Cam Ranh Port in Khánh Hòa Province. Ports across central Việt Nam are planning to upgrade their capacity. – Photo baodautu.vn

QUẢNG NGÃI – Many ports in the central region are improving their capacity or proposing upgrades to meet the rising demand for foreign trade.

Several businesses are investing in upgrading ports in Quảng Ngãi Province’s Dung Quất Port Cluster, a network of eight ports, including three general and five specialised ones meant for private businesses.

Among the ports, one specialised facility is capable of berthing ships of 150,000 – 200,000 tonnes ships, while the remaining seven can only receive vessels of 50,000 – 70,000 tonnes.

The province has over 20 businesses exporting and importing goods using container ships and around 6,500 containers annually, and they currently have to use ports in Đà Nẵng and elsewhere in the central region.

Đặng Văn Minh, chairman of the Quảng Ngãi Province People’s Committee, said the Dung Quất Port Cluster has reached full capacity, and so fresh investment is crucial for the province’s export-import needs.

In Bình Định Province, Quy Nhơn Port is handling 2,500 tonnes of goods per berth metre, more than five times its capacity. 

The Quy Nhơn Port Joint Stock Company will begin upgrading one of its piers in August to expand its capacity.

Phú Yên Province is planning to build a deep-water port.

The Cam Ranh Port Joint Stock Company in Khánh Hòa Province is planning on building a new berth in its Cam Ranh Port.

Dr Trần Du Lịch, a member of the Government Advisory Group, said coastal provinces in central Việt Nam had been soliciting investment in ports.

Now the region typically transports goods to ports in Hải Phòng or HCM City for exporting, and investment is spread too thin for many ports to berth large vessels, according to Lịch. – VNS