New strategy for Quang Ninh seaport

With the goal of improving the capacity and efficiency of state management, developing the quality of seaport services in a synchronous and modern direction, meeting the demand for maritime transport in the Northern region, contributing positively to the growth of the province's GRDP, supporting the development of industry, trade, tourism, and services in depth... Quang Ninh province is actively developing a long-term seaport development plan. It emphasizes that the development of Quang Ninh seaports must clearly define their specific characteristics, closely following the policies and orientations in the Vietnam Marine Economic Development Strategy.

Many outstanding advantages

As a pole in the Northern economic growth triangle, Quang Ninh has a 250km long coastline with over 6,000km2 of sea surface area, many deep-water ports with little sedimentation; the province is also located in the "Two corridors, one economic belt" cooperation area, is the gateway connecting ASEAN with China, international sea transport routes...

Officials of the Hon Gai Port Customs Branch monitor goods at warehouses and seaports through a camera system to improve compliance of businesses.

Quang Ninh is also the intersection and connection between the Northern Midlands and Mountains and the Red River Delta. These are favorable conditions and create opportunities for Quang Ninh to promote the development of marine economic sectors. Quang Ninh's position in regional and international connectivity is increasingly affirmed after the synchronous completion of the transport infrastructure system. In particular, the province also has 8 port areas and 2 anchorage and transshipment areas, along with synchronous infrastructure and post-port services, identified by the Government as one of the 5 major seaport areas of the country, handling over 50% of the total volume of goods and passengers in the Northern region, playing a role in serving the socio-economic development of the whole country, inter-regional, gateway or international transit port...

In which, Hon Gai - Cai Lan port area is located in a closed bay, the port entrance is less silted, with 25 wharves, identified as a national general port of the region, including Cai Lan general container port area and satellite specialized ports. From 2004 to present, Cai Lan International Container Port has been expanded twice, invested synchronously with modern equipment, such as Panamax type STS shore crane with 17 container rows; ERTG crane, width of 7 container rows; service of loading and unloading super-heavy cargo up to 100 tons at the crane hook; forklift, container truck in the yard... capacity to receive ships up to 80,000 tons for cargo handling.

Cargo handling activities at CICT Cai Lan Port.

In Cam Pha area, there are currently 7 wharves, mainly specialized ports for the coal industry and general wharves, serving the coal mining industry and some other concentrated industrial facilities. Of which, Cua Ong wharf has an area of 20 hectares with 2 wharfs connected to the shore, 550m long, 10.5m deep in front of the wharf; the Con Ong - Hon Net buoy mooring system with a depth of over 20m is capable of receiving ships up to 120,000 tons.

Ha Long International Passenger Port is a special-class port traffic project and the first specialized international tourist port in Vietnam. The passenger port consists of 2 areas: the international port to receive large ships, super luxury international yachts and the domestic port to receive ships visiting Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay. In particular, the 4,500m2 passenger port terminal with 3 floors was designed by "Top 5 leading architects in the world" Bill Bensley, bringing visitors high-quality cultural, culinary and shopping experiences while waiting to buy tickets to visit the bay.

Other port areas such as Hai Ha, Van Gia, Co To... are general ports with the function of sea transportation not only for the region, but also as gateways for trade with China.

Cruise ship bringing international tourists to Quang Ninh. *Photo: Do Phuong*

According to provincial statistics, in 2024, ports in Quang Ninh welcomed more than 161,000 ships of all kinds, cargo output reached the highest record in many years with nearly 150 million tons. The contribution of seaport services reached about 0.49% of the province's GRDP, an increase of 0.07% compared to 2018. The total cargo output through the port reached 627.70 million tons, which is an average of 124.1 million tons/year, higher than the target set for 2025 (124.1/122.5 million tons/year).

Despite holding many potentials and strengths to develop seaports and seaport services, Quang Ninh province also frankly acknowledged that businesses operating in the field of seaports and seaport logistics have not really grown, and have not been bold in building long-term policies to attract foreign shipping lines to the port. Work related to seaport infrastructure and seaport services must be carried out through many different stages and phases, so when implementing, there are many difficulties in coordinating the implementation of tasks. The implementation of some projects related to seaport infrastructure such as dredging and opening new shipping routes is sometimes delayed.

In fact, import and export activities of goods through seaports have grown annually since its implementation, but have not yet reflected and fully exploited the potential and advantages of seaports, especially deep-water ports in the area. There are no major, leading shipping lines that attract goods to seaports. There are no logistics centers or logistics systems that meet the development requirements of major seaports in the area.

Need long term strategy

On the basis of clearly identifying potentials, advantages as well as actual development needs, over the past time, the province has Quang Ninh has actively mobilized resources, gradually turning the province into a maritime economic center. In particular, priority is given to the development of seaports and seaport services; encouraging and mobilizing all resources to develop seaport infrastructure, wharves and seaport connection infrastructure in a synchronous and modern direction. At the same time, creating favorable conditions for businesses in improving quality, reducing time, transportation costs and logistics services.

The provincial highway axis has ensured overall connectivity with the ports. *Photo: Do Phuong*

In the period of 2019-2024, Quang Ninh had many meetings with the Ministry of Transport to propose adding potential and advantageous locations of the province to the List of ports of Vietnamese seaports and was approved by the Ministry of Transport.

According to Decision No. 508/QD-BGTVT dated April 2, 2021 of the Ministry of Transport, there are 13 ports in Quang Ninh. To date, all of these ports have been updated and added to the Master Plan for the Development of Vietnam's Seaport System for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1579/QD-TTg dated September 22, 2021, and updated to the Provincial Planning for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 80/QD-TTg dated February 11, 2023.

Among them are 5 ports, including: Mui Chua, Van Don, Van Hoa, Van Ninh, Van Gia and Co To island district port; 4 port areas including: Cai Lan, Cam Pha, Yen Hung, Hai Ha; Mong Cai ICD dry port and many buoy wharves, anchorage and transit areas, anchorage and storm shelter areas in Ha Long, Cam Pha, Mong Cai, Hai Ha, Co To...

Ao Tien high-class port has been invested synchronously, becoming the province's modern tourism infrastructure.

From the perspective of socializing resources, the province has mobilized many investors to invest in the construction and development of post-port services. Ha Long International Passenger Port, Tuan Chau International Passenger Port, Ao Tien International High-class Port... are typical examples. However, these are only passenger ports. Currently, the province is promoting and calling for investors to participate in the research of the Con Ong - Hon Net port project (Cam Pha City) and 8 seaport service projects, production, processing and manufacturing in the Quang Yen coastal economic zone, with a total area that can be studied for the arrangement of post-port logistics and logistics areas of nearly 7,000 hectares.

Currently, in the Quang Yen coastal economic zone, there are 4 projects of investors being implemented. Notable among them are 2 ports belonging to the project of developing the seaport and industrial park complex invested by Bac Tien Phong Industrial Park Joint Stock Company and the project of investing in and operating infrastructure of industrial park, general port and warehouse services of Bach Dang invested by Hai Phong Auto Repair Company Limited. In the seaport complex invested by Bac Tien Phong Industrial Park Joint Stock Company, the seaport item has a land use area of nearly 170 hectares, the total length of the port is 2,500m, meeting the need to receive ships up to 50,000DWT. Currently, this project is in the process of site clearance and completing the necessary investment procedures to implement construction.

Along with planning for investment in seaports, Quang Ninh has mobilized resources from the state budget and society to invest in synchronous transport infrastructure to connect and develop economic and commercial centers closer to seaports. In addition to the Hai Phong - Ha Long - Van Don - Mong Cai expressway project that has been completed and connected seaport areas closer together, the province is currently devoting resources to investing in riverside roads connecting a series of seaports in the Quang Yen coastal economic zone with development centers in the province and neighboring provinces and cities; investing in opening intersections on the Ha Long - Hai Phong expressway with industrial parks and seaports in Quang Yen; investing in traffic routes connecting Van Ninh port with the Van Don - Mong Cai expressway.

Sendai Spirit ship docked at Cai Lan port to load cargo on the 3rd day of Lunar New Year 2025. *Photo: Do Phuong*

Quang Ninh also implements sustainable and long-term support policies for ship owners, cargo owners and owners of road freight vehicles when choosing Quang Ninh seaport area for cargo handling. At the same time, it creates favorable conditions to support port and wharf owners in finding partners such as shipping lines and cargo owners through promoting the Quang Ninh seaport brand to shipping lines and logistics companies. The province will also build a mechanism to monitor the quality of seaport services and encourage businesses in the same industry to join associations to support and help each other develop, aiming to organize promotion programs, attract goods sources with competitive advantages...

With the province's determination, in the near future, Quang Ninh's seaports will soon resolve difficulties and shortcomings to gradually realize the goal of making maritime economy a spearhead in marine economic sectors.

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