Hai Lang targets to be Quang Tri’s industrial hub

Nearly 35 years after the re-establishment of Hai Lang District, the district has made significant progress in the era of integration and development. Accordingly, the Master Plan for the Construction of Hai Lang District until 2040, with an orientation toward 2050, envisions Hai Lang as a key industrial development hub of the province and a regional logistics center. The plan aims to transform Hai Lang into Hai Lang Town before 2040, achieving the status of a Grade-IV urban area.

Nearly 35 years after its re-establishment, Hai Lang District has emerged as a key area for economic development, leveraging its many advantages to become a major industrial hub of Quang Tri Province. The district is home to the Southeast Quang Tri Economic Zone, spanning 23,792 hectares. Within this zone, the My Thuy Port Terminal Project, developed by My Thuy International Port Joint Venture Company, is under rapid construction. The energy and excitement at the construction site reflect the hopes of local residents from the fishing villages of My Thuy and Hai An, who envision a bustling future where cargo ships will soon be arriving and departing in large numbers.

Dien Sanh Industrial Cluster. Photo: T.T

“For generations, our ancestors have been tied to the sea, earning a living with unstable incomes and facing many hardships. Now, witnessing this major project taking shape in our hometown, we hope that our children and grandchildren will become engineers and workers right here, securing better lives for themselves,” said Nguyen Dinh Trung, a local resident.

With signed memorandums of understanding, My Thuy Port is expected to handle approximately 12 million tons of cargo per year before 2030, including wood chips, paper raw materials, wood pellets, clinker, and gypsum. The development of industrial zones linked to the port will provide Hai Lang with a strategic advantage in the future. One such project, the Quang Tri Industrial Park, is under construction in Dien Sanh Town and the communes of Hai Lam and Hai Truong. Covering an area of over 480 hectares with a total investment of more than $80 million, its first phase (97 hectares) has an investment of $20 million and is scheduled for completion between 2021 and 2025. The park will host industries such as textiles, footwear, packaging and printing, wood processing and furniture, as well as food and beverage production. This project is expected to boost the province’s economic and social development, establishing an economic hub along the East-West Economic Corridor linking Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar.

Currently, Hai Lang has one industrial park and three industrial clusters that have been approved for development. The industrial and handicraft sector generates a total production value of $120 million, accounting for 26 percent of the district’s total economic output. There are 2,562 industrial and handicraft enterprises, along with 214 privately owned multi-sector businesses employing 4,948 workers. The industrial clusters have attracted 35 investment projects, with 18 already operational, creating stable employment for more than 2,400 workers. The occupancy rates of the Dien Sanh, Hai Thuong, and Hai Chanh clusters are 91.7 percent, 58.9 percent, and 58.91 percent, respectively.

According to Hai Lang’s development strategy, by 2030, the district aims to complete infrastructure in the Quang Tri Industrial Park, as well as the Hai Thuong and Hai Chanh clusters, alongside other designated industrial zones. By 2040, an industrial complex covering approximately 2,200 hectares will be established, extending from Quang Tri Industrial Park to the Cam Lo–La Son Expressway. Additional industrial clusters, including Thuong Lam, Dien Sanh 2, and Hai Truong, will be developed. Under this plan, Hai Lang will evolve into a comprehensive economic zone, integrating tourism, trade, services, and agriculture while prioritizing industrial and logistics development.

Construction site of My Thuy Port. Photo: T.T

Hai Lang District Chairman Le Duc Thinh stated that in recent years, the district has steadily invested in upgrading industrial infrastructure to facilitate business operations and attract investment. The local government has streamlined administrative procedures, reducing time and costs for businesses in land acquisition and construction processes. To support business growth, Hai Lang has adopted a “four-readiness” approach: ensuring available land, administrative reform, investment support, and skilled labor. Efforts are also focused on building a transparent investment environment, simplifying digital administrative processes, and improving access to land and resources for enterprises.

With the goal of making Hai Lang a leading industrial district before 2030, the local government is implementing comprehensive strategies. The district plans to develop a diverse industrial sector while maintaining strict environmental standards. Priority will be given to industries such as gas-fired power, wood processing, seafood processing, mechanical engineering, manufacturing, building materials, and silica sand production. Labor-intensive industries, including textiles and garment manufacturing, will be promoted alongside support industries for textiles, footwear, machinery, and metal processing. Research and development in hydrogen energy will also be explored.

Hai Lang is building a comprehensive investment database to guide industrial development up to 2030 while actively seeking investors for industrial projects. The district is committed to selecting industries that align with planning objectives, favoring projects that utilize clean technology, require minimal land use, generate high revenue, create jobs, and ensure year-round stable production.

Efforts are also underway to mobilize funding for infrastructure improvements, including transportation, drainage, and wastewater treatment in the Hai Chanh and Hai Thuong clusters. The district aims to equip all industrial clusters with centralized wastewater treatment facilities meeting environmental standards, with a target of achieving 100 percent occupancy by 2030. Land clearance is being expedited to enable the effective implementation of key projects such as Quang Tri Industrial Park and My Thuy Port, spanning its first, second, and third phases.

The vision to establish Hai Lang as a major industrial hub by 2030 and a township by 2040 aligns with Quang Tri Province’s master plan for 2021–2030, with a vision extending to 2050. The district’s Party Committee, government, and residents are determined to harness all available resources, leveraging Hai Lang’s potential to build a prosperous and economically dynamic future

Hai Lang covers a land area of 491 km2, with both a railway and National Highway 1 running through it. To the east, the district has a 13-kilometer stretch of coastal beach. These are favorable conditions for expanding trade, economic development, and commercial cooperation, particularly in the industrial and handicraft sectors. The Southeast Quang Tri Economic Zone is gradually being invested in with infrastructure development, and key projects are being implemented by investors.

A significant milestone is the completion and operation of the road connecting the Dong Nam Quang Tri Industrial Park to Cua Viet Port. This project holds great socio-economic importance for both the province and the district, facilitating investment promotion and attraction. In January 2022, the Quang Tri Provincial People’s Committee and a consortium of investors broke ground on the technical component of the Hai Lang LNG Power Center Project (Phase I), with a total investment of nearly VND 54 trillion. The project is being developed in Hai An and Hai Ba communes, within the energy complex of the Southeast Quang Tri Economic Zone.

The project is expected to commence commercial operations between 2026 and 2027. Looking ahead, the 15D road linking La Lay International Border Gate to My Thuy deep-water port, along with the existing Cam Lo - La Son expressway, will create opportunities and momentum for economic and social development in Hai Lang District, particularly in the industrial and handicraft sectors.

Additionally, the Quang Tri Industrial Park project is being developed in Dien Sanh Town and the communes of Hai Truong and Hai Lam, covering an area of 481.2 hectares with a total investment of VND 2.074 trillion. Currently, Hai Lang District has nearly completed land clearance for the first phase. This project paves the way for Hai Lang to become a key industrial hub of the province.

Thanh Truc - Ngoc Mai