HẢI PHÒNG — The first commercial vessel, MSC MAKALU III, officially docked at Berths 3 and 4 invested by Hải Phòng Port TIL International Terminal Co Ltd (HTIT) at Hải Phòng International Gateway Port (Hải Phòng Port) in the Lạch Huyện deep-sea port cluster in the northern city of Hải Phòng on April 16.

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

Handling a vessel of this size proves Hải Phòng Port’s ability to manage large ships and its readiness to join the global maritime supply chain, boosting import-export activities in the North and across Việt Nam.

Once HTIT is fully operational, Hải Phòng Port’s market share in container cargo in the region is expected to reach 40 per cent, and 60 per cent for non-container cargo in the Hải Phòng area.

According to Nguyễn Tường Anh, general director of Hải Phòng Port JSC, the company recorded positive growth in March, with a consolidated cargo volume of 3.29 million tonnes and total revenue of VNĐ227.4 billion (US$9 million), equivalent to 119 per cent 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, contributing to economic growth in the northern region and the country in general.

With a total length of 750 metres and a width of 50 metres, the berths are able to process 160 TEU (3,000 DWT) vessels. The project has a total cost of nearly VNĐ7 trillion ($280 million USD), covering a total area of 47ha. — VNS