On December 19, 2025, at the northern of Binh De Tunnel (Quang Ngai Province), the inauguration ceremony of the Quang Ngai – Hoai Nhon Expressway was held. This is the largest component project of the North - South Expressway. After more than 1,000 days of perseverance and determination, the project was completed eight months ahead of schedule.
The ceremony was attended by Mr. Nguyen Cong Hoang, Vice Chairman of the Quang Ngai Provincial People’s Committee; Mr. Dinh Manh Duc, Deputy Director General of the Department of Economics and Construction Investment Management (Ministry of Construction); Mr. Cao Viet Hung, Deputy Director of Project Management Unit No.2 (Ministry of Construction); leaders of DEOCA Group representing the contractors, along with project engineers, workers, and a large number of local residents.
A key link of the North - South expressway
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Cong Hoang commended and acknowledged the efforts of the project owner, the close and responsible coordination among central ministries and agencies, and the strong engagement of local Party committees and authorities in land clearance, compensation, and construction organization - contributing to the project’s timely completion.
He also highly appreciated the dedication and creativity of contractors, engineers, and workers who overcame difficulties and applied advanced technical solutions, including an innovative tunneling method that significantly shortened construction time, enabling tunnel breakthrough eight months earlier than planned.
“The close and effective coordination between the project owner, contractors, and local authorities clearly demonstrates our shared determination to bring the project into service for the people as soon as possible”, Mr. Hoang emphasized.
Mr. Nguyen Cong Hoang, Vice Chairman of the Quang Ngai Provincial People’s Committee, delivering remarks at the ceremony.
The expressway is the crucial component of the continuous North - South expressway corridor stretching from Lang Son to Ca Mau, contributing to the national goal of developing 3,000 kilometers of expressways.
With a total investment exceeding VND 20.4 trillion, the project runs through Quang Ngai and Gia Lai provinces. Project Management Unit No.2 (Ministry of Construction) serves as the project owner, while a contractor consortium led by DEOCA Group undertook construction. Among the 12 component projects of the North - South Expressway for the 2021–2025 period, the 88-kilometer-long Quang Ngai - Hoai Nhon section is the longest, largest in scale, and most technically complex.
The route includes three mountain tunnels with a combined length of 4,500 meters. Among them, Binh De Tunnel (Tunnel No.3) is the largest newly built expressway tunnel on the entire North–South Expressway, alongside 77 bridges, 586 culverts, and 81 underpasses for local traffic.
“The early commissioning of the Quang Ngai–Hoai Nhon Expressway is of great practical significance. It meets growing travel demand, reduces pressure on existing roads, enhances transport capacity, and ensures traffic safety,” Mr. Hoang stated.
Highlighting the contributions of engineers and workers, Mr. Ngo Truong Nam, General Director of DEOCA Group, expressed gratitude to more than 4,000 workers who devoted themselves to the project.
“They celebrated Lunar New Year’s Eve on the construction site, marked birthdays amid the roar of machinery, set aside personal sacrifices to stay on site, and committed wholeheartedly to their work. They endured harsh weather, storms, and intense schedule pressure - placing responsibility above all else and taking pride in the project’s success as their own,” Mr. Nam said.
Mr. Ngo Truong Nam, CEO of DEOCA Group, speaking at the ceremony.
At the event, the Ministry of Construction also honored outstanding collectives and individuals for achievements during the historic emulation campaign ‘500 Days and Nights to Complete 3,000 km of Expressways’.
The project officially broke ground on January 1, 2023, following the Prime Minister’s directive. Under the contract, completion was scheduled for September 2026. However, during an inspection and encouragement visit to workers laboring through the Lunar New Year, the Prime Minister assigned the task of completing the Quang Ngai - Hoai Nhon section by the end of 2025 to help achieve the national goal of 3,000 km of expressways from Lang Son to Ca Mau.
To finish eight months ahead of schedule, DEOCA Group mobilized over 4,000 personnel, 1,750 machines and equipment, organized three shifts and four crews, and operated continuously 24/7, including holidays and Tet. Beyond technical and schedule challenges, the project became a nearly three-year journey overcoming unprecedented obstacles.
Overcoming challenges through a “command from the heart”
In response, under the Prime Minister’s decisive leadership and coordinated efforts by ministries and local authorities, numerous solutions were implemented to accelerate infrastructure projects nationwide, including the Quang Ngai - Hoai Nhon Expressway.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh personally visited the site twice to inspect progress and encourage workers. Deputy Prime Ministers and leaders of the Ministry of Construction and other agencies regularly conducted field inspections to resolve bottlenecks.
Local governments also intensified land clearance efforts, supported contractors in addressing material supply issues, and engaged in public outreach - helping the project meet its commitments to the Government.
For its part, DEOCA Group, as the consortium leader, implemented comprehensive management, technological, and engineering solutions to ensure both progress and quality.
The Ministry of Construction commended outstanding collectives and individuals for their exceptional achievements in the historically significant emulation campaign “500 Days and Nights to Complete 3,000 km of Expressways
In tunnel construction, leveraging experience from major tunnel projects, DEOCA Group improved the traditional NATM method and developed the innovative DEOCA’s NATM method, applied to all three tunnels, doubling construction speed compared to conventional methods. As a result, Binh De Tunnel was completed eight months ahead of contract schedule, playing a decisive role in early full-route opening.
For road sections, the contractor invested tens of billions of VND to upgrade from conventional asphalt concrete to polymer-modified asphalt, enhancing durability and overall quality.
To secure material supply, additional crushing and shaping plants were mobilized to support local quarries. Contractors also advanced land clearance funds and placed deposits with local authorities to build trust with residents. Contractors failing to meet schedule requirements were decisively reassigned or had workloads reduced to avoid bottlenecks, while dozens of additional construction fronts were deployed to maintain overall progress.
Delegates perform the inauguration ceremony.
After nearly three years of tireless effort - days and nights shared by thousands united by a single will and driven by a “command from the heart”, the Quang Ngai–Hoai Nhon Expressway was completed more than eight months ahead of schedule. It stands as the most critical link of the North - South Expressway, contributing to the milestone of over 3,000 km of expressways completed nationwide in 2025.
By: Lam Tra - Photos: To Hung
