From north to south, Vietnam’s seaports and border gates maintained stable and uninterrupted operations throughout the nine-day Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, ensuring the smooth flow of goods and passengers and preventing any disruption to trade activities.

Ships dock at a port of Hai Phong Port Joint Stock Company during the Lunar New Year holiday.

At the Hateco Hai Phong International Container Terminal, officers and workers kept up their regular working rhythm.

Vu Van Tien, a stevedore with more than a decade of experience working through Tet shifts, said staying on duty during the holiday has become routine, as the most important task is to keep cargo flows running smoothly.

The atmosphere at Nam Dinh Vu Port remained bustling during the festive days. Ship horns echoed across the wharves as containers were loaded and unloaded in quick succession, while trucks lined up in steady streams.

The port’s smart gate system, featuring automatic number plate and container code recognition and electronic delivery notes, enabled vehicles to enter and exit with a simple QR code scan in just seconds.

Pham Van Bac from VMS Transport Co., Ltd. said the swift and convenient cargo handling at the start of the year brought a sense of good fortune for businesses.

According to the Hai Phong Maritime Port Authority, from February 14 (the 27th day of the last lunar month) to 2:30pm on February 20 (the fourth day of Tet), the port area handled 349 vessel and inland waterway calls, with total cargo throughput reaching 1.58 million tonnes and 137,918 TEUs.

The figures marked increases of 25% in vessel calls, 22% in tonnage, and 30% in container volume compared to Tet 2025.

Director Bui Nguyen Khoi said shipping lines and port enterprises were requested to assign staff on duty around the clock to promptly handle incidents and ensure maritime safety, fire prevention and environmental protection.

At Cai Lan Port in Quang Ninh province, bulk cargo handling continued from the first day of the new year, with sufficient manpower and equipment deployed to meet large-volume shipments.

In Nghe An province, Cua Lo Port resumed full operations from the third day of Tet, with seven vessels docking for loading and unloading. The port also welcomed a container ship bound for Dongguan, China, with post-holiday throughput projected at 15,000 tonnes per day.

In the south, customs clearance at Cat Lai Port was maintained throughout Tet. Customs officers were on constant duty, coordinating closely across the import-export chain. Transparent duty rosters and streamlined electronic procedures helped reduce waiting times and facilitate businesses.

Border gates also operated in an orderly manner. At Huu Nghi International Border Gate, passenger traffic rose steadily during the holiday, reaching over 18,700 crossings on the fourth day of Tet. Border guard forces arranged sufficient personnel to ensure smooth entry and exit procedures.

Meanwhile, at Kim Thanh II International Road Border Gate in Lao Cai province, customs, border guards and quarantine forces coordinated efficiently from early morning. At 8am on the first day of Tet, a truck carrying 17 tonnes of durian was cleared for export to Hekou, China, marking an auspicious start for cross-border trade.

The continuous operations at key logistics hubs during Tet not only safeguarded uninterrupted cargo flows but also set a dynamic tone for production and business activities at the start of 2026, laying a solid foundation for economic growth and expanded trade.

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