Đông Hà Military Port in 1967. — Photo baohaiquanvietnam.vn

QUẢNG TRỊ — The Government has approved a plan to restore and conserve the Đông Hà Military Port, a national historical site in the central province of Quảng Trị.

The plan covers an area of approximately 1.6ha in Đông Hà City, encompassing the entire Đông Hà Military Port, a key component of the Hồ Chí Minh Trail national historical complex.

The plan divides the area into two protection zones: Zone I, covering 6,150sq.m, and Zone II, covering 9,080sq.m.

The first contains the port's original elements, such as standing piers and bunkers, and the second includes the surrounding landscape and structures that protect its integrity.

A 290sq.m plot adjacent to the historical site, currently occupied by the Sài Gòn-Đông Hà Hotel, will be reclaimed and incorporated into the protected area.

The goal is to restore the port as a historical education and tourism site, highlighting Việt Nam's revolutionary struggle and national defence.

The plan also envisions transforming the port into a cultural and historical park, connecting it with other major tourist attractions in the province to create a comprehensive tourism ecosystem.

Quảng Trị's provincial government said the plan's funding will come from the national budget and other sources as stipulated by law.

Đông Hà Military Port is located on the southern bank of the Hiếu River, adjacent to National Highway 1A and approximately 13km west of the Cửa Việt Seaport.

Built by the US military in 1967, the port served as a supply hub for American troops in southern Việt Nam. In 1972, after the stronghold fell under Vietnamese revolutionary forces' control, it became a key node on the maritime Hồ Chí Minh Trail.

From 1973 until unification day, the port played a crucial role in transferring thousands of tonnes of weapons, ammunition, medicine and other essentials from the North to southern battlefields, significantly contributing to the national liberation and unification. — VNS