Hai Phong pioneers sea-based economy

The Party Central Committee has recently issued Resolution No. 20-NQ/TW 2026 on building and developing Vietnam into a strong maritime nation.

The resolution marks a shift from developing the marine economy to comprehensively developing the nation's maritime space; from exploiting the sea to creating wealth from the sea; and from resource-driven growth to development powered by science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation. This new direction opens up broad development opportunities for Vietnam's coastal localities.

Few localities are as well positioned as Hai Phong to turn the vision of Resolution 20 into reality. The city is home to an international gateway seaport system and a multimodal transportation network linking maritime, road, rail, inland waterway, and air transport.

Recent years have demonstrated that Hai Phong is steadily building the foundation to become one of the country's key marine economic growth poles. Its port system has continued to undergo modernization, particularly the Lach Huyen deep-water port complex. Cargo throughput increased from more than 150 million tons in 2021 to around 200 million tons in 2025, while container throughput rose from 5.6 million TEUs to approximately 8.5 million TEUs.

Beyond higher volumes, the ports have significantly enhanced their capacity to accommodate container vessels exceeding 130,000 DWT, reinforcing Hai Phong's role as northern Vietnam's principal import-export gateway and enabling deeper integration into international maritime shipping networks.

Alongside the seaport system, Hai Phong's logistics industry has expanded rapidly in both scale and quality. The use of outsourced logistics services has continued to increase, logistics costs have gradually declined, and the sector has made an increasingly significant contribution to the city's GRDP.

Hai Phong also enjoys a distinct advantage in coastal industry. The Dinh Vu - Cat Hai Economic Zone and coastal industrial parks have become attractive destinations for many of the world's leading technology corporations. The city remains committed to selective investment attraction, prioritizing high technology, green industries, electronics, semiconductors, automobiles, and other high-value-added sectors.

Hai Phong's marine economy extends beyond its ports and industrial parks. It is also strengthened by a marine and island tourism ecosystem with enormous potential. Following UNESCO's inscription of the Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago as a World Natural Heritage site, Hai Phong has gained new opportunities to develop high-end resort tourism, ecotourism, nighttime economy, and premium marine services.

However, advantages become true strengths only when they are transformed into competitive capacity. The new resolution not only presents opportunities but also places high expectations on Hai Phong. The city needs to continue improving transport links between its seaports and other modes of transportation, accelerate investment in the Lach Huyen port area, Nam Do Son Port, the Southern Coastal Economic Zone, and the Free Trade Zone, while building a smart logistics ecosystem and advancing marine science and technology, high-quality human resources, and digital transformation in port management.

At the same time, greater attention should be paid to protecting the marine environment, proactively adapting to climate change, and conserving marine and island ecosystems to ensure sustainable development.

TAM PHUC

TAM PHUC