After more than 10 years of construction and development, Chu Lai Port has affirmed its role as a major port in the Central and Central Highlands of Vietnam and has significantly contributed to the socio-economic development of Quang Nam province. Nowadays, Chu Lai Port has become a recognized location on the maritime map and a crucial hub in the supply chain in Central Vietnam.

Capitalizing on geographic benefits, maximizing potential

Located in a strategic position and seamlessly connected with major roads in Quang Nam and the central region, Chu Lai Port has many advantages in inter-regional and regional connectivity. It features a 2 km stretch with horizontal connections, including National Highway 1, the Da Nang - Quang Ngai Expressway, the coastal road (linking Da Nang, Hoi An, Chu Lai Airport), and the Ho Chi Minh Road; longitudinal connections include National Highway 14E, National Highway 14B, National Highway 14D, etc. These routes experience high traffic flow, serving freight transportation from the southern provinces of Laos - Bo Y International Border Gate (Kon Tum), Nam Giang International Border Gate. Chu Lai Port is a vital gateway, ensuring intra-regional and inter-regional connectivity along the coastal routes and the East-West economic corridor, connecting both domestically and internationally.

According to the Quang Nam province's planning for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050, the province focuses on developing sectors such as aviation, seaports, and logistics services. Along with the province's development strategy in the maritime sector, such as investing in the new Cua Lo route linked with the non-tariff zone, industrial parks, airports, and railway stations; simultaneously forming a multimodal logistics center; Chu Lai Port will be positioned to become a leading seaport - logistics container service center in the Central and Central Highlands regions.

On the other hand, the Central region is considered a hub for manufacturing and export industries such as textiles, footwear, wood and furniture, metals, and other key sectors like agricultural product processing, heavy industry, oil and gas, energy, with many large industrial parks and economic zones such as THACO Chu Lai, Bac Chu Lai, Tam Thang (Quang Nam), VSIP, Dung Quat (Quang Ngai), etc. Given these advantages, Chu Lai Port has many opportunities to enhance its role as a key logistics center, connecting the region's trade with the world.
 

Enhance the spearhead role in the logistics operations chain

Currently, exports from Tay Nguyen and Southern Laos through the Nam Giang border gate (Quang Nam), Bo Y (Kon Tum), and northeastern Cambodia via the Le Thanh border gate (Gia Lai) are transported by road to Chu Lai port. From there, they are connected to sea routes serving Northeast Asia, Europe, and the Americas, and vice versa. Chu Lai port thus acts as a central hub in a multimodal logistics chain involving road transport, seaport operations, and sea transport. This creates fundamental and smooth connections that facilitate the business production process, optimizing profits and boosting competitive advantages.

Recently, THILOGI Group, the owner of Chu Lai Port, successfully registered and was approved to join the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), becoming an intermediary carrier for the Vietnam - U.S. trade route and vice versa. THILOGI's direct contracts with shipping lines enable Chu Lai Port to expand its service routes to the American market, effectively serving enterprises in Central Vietnam and neighboring regions. An FDI representative exporting goods via Chu Lai Port stated, “With the Chu Lai - America service route through domestic and international transshipment ports, Chu Lai Port has facilitated convenient, fast, and cost-effective access of our goods to the U.S. market, while also boosting the flow of goods to the European and American markets for FDI enterprises.”

Mr. Phan Van Ky, General Director of Chu Lai Port, affirmed, "The port is expanding its services and enhancing connections with international shipping lines to diversify maritime routes to Northeast Asia, the United States, Canada, and facilitate the export flow from the Tay Nguyen, Southern Laos, and Northeastern Cambodia regions. Additionally, leveraging its extensive available land, Chu Lai Port has a competitive advantage in expanding its warehouse system to meet the growing demand for storage of various commodities, especially agricultural, forestry, and mineral products such as cassava starch, coffee, rubber, and ores…."

In the first six months of 2024, Chu Lai Port has invested over VND 400 billion (US 15.7 million) in equipment, vehicles, and infrastructure upgrades, including modern crane systems with high capacity (STS gantry cranes and RTG cranes), specialized trailers for cargo transport, expanded warehouse and yard space, as well as an automated vehicle washing system and weigh station.

It is planned that by the end of July 2024, Chu Lai Port will complete and put into operation a new wharf for 50,000 DWT vessels and employ modern technology in its operations to execute a strategy aimed at building an environmentally friendly and smart port, aligned with sustainable development goals.