Da Nang Port continues 125-year epic through innovation, creativity and breakthroughs

A proud 125-year journey

Established on September 1, 1901, Da Nang Port has accompanied the development of Viet Nam’s maritime sector for 125 years, growing into a national general seaport, a modern trade and transport infrastructure hub in the central region, and an important cargo gateway for the East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC). The past 125 years have marked an arduous voyage from bare footprints on the sand in 1901 to the pulse of smart digital technologies in 2026.

Linking Party building with breakthroughs in production and business

Strengthening Party building, accelerating innovation and achieving breakthroughs in resources have been the strategic “keys” enabling Da Nang Port to affirm its stature as an international logistics gateway over its 125-year history (September 1, 1901–2026). Through their expertise and unwavering dedication, Da Nang Port’s officials and employees are consolidating its foundations and generating fresh momentum as it confidently reaches out to the wider world.

According to Tran Le Tuan, Secretary of the Party Committee and General Director of Da Nang Port, the port’s Party organisation currently has 277 members and 21 grassroots Party organisations, comprising 14 Party cells directly under the Da Nang Port Party Committee; one subordinate Party committee with six affiliated Party cells; and three Party cells at joint-stock companies.

The Party organisation implemented its Resolution against a backdrop of considerable upheaval, including global economic instability, geopolitical competition and military conflicts affecting trade and investment, as well as natural disasters and epidemics, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused economic and social losses and slowed growth.

In response, the Party Committee, its Standing Board, Party committees and administrations at all levels swiftly adapted and innovated, effectively pursuing the dual goal of “preventing and controlling the COVID-19 pandemic while promoting production and business activities”, thereby ensuring uninterrupted logistics operations and the smooth flow of goods. Under the Resolution of the Party Congress for the 2020–2025 term, which set an overall growth target of 10%, the Standing Board, Board of Directors and Executive Board of Da Nang Port jointly developed a five-year action programme covering key areas including market development, coordinated infrastructure investment, organisational restructuring, the application of science and technology and digital transformation, and the development of corporate culture.

Breakthroughs through digital transformation and technology

Since 2011, Da Nang Port has been carrying out a quiet yet far-reaching transformation. Closely following its annual strategic themes, the Port Party Committee designated 2020–2022 as the “Years of Digital Transformation”, accelerating the application of information technology, automation and the modernisation of operational processes. For the 2023–2025 period, the theme was “Concentrating resources on developing Da Nang Port and expanding the seaport and logistics system”, laying a solid foundation for successfully achieving the dual goal of developing infrastructure while improving business efficiency. In 2026, the focus shifted to “Expanding infrastructure and developing Da Nang Port into a green and smart port”, marking its transition from a traditional port model towards a modern and sustainable ecosystem.

The transformation into a joint-stock company in 2014 and official listing on the stock market in 2016 marked an important turning point towards more transparent corporate governance. In 2018, the completion of Phase 2 of the Tien Sa Port expansion project raised cargo-handling capacity to a record level.

A major breakthrough came in 2020, when Da Nang Port put its electronic port (e-Port) ecosystem and automated gate system (AutoGate) into operation. This digital “green lane” brought significant improvements to production and business operations: long queues of container trucks waiting at the port became a thing of the past, as did cumbersome stacks of paperwork. With robotic process automation (RPA) and artificial intelligence, cargo handling and delivery procedures can now be completed in just seconds with a single touch.

The resolute leadership of the Party organisation has fostered consensus and unity, enabling Da Nang Port to boldly embrace innovation and gradually shift from manual operations towards a modern, smart seaport. This represents both a continuation of its proud tradition and a commitment to the future.

Tran Le Tuan, Secretary of the Party Committee and General Director of Da Nang Port.

Through a journey of continuous innovation and creativity, Da Nang Port is turning its vision into reality: a paperless port with seamless processes. Its dedication and expertise have earned international recognition through impressive achievements. In 2023, Da Nang Port was ranked among the world’s top six best-performing container ports according to the Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), firmly affirming the position of a Vietnamese port on the global maritime map.

Human resources – A driving force for innovation and breakthroughs

Throughout its 125 years of development, Da Nang Port has always regarded people as a core resource alongside infrastructure and technology. Identifying human resource development as a strategic breakthrough, the port has renewed its management approach with a focus on efficiency and innovation, gradually developing three pillars of human resource transformation to enhance its competitiveness in the new era.

First is a breakthrough in human resource quality. The approach has shifted from “training to know” towards “training to perform, perform better and create value”. Employees are gradually progressing from simply “operating equipment” to “mastering equipment”, and from “following processes” to “understanding, improving and optimising processes”.

Second is a breakthrough in workforce management and development, with a gradual shift from conventional labour management towards competency- and performance-based human resource management. Particular emphasis is placed on identifying, assessing, training, challenging and developing talent, while building a strong pipeline of future personnel.

Third is a breakthrough in the culture of innovation. Employees are no longer simply those who carry out assigned tasks; they are becoming active drivers of improvement and innovation.

Assessing the core leadership role of the Da Nang Port Party Committee throughout the port’s 125-year journey, Tran Le Tuan, Secretary of the Party Committee and General Director of Da Nang Port, affirmed: “The Da Nang Port Party Committee has consistently promoted its role as the political nucleus, inspiring a pioneering and innovative spirit among officials and Party members, and translating resolutions into concrete action through projects and technological solutions such as e-Port, AutoGate and eMap. The resolute leadership of the Party organisation has fostered consensus and unity, enabling Da Nang Port to boldly embrace innovation and gradually shift from manual operations towards a modern, smart seaport. This represents both a continuation of its proud tradition and a commitment to the future."

Milestones affirming mettle

Under the resolute direction of the Party Committee, Board of Directors and Executive Board, Da Nang Port has recorded double-digit growth in key indicators over nearly the past decade. Particularly impressive results have been achieved over the past five years, with revenue and profit growing by more than 10% annually on average. Revenue surpassed 1 trillion VND (38.3 million USD) in 2021, reached 1.5 trillion VND (57.5 million USD) in 2024, and is projected to exceed 2 trillion VND (76.67 million USD) in 2026.

Da Nang Port has invested in and put into operation a series of projects that have delivered strong results, providing customers with higher productivity and service quality. Its Tugboat Joint Stock Company and Da Nang Port Logistics Joint Stock Company have been equipped with modern facilities and vehicles, effectively supporting the port’s production and business activities.

In addition to investment in modern equipment and integrated infrastructure, Da Nang Port has maintained its traditional markets while expanding into new ones. It has attracted new cargo categories, service routes and major shipping lines, including Maersk Line, TS Lines, ZIM, COSCO, Samudera, SITC, Evergreen, Wan Hai and YCKY, to launch services at the port, helping diversify its offerings and provide customers with more choices.

Over the years, the Da Nang Port Party Committee has repeatedly been recognised for the outstanding fulfilment of its tasks. In 2024, Da Nang Port received a Certificate of Merit from the Prime Minister and an Emulation Flag from the Commission for the Management of State Capital at Enterprises for its outstanding achievements and leadership in emulation movements. It also received Certificates of Merit from the Chairman of the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) for outstanding production and business performance for three consecutive years from 2022 to 2024.

The port has been named an “Outstanding Enterprise for Employees” for eight consecutive years and a “Sustainable Enterprise” for nine consecutive years. It was also ranked among Viet Nam’s 500 most profitable enterprises in the PROFIT500 ranking for eight consecutive years from 2017 to 2024. From 2021 to 2024, it consistently ranked among Viet Nam’s 1,000 largest corporate taxpayers and placed 10th in Da Nang during the 2021–2023 period.

As it embarks on a new journey, the Da Nang Port Party Committee will continue to enhance its leadership capacity and combativeness and is determined to build a clean, comprehensively strong Party organisation. For the 2025–2030 term, it will direct efforts towards the overall goal of “enhancing internal capacity and affirming Da Nang Port’s position as a major Vietnamese seaport in the global logistics supply chain.”

Specific targets include average annual growth of 10% in cargo throughput, 10% in revenue and 10% in profit, together with average annual growth of 5% in employee incomes. The port also aims to fully meet all of its obligations to the state budget.

In particular, Da Nang Port will continue investing in its people, focusing on developing human resources for green and smart port operations and modern logistics. It will step up training in digital transformation, artificial intelligence, data, automation, foreign languages, international logistics and management, while further improving its employee assessment and career development systems, building a pipeline of future personnel, attracting talent, and strengthening partnerships with educational institutions and technology and logistics companies.

The core objective is not simply to maintain adequate staffing levels, but to cultivate a workforce with the capabilities, resilience and aspirations needed to take the lead in mastering change.

The 125th anniversary of Da Nang Port’s establishment (September 1, 1901–2026) is not only an occasion to look back with pride on its remarkable history, but also a milestone marking the beginning of a new journey towards greater achievements. With the strong political determination of the Party Committee and the unity of its workforce, Da Nang Port is committed to continuing its active contribution to the socio-economic development of Da Nang and the country as a whole, while firmly establishing its position as a major, modern and advanced seaport on the regional and global maritime map.