Construction of the Hai Van Tunnel began on 27 August 2000, and it officially opened to traffic on 5 June 2005.  At a cost of over 127 million USD, this was the longest road tunnel in the South East Asia region, and one of the 30 longest in the world, at that time.

The project’s pre-feasibility study started in 1996, and the Vietnamese Prime Minister officially approved the implementation of the project 2 years later.  The construction cost of the project came from the Vietnamese State budget and loans from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

The entrance to the Hai Van Tunnel

The construction of the 6,280m-long tunnel was based on a new Austrian tunnelling method which took advantage of the inherent geological strength of the surrounding rock mass to stabilise the tunnel.  Numerous advanced techniques were applied in the construction of the tunnel.  Most notably was Cadweld, which is recognised internationally as the premium name in exothermic welding.  The technique had been applied for the first time in Viet Nam in the construction of the Pha Lai Thermal Power Plant No 2 in Hai Duong Province, and the Hai Van Tunnel project was the second time.

The tunnel is illuminated by 3,140 incandescent lightbulbs in the evenings.  In addition, it features 23 ventilators, 52 surveillance cameras, fire alarm and fire fighting systems, and emergency telephones, along with a traffic observation and control system.  All these systems operate round the clock in order to ensure traffic safety in the tunnel.  In particular, fire engines and rescue vehicles are always on standby for any incident.  In case of a sudden power outage in the tunnel, 9,000 Niken batteries can be put into operation.

An average of 6,500 vehicles run through the tunnel on a normal day, and the figure usually doubles during the Tet festival.  A group of Vietnamese engineers were sent to Japan and other countries with modern road tunnels to learn about traffic control methods. 

Thanks to the construction of the tunnel, the travel time between Thua Thien-Hue Province and Da Nang has been shortened considerably.  Most important of all, the tunnel has ensured the safety of vehicles running through the tunnel.  Over the tunnel’s 9 years of operation, the Hai Van Tunnel Management and Operation Joint Stock Company (Hamadeco) has worked closely with local relevant agencies to ensure the safety of heads of state and domestic and international delegations passing through the tunnel.

In addition, it has helped the Da Nang sections of the Hai Van Pass route, which is known as “Thien ha de nhat hung quan” (The most marvellous wonder), to attract more visitors.  Last year, the summit of the pass was recognised as a local tourist attraction by the Da Nang authorities, and plans to develop it into a national tourist site have been made to fully tap its great tourism potential.