Hai Phong (VNA) – Cargo throughput at seaports in Hai Phong city reached an estimated 96 million tonnes in the first half of 2026, up 11.4% year-on-year, further reinfocing the city's role as one of Vietnam's leading international shipping gateways.
The strong performance was driven by strategic efforts to accelerate digital transformation and upgrade port infrastructure. Together with the rapid development of the deep-water Lach Huyen port complex, Hai Phong has strengthened its position as a key import – export hub, enabling shipping lines to expand direct international services, lower logistics costs and enhance the competitiveness of Vietnamese exports.
A milestone came on June 23, when the MATZ MAERSK, a container vessel with a reduced deadweight of 213,970.8 DWT, safely arrived at Berths No. 5 and 6 of the Lach Huyen port area, operated by the Hateco Hai Phong International Container Terminal (HHIT). It is among the largest container ships ever handled at a Vietnamese seaport.
The achievement follows a series of successful calls by ultra-large container vessels at Lach Huyen, consolidating Hai Phong's standing on the international maritime map.
Director of the Hai Phong Maritime Port Authority Bui Nguyen Khoi said public maritime infrastructure in Hai Phong has improved significantly, with the navigation channel from the turning basin of the Hai Phong International Container Terminal to the upper Dinh Vu area now reaches a depth of 8.5 metres, allowing vessels to navigate without relying on tidal conditions.
However, he pointed out increasing pressure on maritime traffic management and from the rapid expansion of the Lach Huyen port area. Further investment in public facilities, turning basins, navigation channels, pilot boarding areas and vessel traffic services will be essential to accommodate rising vessel volumes and sustain efficient port operations.
According to the 2025 Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) released by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence, both the ports of Hai Phong in the North and Cai Mep in the South of Vietnam ranked among the world's top 20 best-performing container ports./.
