The project will be carried out in nearly 10 years. The port is expected to handle about 4 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually.

The Lien Chieu Container Port project is a large-scale seaport infrastructure project in Central Viet Nam, envisioned to become a modern container port and an international transshipment hub that meets green port standards. The project aligns with the detailed master plan for seaport groups, terminals, piers, mooring buoys, and maritime zones for the 2021–2030 period, with a vision to 2050.

Located in Hai Van ward, the port will cover 172.6 hectares, including 146 ha of land and 26 ha of water.

The master plan includes eight container berths totalling 2,750 meters capable of handling vessels with up to 18,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). The port is designed with an annual handling capacity of around 5.7 million TEUs, equivalent to 74 million tons.

It also features a 5,000-ton barge berth to support cargo consolidation and distribution, contributing to easing pressure on road transport and lowering logistics costs.

The project is scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of 2036. In the first phase, from 2025 to 2028, investors will develop and put into operation at least two berths and key supporting infrastructure.

Additionally, the project includes a cargo yard for rail transport, directly connecting the Lien Chieu terminal to the national railway network via a dedicated rail link of approximately 1.5 kilometer to Kim Lien Station.

The project is expected to be implemented in three phases from 2026-2036, with synchronized investment in port berths and hinterland infrastructure. The total preliminary investment is estimated at around VND 45,268 billion (approximately US$1.757 billion), of which about VND 9,053.6 billion will be contributed by investors, with the remainder financed through credit institutions.

Assurance for success

According to experts, the involvement of major port operators and shipping companies, including APM Terminals, serves as a guarantee for the project's success.

APM Terminals, one of the world's largest container port operators, is part of the AP Moller-Maersk Group. The company manages container terminals and provides integrated inland and cargo services, operating more than 70 port and terminal facilities in 38 countries across five continents.

Together with its well-known shipping line Maersk, APM Terminals possesses deep expertise and extensive knowledge of the maritime transport market, enabling it to identify key challenges and propose highly feasible solutions.

Meanwhile, Hateco is a large Vietnamese multi-industry conglomerate established in 2004, known as a pioneer in major infrastructure projects such as Berths No. 5 and No. 6 at Lach Huyen Port in the northern city of Hai Phong, Bac Tien Phong Industrial Zone in the northern province of Quang Ninh, and the Long Bien ICD dry port in Ha Noi.

According to the consortium's project proposal, APM Terminals and Hateco are developing a strategic partnership at Hateco Hai Phong International Container Terminal, aiming to turn it into the largest, most modern, and most sustainable container port in northern Viet Nam./.