Vietnam aviation authority proposes new runway, taxiway upgrades at Cam Ranh airport with $95mn investment

The proposal was submitted to the Ministry of Construction.

According to the CAAV, Cam Ranh International Airport currently has two parallel runways.

Runway 02L/20R, built between 1965 and 1972, is 3,051 meters long and 45 meters wide.

After more than five decades of operation, its load-bearing capacity no longer meets the requirements of many modern aircraft.

As a result, aircraft such as the Airbus A321, Boeing 737 MAX, Boeing 787, and Airbus A350 can only take off and land on the runway with payload reductions of between 10 and 50 percent, requiring airlines to reduce passenger numbers, cargo, or fuel loads to ensure safety.

Runway 02R/20L, which entered service in 2019, is 3,048 meters long and 45 meters wide and is capable of handling Code E aircraft such as the Boeing 777, Boeing 747, and equivalent models without restrictions.

In addition to the aging 02L/20R runway, the W, W1, W3, W5, W6, G1, G3, and G5 taxiways have also been in operation for more than 50 years without major repairs. Their pavement has developed extensive cracking, broken concrete slabs, and surface deterioration, affecting operational safety.

The airport's approach lighting systems at both ends of the runways also rely on outdated halogen lights and xenon strobe lights that have become increasingly unreliable, while replacement components are difficult to obtain because they are no longer manufactured.

According to the airport's design consultant, Airport Design and Construction Consultancy Company Limited (ADCC), previous repairs to the runways and taxiways have only been temporary measures to keep the infrastructure operational rather than permanently addressing structural deterioration caused by the pavement reaching the end of its service life.

With the 02L/20R runway continuing to handle heavy traffic, the risk of pavement fragments breaking loose during aircraft take-offs and landings remains high.

Such debris could become foreign object debris, potentially damaging aircraft engines and equipment or even causing serious aviation incidents.

The deteriorating condition of runway 02L/20R and its payload restrictions have also affected both civil and military flight operations.

If one runway must be closed for repair, all traffic would be diverted to the remaining runway, reducing airport capacity and increasing operational risks.

To address these issues, the CAAV proposed constructing a new 3,350-meter-long, 45-meter-wide runway designated 02L/20R.

The new runway would be built parallel to the existing 02R/20L runway, approximately 360 meters to its west, and would be capable of accommodating Code E aircraft such as the Boeing 747, Boeing 787, Airbus A350, and equivalent models.

The project also includes the construction and upgrading of parallel taxiways, connecting taxiways, rapid-exit taxiways, and a synchronized drainage system.

According to the authority, the project is consistent with Cam Ranh International Airport's development plan for 2021-30, under which the airport is expected to handle about 19 million passengers and 50,000 metric tons of cargo annually.

By 2050, its capacity is projected to reach 36 million passengers and 100,000 metric tons of cargo per year.

The CAAV has proposed that the Ministry of Construction appoint it as the project investor for the 2026-28 period, while recommending the My Thuan Project Management Board as the project management unit based on its experience in runway and taxiway rehabilitation projects at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City.