Bridging the Gap - Cai Lan International Container Terminal, Vietnam

Located 160 km (100 miles) east of Hanoi on the southwest shores of Bai Chay Bay, Cai Lan International Container Terminal is the largest deep water port in Northern Vietnam. Capable of handling a half-million 20-foot equivalent units (TEU) of containers annually, the terminal is strategically located to take advantage of regional growth in agriculture and manufacturing. The addition of this 594-meter-long (1,950 foot), three-berth structure situated between two existing berths completes the development of the 1995 master plan for the port and, more importantly, supplies the region with the additional capacity needed to meet the expected growth in containerized cargo volumes. This paper describes the background, planning, design, and construction challenges involved in creating and implementing a master plan for a modern container terminal located between two existing operating terminals in Northern Vietnam.