Hai Phong city in northern Vietnam is seeking to expand inland waterway transport to reduce road congestion, lower logistics costs and strengthen its position as a regional logistics hub. Inland waterways currently carry bulk commodities including coal, agricultural products, ores, stone and cement, but container transport by water accounts for only around 5.6 per cent of total container throughput in the city’s seaport area. Most containers continue to move by road, particularly between seaports and industrial parks.
Key constraints include low bridge clearances, limited channel depth, inadequate navigation aids and fragmented infrastructure investment. Proposed measures include dredging key channels, raising bridge clearances along routes connecting Hai Phong’s ports with northern industrial parks, and developing dedicated barge berths, particularly in the Lach Huyen area. Industry representatives have also called for regulatory reforms, improved coordination of pilotage and tugboat services, a shared digital platform connecting transport operators, ports and customs authorities, and incentives for cleaner vessels powered by electricity or biofuels.
Hai Phong and neighbouring localities aim to increase cargo and container volumes transported by barge by 8 per cent in 2027, 10 per cent in 2028, 15 per cent in 2029 and 20 per cent in 2030. The expansion is expected to improve port capacity utilisation, reduce dependence on road freight and lower transport-related carbon emissions.