Vietnam is one of the most remarkable trade growth stories of the past decade. Three Vietnamese ports now sit in the global top 30, according to the Lloyd’s List One Hundred Container Ports 2025 ranking. Read further for an overview of the biggest ports in Vietnam.
Major seaports in Vietnam – overview
Vietnam’s port network runs along a 3,260-kilometer coastline and is managed under the Vietnam Maritime Administration (VMA). The system is anchored by three special-grade ports — Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, and Cai Mep-Thi Vai — which together handle the vast majority of international container traffic. A fourth hub, Da Nang, serves central Vietnam.
4. Port of Da Nang (VNDAD)
- Location: Da Nang city, central Vietnam (South China Sea)
- 2024 TEU: 0.76 million TEU
- Key Commodities: Consumer goods, building materials, agricultural products
- Main Trade Routes: Intra-Asia, China, Japan, South Korea
Da Nang is Vietnam’s main port for the central and central highlands regions and the largest seaport in central Vietnam. While it handles a fraction of what Ho Chi Minh City or Hai Phong process in containers, it is strategically important for the supply chains of the central provinces and serves as a gateway for the East-West Economic Corridor linking Vietnam to Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar.
3. Cai Mep – Thi Vai Port Complex (VNVUT)
- Location: Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, approximately 67 km southeast of Ho Chi Minh City
- 2024 TEU: 7 million TEU (+29.2% year-on-year, highest among Vietnam’s major ports)
- Key Commodities: Electronics, textiles, footwear, machinery (direct export)
- Main Trade Routes: North America, Europe, Northeast Asia
Cai Mep is Vietnam’s deep-water powerhouse and arguably its most strategically significant port for global shippers. One of only about 20 ports in the world capable of handling the largest container vessels, it offers direct services to North America and Europe, meaning cargo can move from a Vietnamese factory floor to a US or European port without transshipping in Singapore or Hong Kong.
2. Port of Hai Phong (VNHPH)
- Location: Hai Phong city, northeastern Vietnam (Gulf of Tonkin)
- 2024 TEU: 7.1 million TEU (+12.8% year-on-year)
- Key Commodities: Electronics, machinery, textiles, agricultural products
- Main Trade Partners: China, Japan, South Korea, Europe, USA
Hai Phong is northern Vietnam’s dominant container gateway, located 150 km east of Hanoi and roughly 150 km from the Chinese border, so the natural gateway for trade crosses into or out of southern China. It serves the country’s most rapidly growing industrial corridor — the Red River Delta, where dozens of major manufacturers have set up large-scale production facilities.
1. Largest Port in Vietnam: Port of Ho Chi Minh City / Saigon (VNSGN)
- Location: Ho Chi Minh City, southern Vietnam (Saigon River)
- 2024 TEU: 9.1 million TEU (+23.8% year-on-year)
- Key Commodities: Textiles, footwear, electronics, consumer goods, machinery
- Main Trade Partners: USA, China, EU, Japan, South Korea
The Port of Ho Chi Minh City — historically known as Saigon Port — is Vietnam’s largest container hub and ranked 22nd globally by Lloyd’s List in 2025, up three places from the year before. The port system encompasses multiple terminals, with Tan Cang – Cat Lai being the single busiest container terminal in Vietnam and one of the largest in Southeast Asia.
Ho Chi Minh City is best for importers and exporters trading with southern Vietnam — the country’s manufacturing and consumption heartland. It covers all cargo types, has the widest range of direct shipping services, and is the only realistic option for LCL consolidation at scale in southern Vietnam.
Vietnam’s ports at a glance – a comparison
| Port | 2024 TEU | Best For | Key Region Served |
| Da Nang (VNDAD) | 0.76M | Central Vietnam, regional cargo | Central and Highland regions |
| Cai Mep (VNVUT) | 7M | Direct deep-sea, Americas, Europe | Southern Vietnam, deep-water gateway |
| Hai Phong (VNHPH) | 7.1M | North Vietnam, China | Hanoi, northern industrial zones |
| Ho Chi Minh City (VNSGN) | 9.1M | Largest hub, all cargo | Southern Vietnam, Mekong Delta |
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