A new container yard debuts at Tiên Sa Port in Đà Nẵng City. The 37,000sq.m yard is designed to handle 110,000 TEUs. — Photo courtesy of Đà Nẵng Port Company

ĐÀ NẴNG — The Đà Nẵng Port Joint Stock Company has started operating a new container yard on 37,000sq.m after two years of construction at its Tiên Sa Port, providing space for 110,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) and increasing capacity at the port.

The port authorities said containers account for 60 per cent of the total cargo through the port each year, a figure that has grown annually by 15 per cent.

According to the port authorities, the container yard – built behind piers 4 and 5 – was part of a strategic master plan for developing Tiên Sa Port for specialised container services as well as services for cruise and large cargo ships.

The port now has expanded its area to 30ha and can handle container ships up to 50,000DWT (deadweight tonnage). It can also handle break-bulk vessels and 168,000GT (gross tonnage) cruise ships.

Last year, Tiên Sa Port received 12.2 million tonnes of cargo.

The first direct shipping route from Tiên Sa Port to Long Beach Port in Oakland, California was launched last year, running cargo ships from central Việt Nam to the US.

The Tiên Sa Port system is seen as a key export site for the central region.

It hosts regular shipping routes from 20 shipping companies including Maersk, Evergreen, MSC, SITC, Wanhai and COSCO, while global container shipping companies such as ONE and Hapag Lloyd have also shipped their cargo on different vessels, the port reported. — VNS