Hai Phong ports handled 134.34 million tonnes of cargo in 2026, exceeding targets by 16.8% and reflecting strong growth in the shipping sector.
Ports in the northern Vietnamese city of Hai Phong handled an estimated 134.34 million tonnes of cargo in the first eight months of 2026, surpassing the eight-month target of 115 million tonnes by 16.8 percent and rising 11.74 percent from the same period a year earlier. The volume represents 56.2 percent of the full-year plan.
The result reflects a sustained effort to expand capacity across the city's seaport system, a strategically located gateway that anchors freight flows for exporters and importers throughout northern Vietnam. Much of the momentum has centered on the Lach Huyen international gateway port, where newly commissioned berths have widened the region's deep-water capacity.
Lach Huyen has received ultra-large container vessels running directly to the US West Coast and European markets without transshipment. For cargo owners, direct calls of this kind shorten transit routes, reduce handling steps, and lower the risk of delay-related costs that accumulate when goods move through intermediate hubs.
Alongside the physical expansion, Hai Phong has advanced its 'green and smart port' agenda, deploying automation and electronic customs procedures to cut vessel turnaround and cargo clearance times. Faster clearance translates into shorter dwell times and more predictable delivery schedules for shippers managing tight commitments.
Upgraded transport links spanning roads and inland waterways have kept cargo moving from industrial parks to quayside. Administrative reforms and business-support measures have helped the city attract international shipping lines and open new services.
The city's operational readiness was evident during the National Day holiday, when Hai Phong Port Joint Stock Company, a key operator in the northern seaport network, maintained full-capacity operations throughout the break.
'The company has arranged sufficient personnel and equipment and developed detailed operating plans across all its branches and terminals to ensure uninterrupted cargo flows,' said General Director Le Hong Quan. He added that thorough infrastructure preparation, together with close coordination among customs agencies, border guards, and port authorities, allowed large container vessels arriving during the holiday to be handled quickly and safely.
To sustain growth through the remainder of 2026, Hai Phong Port plans to attract targeted shipping services to Tan Vu Port, now capable of handling vessels of up to 55,000 deadweight tonnes (DWT). The company will prioritize services that can be shifted from other regional ports while working with major carriers including Maersk, MSC, COSCO, Sinolines, and ZGL, as well as Korean lines Namsung, Pancon, Dongjin, Sinokor, and KMTC, to open new routes and lift container throughput.
The company also aims to maintain its market share and expand its customer base among exporters, importers, and manufacturers in key industrial parks. It plans to expand integrated logistics services, particularly barge links between the Lach Huyen port complex and inland river ports, to reduce costs and strengthen competitiveness.
Further plans include modernizing the company's information technology systems, deepening data connectivity with customers and shipping lines, and expanding value-added services, including vessel shipping support, tugboat operations, and logistics support. Hai Phong Port also intends to complete additional works at Lach Huyen's Berths No. 3 and 4 on schedule while studying further infrastructure investment.
