HO CHI MINH CITY: The marine and lagoon economy has been identified as one of the centrally run city of Hue’s two strategic pillars and a key driver for the city’s current and future growth, alongside its heritage economy.
With more than 120km of coastline and the Tam Giang-Cau Hai lagoon system, the largest brackish water lagoon complex in South-East Asia, covering 216 sq km and stretching 70km along the coast, Hue holds enormous potential for marine and lagoon-based economic development.
Hue City’s vast coastal and lagoon areas have long faced challenges due to fragmented terrain and frequent exposure to natural disasters, particularly during the storm and flood season.
Decades ago, before bridges were built, the eastern side of the Tam Giang-Cau Hai lagoon system, where communities meet the sea, was once largely isolated from the rest of the region.
Residents travelling to the western side, where administrative centres and urban areas are located, had to rely on ferries crossing vast stretches of water.
To overcome these limitations, the city has in recent years invested heavily in transport infrastructure to strengthen both internal and regional connectivity across coastal areas and the Tam Giang-Ceu Hai lagoon system.
The old Thuan An Bridge in Thuan An Ward, put into operation in the early 1990s, was the first bridge spanning the Tam Giang lagoon.
It was followed by a series of other bridges across the lagoon system, including Hoa Xuan, Truong Ha, Tam Giang and Thao Long, effectively ending generations of dependence on ferries.
The Tam Giang-Cau Hai lagoon system opens to the sea through two major estuaries: Tu Hien in the south and Thuan An in the north.
Bridges built across these gateways have improved connectivity while unlocking new opportunities for urban, tourism and marine economic development.
The bridge spanning the Tu Hien estuary, where Cau Hai Lagoon meets the East Sea, was completed in late 2007.
Measuring more than 915m long and 12m wide, with a 30-tonne load capacity, the bridge was built at a cost of more than 156 billion dong.
It forms part of National Highway 49B, the coastal route linking with National Highway 1A at Chan May Tay.
Resident Pham Dình Kha recalled that throughout the bridge’s three-year construction period, locals eagerly awaited its completion.
Once operational, the bridge unlocked the economic potential of coastal communities, facilitating trade, boosting the marine economy and creating new opportunities for thousands of local households.
The coastal road project, stretching nearly 7.8km, features the Thuan An sea-crossing bridge as its centrepiece.
Built with an investment of 2.4 trillion dong the bridge was technically opened to traffic on April 30 and is expected to be completed by June 30, 2026.
At 2.36km long, it is the longest sea-crossing bridge in central Vietnam.
Since its technical opening, the bridge has quickly become a popular check-in spot for visitors to the former imperial capital.
According to Le Dình Phong, chairman of the People’s Committee of Thuan An Ward, the bridge significantly shortens travel time between central Hue and the eastern coastal zone, while opening up around 1,500ha for urban development, attracting tourism investment and promoting marine economic growth.
Building on its coastal and lagoon advantages, the locality is prioritising marine services and tourism as key economic sectors to drive rapid and sustainable growth in the marine and lagoon economy.
Thuan An Ward is diversifying marine tourism services, particularly resort and experiential tourism, while investing in shopping centres and supermarkets; modernising traditional markets, and developing brands for traditional local products.
The locality is also prioritising large-scale, modern infrastructure projects to improve connectivity between the urban core and surrounding areas.
Between 2026 and 2030, Hue plans to build three additional bridges crossing the Tam Giang lagoon system.
These include a bridge linking Phu Vang Commune with Phu Vinh Commune, with investment capital of more than one trillion dong; Ha Trung Bridge connecting Phu Vang Commune with Vinh Loc Commune, with an investment of 950 billion dong; and Vinh Tu Bridge linking Quang Dien Commune with Phong Quang Ward, expected to cost more than 1.5 trillion dong.
At its fourth conference, held in February this year, Hue City Party Committee outlined key development priorities, identifying the marine economy and heritage economy as the city’s two main growth drivers.
The marine economy is expected to become a key pillar of growth through the development of coastal urban areas, logistics, energy industries, seaports, and sustainable aquaculture and seafood processing.
The Chan May-Lang Co coastal area in the southeast has been designated as Hue’s marine economic hub, with a focus on logistics, the Chan May deep-water port, high-end resort tourism and high-tech industries.
Under Decision 1019/QĐ-BXD issued by the Construction Ministry approving the detailed development plan for Hue’s port land and water areas for the 2021 to 2030 period, with a vision to 2050, the city’s port system is expected to become a major hub for cargo transport, logistics services and international tourism.
Chan May is planned as a major port complex comprising seven berths and 11 wharves with a combined length of 3,320m, capable of handling between eight million and 10.7 million tonnes of cargo annually and serving between 276,100 and 285,000 passengers.
The port can accommodate vessels of up to 150,000 tonnes.
Chan May Port in Chan May-Lang Co Commune is continuing to expand with additional port infrastructure.
In January 2026, the city approved the investment policy for Berth No 6 at Chan May Port, a project worth more than 928 billion dong covering over 15.5ha, including more than 13.2ha of land and nearly 2.3ha of water surface.
The project includes the construction of one berth for general cargo, container, bulk and liquid cargo vessels of up to 70,000 tonnes, along with two additional berths for vessels of up to 10,000 tonnes.
Supporting infrastructure, warehouses, machinery and equipment will also be developed to facilitate cargo handling and import-export operations. — Viet Nam News/ANN
