The Only Province Sharing Land and Sea Border with China Focuses on a Mega Port Worth $96 Billion

Mong Cai City in Quang Ninh province is the only locality in the country with both land and sea borders with China.

To capitalize on the region’s advantages and realize the Ministry of Transport’s initiative to attract extra-budgetary investment in seaport infrastructure, promote maritime economic development and sea transport… in 2021, Quang Ninh province commenced the construction of Van Ninh Multi-Purpose Port and the connecting road. This project is located in Van Ninh commune, Mong Cai City.

The project is expected to be completed and put into operation in Q4 2024. However, at the present, the project is behind schedule with many items. Several key components of the project remain unfinished, including the 9.5km-long road connecting Van Don-Mong Cai expressway to Van Ninh port.

To address these challenges and expedite construction, the People’s Committee of Quang Ninh province has recently approved design adjustments for the road component of the Van Ninh Multi-Purpose Port project (phase 1).

Accordingly, the investor is finalizing the adjustments to the 1/500 detailed planning, which will be submitted to the People’s Committee of Mong Cai City for approval as per regulations. These planning adjustments are expected to resolve issues in the design of the connecting infrastructure and align better with the synchronous development orientation of the port and adjacent functional areas.

Additionally, the Management Board of the provincial economic zone has coordinated with relevant departments and the People’s Committee of Mong Cai City to conduct onsite inspections and work directly with the investor to promptly address difficulties and obstacles during project implementation.

The investor has also been requested to develop a detailed implementation plan, establish a specific schedule for each item, and commit to maximizing resources in terms of manpower, machinery, and construction equipment to accelerate the progress of the remaining items, ensuring the project’s quality and timeline as required.

Up to now, the contractor is constructing a protective embankment, having completed 280 out of 304 piles, casting prestressed concrete beams, and conducting earthworks and pile cutting for the bridge pier. The goal is to inaugurate this project on the occasion of the Party Congress at all levels, expected to take place in 2025.

The Van Ninh Multi-Purpose Port project is built on an area of 82.79 hectares, with a total investment of over VND 2,248 billion in phase 1, invested by Van Ninh International Port Joint Stock Company.

The main components of the project include: A 500-meter main pier capable of simultaneously accommodating two 20,000 DWT vessels or three 10,000 DWT vessels, along with a berthing area for barges at the rear. Additionally, the project includes a 180-meter barge pier located inside, close to the shore, and three connecting bridges.

The warehouse area is invested synchronously with modern infrastructure, optimally meeting the needs of general cargo and container handling. Moreover, the project also features a CFS (Container Freight Station) and a port administration building to ensure efficient port operations.

In terms of connecting infrastructure, the project constructs a 9.435km-long connecting road, starting from the existing road in Ninh Duong ward and ending at the port entrance road. The road has a total investment of over VND 520 billion, funded by the provincial budget.

Quang Ninh port is one of the 17 leading ports in the country and is of great importance to the key economic region of the North. In recent years, the volume of cargo handled by Quang Ninh ports has consistently achieved high growth rates.

Therefore, the completion of the Van Ninh Multi-Purpose Port will establish a transport link between Mong Cai and major domestic and regional ports, creating an opportunity to form the longest sea transport route from Mong Cai to Ca Mau to date.

This project is one of the four critical long-term growth drivers for Quang Ninh province. Once completed, it will contribute to the completion of a synchronous system of port infrastructure and services, developing towards professionalism and modernity, thereby strongly promoting logistics, import-export, and international trade – especially maritime connectivity between the ASEAN and Northeast Asia regions.

Furthermore, the project will also provide a foundation to support the development of related industries, commerce, and services, positively contributing to the GRDP growth and budget revenue of Mong Cai city and Quang Ninh province.