The Vietnam Airports Corporation (ACV) began construction of a new cargo terminal at northern Hai Phong city’s Cat Bi International Airport on November 18.

In the initial phase, the terminal which was designed to handle 100,000 tons of cargo per year is slated for completion and operation by 2026.

The new cargo terminal's capacity will be expanded to 250,000 tons of cargo in the following phase.

The Cat Bi International Airport is a key gateway in Vietnam, playing a vital role in the socio-economic development not only of the port city of Hai Phong, but also os the northern coastal region, and the Red River Delta as a whole,  according to ACV Deputy General-Director Tran Anh Vu.

Hai Phong has seen rapid growth and a significant number of investors in recent years. Its increasing demand for the transport of high-tech goods by air highlights the urgent need for enhanced aviation logistics services, Mr. Vu added.

The airport currently handles around two million passengers annually, prompting the need for further upgrade.

To meet growing travel demand, the Ministry of Transport on July 15 approved a master plan for the development of Cai Bi International Airport in the 2021-2030 period, vision to 2050.

Under the plan, another passenger terminal will be built at the Hai Phong-based airport to increase its annual capacity to 13 million passengers by the end of this decade and 18 million passengers by 2050.

Cat Bi airport has been one of the five busiest airports in Vietnam to apply non-stop toll collection since May this year.