisal and the city People’s Committee for approval before January 15, 2026. A proposal will then be reported to the people’s committee for considering and organizing the project kickoff ceremony in Q1/2026.

The Lien Chieu Container Port covers an area of more than 172 hectares, with a designed overall capacity of 5.7 million TEUs per year or 74 million tons per year. The capacity by 2030 is expected to reach 14.25-36.3 million tons per year.

The project is planned to be implemented in three phases. Phase 1 will involve the construction and operation of at least two container berths (Berths No. 1 and 2), back-of-port areas, synchronized auxiliary works, railway yard areas, centralized bus terminals, railway connection sections, key technical infrastructure, and dredging of the areas in front of the berths and access waterways. The phase is expected to be operational in Q4/2028.

Phase 2 will continue with the construction of Berths No. 3 and 4 along with back-of-port systems and auxiliary works, and dredging of the areas in front of the berths. Completion and operation are expected from the first quarter of 2033.

Phase 3 will involve the construction of the remaining berths (Berths No. 5 to 8), barge berths, completion of back-of-port systems, dredging of waterways, and finalization of the railway and bus terminal areas. Operation is expected from Q/2036.

The race between two global port giants

At the time of bid closing, two investors submitted bids: the consortium of Hateco Group JSC - Hateco Port Co., Ltd. - APM Terminals B.V. (Netherlands); and the consortium of Vietnam Maritime Corporation (VIMC) - Terminal Investment Limited Holding (Luxembourg).

According to available information, the consortium of Hateco Group JSC - Hateco Port Co., Ltd. - APM Terminals B.V. was among the earliest investors seeking to participate in the Lien Chieu Container Port project.

Within this consortium, Hateco Group JSC was established in May 2006, formerly known as Hanoi Architectural Works Investment JSC. Hateco primarily operates in four sectors: real estate, logistics services, industrial park infrastructure, and seaport investment and construction.

In addition to real estate projects, in 2022 the group commenced construction of Berths No. 5 and 6 at the Lach Huyen port area in Hai Phong city, the largest container seaport in northern Vietnam.

In 2024, the company inaugurated the Hateco Hai Phong International Container Port (Berths No. 5 and 6 at Lach Huyen). It aims to further invest in and develop a seaport ecosystem (including inland waterway ports) and smart urban development under the TOD (transit-orientated development) model.

APM Terminals B.V. is one of the world’s largest container terminal operators, headquartered in the Netherlands. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Danish shipping conglomerate A.P. Moller - Maersk.

The company manages container terminals and ports, provides integrated logistics services, and operates globally with facilities in many countries, focusing on optimizing performance and minimizing environmental impact. APM Terminals currently operates more than 70 container ports and terminals in 38 countries.

APM Terminals and Hateco are implementing a strategic partnership in the development of two deep-water container berths at the Lach Huyen port area (Berths No. 5 and 6).

Meanwhile, the consortium of Vietnam Maritime Corporation (VIMC) - Terminal Investment Limited Holding (Luxembourg) brings together VIMC, a leading enterprise in Vietnam’s maritime industry established in April 1995, operating on three main pillars: maritime transport, seaport operations, and logistics services.

Terminal Investment Limited Holding (TiL) is one of the world’s largest and most diversified container terminal operators. It is the specialized port investment and operation arm of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the world’s largest container shipping line. To date, TiL is present in more than 30 countries and manages over 70 container ports at strategic maritime hubs such as Singapore, Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Busan.

This consortium has been involved in several seaport projects in Vietnam. In addition to the Lien Chieu Container Port project, the two partners are also promoting the Can Gio International Transshipment Port project in Ho Chi Minh City, valued at around $5.5 billion. Furthermore, TiL has entered into a joint venture with Hai Phong Port JSC (a VIMC member) to operate International Container Terminals No. 3 and 4 under the Hai Phong International Gateway Port project.