Japanese firms Mitsui O.S.K Lines, Nippon Yusen KK and Itochu Corporation and Vinalines will carry out the project under the public-private partnership (PPP) form.
Located in Lach Huyen district, the container port will be able to receive 8,000 TEU containerships that are unable to dock at neighbouring ports, enabling direct exports to North America.
Once operational in 2015, the port, which will become Vietnam's biggest terminals, is expected to handle 855,000 TEUs per year, accounting for nearly half of the total container loading capacity of northern ports.
A source from the Ministry of Transport said that the two governments will sign an agreement on the preferential credits that Japan will offer to Vietnam to realise the project.