Quy Nhơn Port, Bình Định Province. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Bình Định Province is pursuing an ambitious plan to modernise its seaport system to accommodate larger vessels and boost cargo handling efficiency. 

A key component of this plan is the upgrading of the Quy Nhơn shipping channel to allow the full operation of ships with capacities of up to 50,000 deadweight tonnes (DWT), aiming to eliminate long-standing infrastructure bottlenecks.

Major projects will include the renovation of maritime navigation channels, construction and expansion of wharves, development of anchorage areas for storm sheltering and the upgrading of service berths and facilities for specialised state management.

The total investment required by 2030 is estimated at VNĐ7.6 trillion (US$292.3 million). Of this, nearly VNĐ1.3 trillion is earmarked for public maritime infrastructure, while VNĐ6.3 trillion will be allocated to commercial ports providing cargo-handling services.

According to the Việt Nam Maritime Administration and Inland Waterways Administration, the investment is part of a detailed plan for the development of Bình Định’s port for the 2021–30 period that has recently been submitted to the Ministry of Construction.

By 2030, the province’s seaport system is expected to handle 17.65–18.75 million tonnes of cargo annually, including 0.32–0.37 million TEUs of containerised cargo and 150,000–200,000 passenger visits per year.

As of 2024, total cargo throughput at Bình Định’s ports had reached over 11.9 million tonnes. Dry cargo accounted for 81 per cent, containers 11 per cent and liquid cargo 8 per cent.

Although cargo volume has been increasing at an average annual rate of 6 per cent, the number of ship calls has fallen by 2.2 per cent per year due to the shift from smaller vessels to larger ones. This trend highlights the urgent need for upgraded port infrastructure to meet growing and evolving transport demands.

The province’s current port system includes the Quy Nhơn – Thị Nại – Đống Đa terminals, the Nhơn Hội terminal and the Phù Mỹ port, as well as anchorage, transshipment and storm-sheltering areas. Under the new plan, by 2030 Bình Định will require approximately 178 hectares of land and more than 19,400 hectares of water surface to support port development, including industrial zones and logistics centres. — BIZHUB/VNS