Hanoi (VNA) – With the completion of the dredging of the Ky Ha marine fairway off the central province of Quang Nam and the official launch of the Chu Lai – India international sea route, Truong Hai International Logistics LLC (THILOGI) is creating a breakthrough to propel Chu Lai Port onto the global maritime stage.
This marks a strategic turning point in the development of logistics infrastructure in Central Vietnam, expanding the space for direct export from Vietnam to South Asian markets while reducing costs and transit times for businesses.
A lever for developing Chu Lai international seaport
After a period of active implementation, the project to dredge and upgrade the Ky Ha marine fairway, led by THILOGI – a member of Truong Hai Group (THACO) – in coordination with specialised agencies and under the direction of the Ministry of Construction and the People's Committee of Quang Nam province, has been officially completed. This project holds significant importance as it helps solve the biggest bottleneck that has hindered maritime transport activities in the Chu Lai area for many years.
Phan Van Ky, Director of Chu Lai International Port, said the fairway has now reached a depth of minus 9.3 metres, with a bottom width of 110 metres and a total length of 11 kilometres. As a result, the port can now accommodate vessels of up to 30,000 DWT, meeting the requirements for large-scale international cargo transport. This development lays a vital foundation for Chu Lai to become a major logistics hub for the central and Central Highlands regions.
Notably, the project not only enhances the port’s capacity to receive large vessels but also opens up significant opportunities for Chu Lai Port to directly connect with international sea routes, no longer depending on traditional transshipment ports such as Cat Lai (Ho Chi Minh City) or Hai Phong. This offers major benefits to businesses in the central region by reducing logistics costs and shortening cargo transit times.
After the dredging completion, on May 16, THILOGI and Regional Container Lines (RCL) – a Bangkok-based container shipping line – signed a cooperation agreement on launching a shipping route directly from Chu Lai to India.
The same day, Chu Lai Port welcomed Chana Bhum, a Singapore-flagged vessel operated by RCL, marking the opening of the Chu Lai – India route. The ship carried nearly 800 containers of goods, including spare parts, garments, furniture, and agricultural products, from Vietnam to India and vice versa.
India is currently Vietnam's largest trading partner in South Asia, accounting for nearly 80% of total shipments to this region with agricultural products being the main export commodity group.
There are two trips on the Chu Lai – India route monthly, creating favourable conditions for businesses to export goods to the Indian market and Northeast Asian countries such as China, the Republic of Korea, and Japan, as well as promoting production and development of agricultural products in the central and Central Highlands regions of Vietnam, Southern Laos, and Northern Cambodia.
Promoting development in the central key economic region
Le Van Dung, Chairman of the Quang Nam provincial People’s Committee, affirmed that this project is of great significance, demonstrating THILOGI’s determination to invest in modern seaport infrastructure. It helps enhance competitive edges and drive a strong breakthrough in the local logistics sector, gradually establishing an international logistics hub that plays an important role in the socio-economic development of the locality and the region.
In the Quang Nam development master plan by 2030, with a vision to 2045, Chu Lai Port is identified as a large-scale multimodal logistics centre and a key connector of East – West economic corridors, closely linking with central provinces and expanding toward Southern Laos, Northeastern Thailand, and Northern Cambodia.
With upgraded port infrastructure and a modern logistics service system, cargo throughput through the Quang Nam seaport network is expected to reach between 8.5–10.3 million tonnes per year by 2030. This will not only boost import-export growth, especially in key sectors such as mechanical engineering, electronics, textiles, and agricultural products, but also create momentum to attract investment to the region, thus fostering large-scale manufacturing, processing, and assembly centres.
On THILOGI’s side, the company will continue to accelerate investment in expanding its fleet and transportation equipment, upgrading warehouse infrastructure, and applying an intelligent and environmentally friendly logistics management system. The goal is that by 2030, Chu Lai will become a top-tier international logistics hub operating under an integrated model combining port, logistics, industry, and technology, and playing a strategic role in the global supply chain./.
Maritime transport maintains strong growth
According to the Vietnam Maritime and Waterway Administration (VIMAWA), under the Ministry of Construction, total cargo via ports reached 370.5 million tonnes, up 11% compared to the same period last year.
