Vietnam plans first offshore airport on water
Vietnam is looking to build a large-scale airport on water, a first-of-its-kind model in the country, as it moves to expand aviation infrastructure amid tightening land constraints and rising development pressures.
The proposal forms part of a draft revision to the national airport development plan for the 2021–30 period with a vision to 2050, recently submitted by the Ministry of Construction to the Prime Minister for approval.
Specifically, the revision includes proposals to add two new airports, Mang Den and Van Phong, to the national network while upgrading Quang Tri from 4C to 4E classification to meet long-term operational demand.
The highlight of the proposal is that Van Phong Airport would be built entirely on water.
According to the draft, the airport would be located in Van Thang Commune, Khanh Hoa Province, about 65 kilometres from Nha Trang, and would span more than 497 hectares of nearshore water surface.
The airport, with a total investment estimated at VND9.2 trillion (US$360 million), is designed to meet 4E standards and handle around 1.5 million passengers per year by 2030, rising to 2.5 million by 2050.
If approved, Van Phong would mark Vietnam’s first offshore airport, reflecting a shift towards using marine space for infrastructure development as land availability shrinks and site clearance costs rise.
The ministry said the project could help drive regional economic growth, with Van Phong positioned as a marine economic and logistics hub, while improving regional connectivity and supporting tourism, industry and services.
Offshore airports have been developed elsewhere in the world. A notable example is Japan’s Kansai International Airport, built on an artificial island in Osaka Bay at a cost of about US$20 billion.
Other examples include Hong Kong (China)’s Chek Lap Kok, the Republic of Korea’s Incheon International Airport and Qatar’s Hamad International Airport, reflecting a broader trend of expanding infrastructure into the sea in areas with limited land availability.
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