First commercial ship docks at new berths in northern Vietnam city

The first commercial vessel, MSC MAKALU III, docked at berths 3 and 4 of Hai Phong International Gateway Port (Hai Phong Port) in the northern city of Hai Phong on Wednesday.

The berths, invested by Hai Phong Port TIL International Terminal Co., Ltd (HTIT), are located in the Lach Huyen deep-sea port cluster.

MSC MAKALU III, measuring 210 m in length and with a deadweight of 38,629 tons, unloaded 484 import containers - equivalent to 829 TEUs - during this port call.

Successfully receiving a vessel of this size not only demonstrates Hai Phong Port’s capability to handle large ships but also shows its readiness to integrate into the international maritime supply chain.

The official launching of terminals marks Hai Phong Port’s regional leading ability in port operations and reaffirms Hai Phong Port JSC’s key role in the North.

Once HTIT is fully operational, Hai Phong Port’s market share in container cargo in the region is expected to reach 40%, and 60% for non-container cargo in the Hai Phong area.

According to Nguyen Tuong Anh, general director of Hai Phong Port JSC, the company recorded positive growth in March, with a consolidated cargo volume of 3.29 million tons and total revenue of VND227.37 billion ($8.78 million), equivalent to 119% of the monthly target. This provides a solid foundation for continued growth in the upcoming quarters.

The arrival of MSC MAKALU III is not only a significant milestone in the operations of HTIT, but also marks the beginning of a new development phase, helping improve the port’s position in the international maritime supply chain.

With a total length of 750 meters and a width of 50 meters, the berths are able to process 160 TEU (3,000 DWT) vessels. The project has a total cost of about VND6.94 trillion ($268.27 million), covering a total area of 47 ha.