Expediting construction of major projects
A major milestone was achieved during the construction of the Tran Hung Dao Bridge project in Ha Noi on the afternoon of August 31, as the contractor began installing the first main longitudinal girder.
The girder and arch system connecting TC3 and TC4 is slated for completion by December 31, paving the way for the installation of the TC4-TC5 girder and arch system in early 2027. This will be the final girder-and-arch span, connecting the arch spans with one another.
The project currently has 28 construction fronts, both on land and in the water, engaging around 700 personnel and more than 120 machines and pieces of equipment, including 19 barges, dozens of cranes, drilling rigs, vibratory hammers, tugboats, and specialised equipment.
According to the Tran Hung Dao Bridge Project Management Board under Sun Group, to meet the construction schedule, contractors have been mandated to structure operations in three shifts and four crews. Construction of the river-crossing piers is proceeding simultaneously, with each pier treated as an independent construction front. After eight months of construction, the project has reached nearly 40% completion.
A total of 128 bored piles and seven pile caps for the main bridge have been finalised. The five main piers in the middle of the Red River are currently 85–88% complete.
At Tu Lien Bridge, Le Huy Phu, an engineer with the EPC consortium's Project Management Board, reported that despite the holiday, contractors were deploying maximum manpower and equipment to work around the clock.
The project has currently reached 20% completion, aiming to finalise the main bridge connection by July 31, 2027 and putting it into operation before the 2027 APEC Economic Leaders' Week.
At the Ring Road 2.5 construction site, contractors are actively mobilising machinery, equipment, and manpower, striving to accomplish technical opening in time for the anniversary of the capital's Liberation Day on October 10.
Ta Van Quoc, a technical officer at HUGIA Investment Development JSC, noted that everyone would prefer to take a break and return to their hometowns during the National Day holiday. However, given the schedule requirements of this key project, officials, engineers, and workers have continued to remain at the construction site.
During the National Day holiday, construction activity remained robust at the site of the Ha Noi–Quang Ninh high-speed railway project. The project is invested in by VinSpeed High-Speed Railway Investment and Development JSC, a member of Vingroup, with total investment exceeding 147 trillion VND (5.64 billion USD).
The 120.2-kilometre railway will traverse Ha Noi, Bac Ninh, Hai Phong, and Quang Ninh. It is designed as a double-track, fully electrified railway with a standard gauge of 1,435mm and a maximum operating speed of 350km per hour. The section running through Quang Ninh is nearly 40km long.
The project is slated for completion and put into commercial operation in 2028. Hundreds of workers have continued working at their assigned locations, making the most of favourable weather conditions to carry out tasks in areas where site clearance has been completed.
Chairman of the Quang Ninh provincial People's Committee Bui Van Khang stated: “The project contractors and investor have mobilised maximum equipment, manpower, and machinery, making the most of the holiday to accelerate construction progress.”
“Relentless” construction sites
Despite heavy rain, construction units on Phu Quoc Island in An Giang Province persisted in advancing key infrastructure projects serving the 2027 APEC Economic Leaders' Week.
Thousands of engineers and workers remained at the construction sites, expediting operations to ensure progress. Included among the 21 key projects with total investment exceeding 137 trillion VND (5.25 billion USD) serving APEC 2027, the first light rail transit (LRT) system in Viet Nam, connecting Phu Quoc Airport with the APEC Convention Centre, has recently reached an important milestone.
After more than eight months of civil construction, the contract package for the supply and installation of an international-standard 1,435mm-gauge rail system has formally commenced and entered the track-laying and calibration stage.
At the 17.59-kilometre LRT construction site, nearly 600 engineers and workers, together with specialised machinery, are sustaining a continuous three-shift work schedule.
Le Hoai Phong, the project’s construction manager, remarked: “The start of calibrated track installation just over eight months after construction began is testament to the exceptional efforts of the investor and contractor consortium amid challenging weather conditions. This is not only modern green transport infrastructure, but also a cultural landmark, with six stations embodying the spirit of ‘A tour of Viet Nam in 20 minutes’ to welcome leaders of economies.”
Not far away, the expansion of Phu Quoc International Airport is simultaneously entering the final stage of construction on Terminal 2, a landmark building inspired by the fire phoenix.
Despite unpredictable rain showers, around 6,500 engineers and workers, together with a system of eight heavy-lift cranes with capacities ranging from 650 to 800 tonnes, are operating in precise coordination in three shifts and four crews.
More than 9,500 unitised tempered glass panels, each weighing 400–500kg, are being expeditiously installed to enclose the 387,790-square-metre floor area.
Thanks to the strategic establishment of four fabrication workshops on the island, installation productivity has surged to 30–40 panels per day.
“Once the glass enclosure is fully sealed, the interior space will be protected from humidity and storms, establishing the optimal conditions for interior finishing and mechanical and electrical works to accelerate simultaneously in order to begin trial operations in April 2027,” said Tran Van Chung, the project's finishing supervisor.
The hardship endured by engineers and workers who remain at the vast construction site throughout the holiday is being significantly mitigated by practical support from management units and local authorities.
Recently, the 2026 Workers' Day at the Phu Quoc APEC Convention Centre construction site and the Bai Dat Do urban area drew more than 1,000 workers. In addition to occupational safety training, free coffee and pastry stalls were provided, while hundreds of gifts were presented directly to workers.
Deeply moved upon receiving a “Building dreams” scholarship for his son back in his hometown, Pham Hoang Nam, a worker who has remained at the construction site since the early days of the project, shared: “Working overtime is hard, but with the care and support of the company, and seeing the project take shape day by day, all of us feel proud.”
