Ministry of Construction gives its opinion on the Investment Project to renovate and upgrade Cua Lo channel

Panoramic view of Cua Lo - Nghe An waterway and port.

The Ministry of Construction has just sent an official dispatch to the People's Committee of Nghe An province regarding the implementation of the investment project to upgrade Cua Lo channel and the breakwater north of Cua Lo wharf in the period 2025 - 2030.

According to the Ministry of Construction, the Master Plan for the Development of Vietnam's Seaport System, the Detailed Plan for the Group of Seaports; the Detailed Plan for the Development of Land and Water Areas of Nghe An Seaports in the 2021-2030 Period, with a Vision to 2050, has determined that the Nam Cua Lo Wharf area is planned for ships up to 30,000 tons or larger; the Cua Lo channel is oriented to invest in upgrading for ships up to 30,000 tons fully loaded, 50,000 tons reduced load in the period up to 2030.

Based on the above planning, the Ministry of Construction has compiled the Investment Project to renovate and upgrade Cua Lo channel for 30,000-ton fully loaded ships, 50,000-ton partially loaded ships and the breakwater north of Cua Lo port in the list of projects with expected investment needs in the 2026-2030 medium-term public investment plan and has sent a document requesting the Ministry of Finance to compile and report to competent authorities for consideration of capital allocation for investment implementation.

The Ministry of Construction said that the Cua Lo waterway is currently accommodating ships of up to 20,000 tons with reduced loads. In 2024, the Ministry of Construction has allocated 31 billion VND to carry out dredging and maintenance of the waterway, with construction to be completed in December 2024.

In mid-June 2025, the Vietnam Maritime Administration sent a document requesting the People's Committee of Nghe An province to introduce and approve the location for dumping dredged soil to maintain the Cua Lo navigation channel in 2026 and the following years.

“To facilitate dredging and maintenance of the channel in 2026 or during the investment process of upgrading the channel (in case the Cua Lo channel upgrade investment project for ships up to 30,000 tons fully loaded, 50,000 tons reduced loaded is allocated capital by competent authorities), we request the People's Committee of Nghe An province to promptly introduce and approve locations for receiving dredged materials,” the official dispatch of the Ministry of Construction signed by Deputy Minister Nguyen Xuan Sang stated.

Previously, Nghe An Provincial People's Committee sent a document requesting the Ministry of Construction to consider including in the plan to implement the project to renovate and upgrade Cua Lo channel for 30,000-ton fully loaded ships, 50,000-ton partially loaded ships and upgrade and build a breakwater in the North of Cua Lo port in 2026 from the medium-term public investment source of the central budget for the period 2026-2030.

It is known that Cua Lo Port Area is an international general seaport, an important traffic hub in the group of seaports in the North Central region with a positive growth trend in cargo throughput.

In the past 3 years, the Cua Lo South Port Area alone has achieved an average of 5,000,000 tons/year (exceeding 10% of the design capacity), of which the average container cargo is 90,000 TEU (equivalent to 1,350,000 tons/year); especially in 2024, it will reach 5,500,000 tons (125% of the design capacity) with container cargo of 100,000 TEU (equivalent to 1,500,000 tons).

It is expected that the volume of goods serving customers in Nghe An province, Laos and the Northeast region of Thailand through the Port Area is expected to grow by more than 10% per year.

Currently, the general wharf system of Cua Lo Port Area is being exploited with the ability to receive ships with a tonnage of less than 30,000 tons (reduced load) to meet the needs of domestic and foreign investors and import-export enterprises, contributing to the economic development of Nghe An province and the region.

However, because the Cua Lo port waterway has not been dredged and maintained for a long time (the channel depth from -6.8 meters to -7.2 meters can only accommodate ships with a capacity of 15,000 tons fully loaded and 20,000 - 25,000 tons partially loaded), it limits the load capacity of ships entering and leaving the port (while the current trend of transporting goods is mainly by large ships from 30,000 tons - 50,0000 tons).

This has led to increased costs for import and export units through Cua Lo port, especially in some cases of transshipment, port costs increased by 100%, increasing the cost of goods.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/bo-xay-dung-neu-quan-diem-ve-du-an-dau-tu-cai-tao-nang-cap-luong-cua-lo-d351878.html