Promoting the connection of Central Vietnam seaports with international ones

Posted on: 10/06/2025

With nearly VND900 billion invested in dredging and upgrading infrastructure, Chu Lai (Quang Nam), Quy Nhon (Binh Dinh) and Ba Ngoi (Cam Ranh, Khanh Hoa) ports are promoting direct connections with international markets, creating momentum for import and export of goods and regional logistics.

<img alt="After completing the dredging of the shipping channel, Chu Lai seaport (Quang Nam) opened a direct shipping route to India. Photo: Ha Minh At Chu Lai port (Nui Thanh district, Quang Nam province), the CHANA BHUM ship of Regional Container Lines - RCL (India) has just docked, transporting nearly 800 containers of import and export goods. This is the first ship of the Chu Lai - India fixed sea transport route, expected to operate with a frequency of 2 trips per month. Notably, 50,000-ton ships carrying semi-trailers of THACO INDUSTRIES Group - a member of Truong Hai Group (THACO) are making direct voyages from Chu Lai port to Jacksonville port, East Coast of the US, no longer depending on transit via mother ships as before. On the journey to the East Coast of the US, ships can stop at major Asian ports such as Kanda (Japan), Busan (Korea) and Nantong (China). With these shipping routes, Chu Lai port opens up opportunities for businesses' goods to quickly access major markets in Asia and the US - Vietnam's largest export markets. Attracting the above source of goods, THACO (the investor) has invested about 100 billion VND to dredge the Ky Ha shipping channel to a depth of -9.3 m, capable of receiving ships of 30,000 - 50,000 tons, and opened a cooperation with RCL shipping line to exploit the Chu Lai - India fixed shipping route. A representative of Chu Lai port said that with the ability to receive general cargo ships of up to 50,000 DWT and modern, high-capacity loading and unloading equipment, Chu Lai port has attracted many domestic and international shipping lines to cooperate, increasing the frequency of port visits. The development of direct shipping routes to the US and India helps businesses in Chu Lai, Tam Thang, Thuan Yen industrial parks (Quang Nam) and VSIP (Quang Ngai) save on transit costs to major ports in the South and North. The completion of the upgrade of the Ky Ha waterway and the opening of the Chu Lai - India shipping route are important milestones, contributing to realizing the goal of turning the Chu Lai Open Economic Zone into an international logistics center. According to Mr. Le Van Dung, Chairman of the Quang Nam Provincial People's Committee, the completion of the Ky Ha waterway upgrade and the opening of the Chu Lai - India shipping route is an important milestone, contributing to the realization of the goal of turning Chu Lai Open Economic Zone (EZ) into an international logistics center, a trade hub of the Central - Central Highlands region. The new shipping route not only directly connects goods from Quang Nam to India but also expands cooperation opportunities with major shipping lines in the world, develops green and smart logistics, and creates a foundation for Quang Nam and the Central region to reach out in the global supply chain. Also in the roadmap to increase depth and expand the market margin internationally, Quy Nhon port (Binh Dinh) has completed procedures to announce the opening of wharf No. 1, qualified to receive general cargo and container ships up to 50,000 tons of reduced load. In 2025, Quy Nhon Port will continue to implement phase 2 of the Quy Nhon Channel Renovation and Upgrade Investment Project with a total investment of nearly 700 billion VND, including dredging the water area in front of the wharf, the area connecting the turning basin with a depth of -13 m to accommodate ships with a tonnage of up to 50,000 DWT fully loaded and 70,000 DWT partially loaded. The project is expected to be completed in 2026, improving the capacity to receive import and export goods on 10 sea routes connecting with international ports such as Manila (Philippines), Singapore, Hong Kong, Kaohsiung (Taiwan), Bangkok (Thailand), Tokyo (Japan), Vladivostok (Russia)... In Khanh Hoa, according to Cam Ranh Port Joint Stock Company, the project to dredge and maintain the Ba Ngoi waterway to meet design standards to serve ships entering and leaving ports in the area of the Vietnam Maritime and Waterways Administration will be implemented. According to the plan, Ba Ngoi channel will be dredged to the design standard - 10.5 m, with an estimated volume of about 400,000 m3. The project will be implemented in 2 years 2024 - 2025. To facilitate construction, from the beginning of 2025, Cam Ranh City People's Committee has notified people to clear aquaculture cages within the Ba Ngoi maritime channel and the area receiving dredged materials. The project is part of the maintenance and dredging plan for the period 2024 - 2025 of the Ministry of Construction, with a total estimated cost of more than 42.3 billion VND. Although the channel into Ba Ngoi port has not been maintained or dredged since 2008, the number of large tonnage ships entering and leaving this port has increased fivefold in the past five years, from 62 in 2019 to 316 in 2023. The total volume of goods through Khanh Hoa seaport has also grown strongly, reaching more than 14.5 million tons in 2024 (an increase of 14% compared to 2023 and 1.5 times higher than in 2020). According to the Vietnam Maritime Administration, dredging Ba Ngoi channel is an important step to improve maritime infrastructure, meeting the increasing demand for maritime transport in Khanh Hoa." src="/UserFile/editor/images/tintuc/6-5943-2063-9286.png" style="width: 860px; height: 452px;" /> After completing the dredging of the shipping channel, Chu Lai seaport (Quang Nam) opened a direct shipping route to India. Photo: Ha Minh At Chu Lai port (Nui Thanh district, Quang Nam province), the CHANA BHUM ship of Regional Container Lines - RCL (India) has just docked, transporting nearly 800 containers of import and export goods. This is the first ship of the Chu Lai - India fixed sea transport route, expected to operate with a frequency of 2 trips per month. Notably, 50,000-ton ships carrying semi-trailers of THACO INDUSTRIES Group - a member of Truong Hai Group (THACO) are making direct voyages from Chu Lai port to Jacksonville port, East Coast of the US, no longer depending on transit via mother ships as before. On the journey to the East Coast of the US, ships can stop at major Asian ports such as Kanda (Japan), Busan (Korea) and Nantong (China). With these shipping routes, Chu Lai port opens up opportunities for businesses' goods to quickly access major markets in Asia and the US - Vietnam's largest export markets. Attracting the above source of goods, THACO (the investor) has invested about 100 billion VND to dredge the Ky Ha shipping channel to a depth of -9.3 m, capable of receiving ships of 30,000 - 50,000 tons, and opened a cooperation with RCL shipping line to exploit the Chu Lai - India fixed shipping route. A representative of Chu Lai port said that with the ability to receive general cargo ships of up to 50,000 DWT and modern, high-capacity loading and unloading equipment, Chu Lai port has attracted many domestic and international shipping lines to cooperate, increasing the frequency of port visits. The development of direct shipping routes to the US and India helps businesses in Chu Lai, Tam Thang, Thuan Yen industrial parks (Quang Nam) and VSIP (Quang Ngai) save on transit costs to major ports in the South and North. The completion of the upgrade of the Ky Ha waterway and the opening of the Chu Lai - India shipping route are important milestones, contributing to realizing the goal of turning the Chu Lai Open Economic Zone into an international logistics center. According to Mr. Le Van Dung, Chairman of the Quang Nam Provincial People's Committee, the completion of the Ky Ha waterway upgrade and the opening of the Chu Lai - India shipping route is an important milestone, contributing to the realization of the goal of turning Chu Lai Open Economic Zone (EZ) into an international logistics center, a trade hub of the Central - Central Highlands region. The new shipping route not only directly connects goods from Quang Nam to India but also expands cooperation opportunities with major shipping lines in the world, develops green and smart logistics, and creates a foundation for Quang Nam and the Central region to reach out in the global supply chain. Also in the roadmap to increase depth and expand the market margin internationally, Quy Nhon port (Binh Dinh) has completed procedures to announce the opening of wharf No. 1, qualified to receive general cargo and container ships up to 50,000 tons of reduced load. In 2025, Quy Nhon Port will continue to implement phase 2 of the Quy Nhon Channel Renovation and Upgrade Investment Project with a total investment of nearly 700 billion VND, including dredging the water area in front of the wharf, the area connecting the turning basin with a depth of -13 m to accommodate ships with a tonnage of up to 50,000 DWT fully loaded and 70,000 DWT partially loaded. The project is expected to be completed in 2026, improving the capacity to receive import and export goods on 10 sea routes connecting with international ports such as Manila (Philippines), Singapore, Hong Kong, Kaohsiung (Taiwan), Bangkok (Thailand), Tokyo (Japan), Vladivostok (Russia)... In Khanh Hoa, according to Cam Ranh Port Joint Stock Company, the project to dredge and maintain the Ba Ngoi waterway to meet design standards to serve ships entering and leaving ports in the area of the Vietnam Maritime and Waterways Administration will be implemented. According to the plan, Ba Ngoi channel will be dredged to the design standard - 10.5 m, with an estimated volume of about 400,000 m3. The project will be implemented in 2 years 2024 - 2025. To facilitate construction, from the beginning of 2025, Cam Ranh City People's Committee has notified people to clear aquaculture cages within the Ba Ngoi maritime channel and the area receiving dredged materials. The project is part of the maintenance and dredging plan for the period 2024 - 2025 of the Ministry of Construction, with a total estimated cost of more than 42.3 billion VND. Although the channel into Ba Ngoi port has not been maintained or dredged since 2008, the number of large tonnage ships entering and leaving this port has increased fivefold in the past five years, from 62 in 2019 to 316 in 2023. The total volume of goods through Khanh Hoa seaport has also grown strongly, reaching more than 14.5 million tons in 2024 (an increase of 14% compared to 2023 and 1.5 times higher than in 2020). According to the Vietnam Maritime Administration, dredging Ba Ngoi channel is an important step to improve maritime infrastructure, meeting the increasing demand for maritime transport in Khanh Hoa.