LA Prefix and Three-Letter Identifier
A Lao People's Democratic Republic UN/LOCODE begins with the ISO country prefix LA and is followed by a three-character location identifier. Examples in the Ecer Freight database include LASAV, LATHA and LAPKZ.
Seaports in Lao People's Democratic Republic: Port Codes, Throughput & Regional Guide (2026)
Lao People's Democratic Republic has 6 ports and terminals indexed in the Ecer Freight database; as a landlocked country, it relies on Mekong river facilities, inland terminals and cross-border corridors rather than ocean-facing seaports.
Port-code coverage, inland waterway access and regional freight-routing context for 2026.
Lao People's Democratic Republic Port Overview
Lao People's Democratic Republic is landlocked, so the locations below should be understood as river ports, inland freight points or terminal records connected to international road, rail and river corridors. Ocean container statistics do not apply directly to these facilities.
6
Lao People's Democratic Republic ports & terminals indexed in our database
Ecer Freight database · Nov 2026
—
National port cargo tonnage, 2025; year-on-year change not publicly reported in a consistent port series
Official public data review · 2025
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Container throughput, 2025; year-on-year change not publicly reported for the indexed river and inland facilities
Official public data review · 2025
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Commercial port berths, 2025; year-on-year change not publicly consolidated by facility
Official public data review · 2025
How many seaports does Lao People's Democratic Republic have?
Lao People's Democratic Republic has 6 seaports and terminals indexed by Ecer Freight, although the country is landlocked and the indexed facilities are primarily river, inland or cross-border freight points.
Which is the largest or busiest port in Lao People's Democratic Republic?
Savannakhet, recorded as LASAV, is the leading indexed freight location in the database by business activity ordering. A comparable official national TEU ranking is not publicly established for these inland facilities.
Which areas handle most freight in Lao People's Democratic Republic?
The main indexed freight areas are the central Mekong corridor around Savannakhet and Thakhek, the Vientiane-area crossing at Thanaleng, and southern connections around Pakse. The database also includes Ban Houeisai and the second Savannakhet record, LAZVK.
Top Ports and Freight Facilities in Lao People's Democratic Republic
This table lists the six indexed Lao People's Democratic Republic locations in database activity order. No reliable public 2025 TEU league table, world rank or facility-level year-on-year series was identified for these inland and river facilities, so the three unavailable ranking fields are shown consistently as em dashes.
Indexed port and terminal records, snapshot: Nov 2026
| World rank | Port | UN-LOCODE | 2025 throughput (M TEU) | YoY change | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Savannakhet | LASAV | — | — | Central Mekong corridor |
| — | Thanaleng | LATHA | — | — | Vientiane-area corridor |
| — | Thakhek | LATHK | — | — | Central Mekong corridor |
| — | Pakse | LAPKZ | — | — | Southern corridor |
| — | Ban Houeisai | LAHOE | — | — | Northern Mekong corridor |
| — | Savannakhet | LAZVK | — | — | Central Mekong corridor |
Regional Port Groups
Central Mekong Corridor
Central river and inland freight points connect domestic production with east-west road corridors and neighboring markets. Facility-level cargo splits are subject to confirmation.
Central indexed facilities
| Port | UN-LOCODE | City / Province | Main cargo role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savannakhet | LASAV | Savannakhet | River-linked and cross-border general freight |
| Thakhek | LATHK | Thakhek | Inland and Mekong corridor cargo |
| Savannakhet | LAZVK | Savannakhet | Additional Savannakhet freight record |
Vientiane-Area Corridor
Thanaleng supports the capital-area logistics network and cross-border movements. International ocean freight is normally routed through neighboring countries before reaching this inland corridor.
Vientiane-area indexed facilities
| Port | UN-LOCODE | City / Province | Main cargo role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thanaleng | LATHA | Thanaleng | Inland, rail-connected and cross-border freight |
Northern and Southern Corridors
Ban Houeisai serves the northern Mekong direction, while Pakse is associated with southern distribution routes. Exact cargo volumes by location are not consistently published.
Northern and southern indexed facilities
| Port | UN-LOCODE | City / Province | Main cargo role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ban Houeisai | LAHOE | Ban Houeisai | Northern Mekong and border-trade cargo |
| Pakse | LAPKZ | Pakse | Southern inland distribution and general freight |
Lao People's Democratic Republic Port Codes
City-Level and Terminal-Level Codes
A code may identify a city, river location, inland terminal or another transport facility rather than an ocean container port. Two records can therefore reference the same city, as shown by Savannakhet codes LASAV and LAZVK.
How to Verify a Port Code
Check the location against the UNECE UN/LOCODE framework and compare the available country records in the Ecer Freight port directory before preparing shipping documents.
Shipping from Lao People's Democratic Republic: Main Trade Lanes
Because Lao People's Democratic Republic has no coastline, international ocean freight generally uses a neighboring country's seaport together with road, rail or river feeder movements. Transit times are indicative and depend on border processing, transshipment and equipment availability.
Central Corridor to Thailand and Regional Hubs
Cargo from Savannakhet and Thakhek commonly moves through regional road corridors before connecting with ocean services in neighboring countries.
Vientiane-Area Cross-Border Freight
Thanaleng supports capital-area cargo moving by road or rail toward neighboring gateways and international ocean services.
Southern Corridor via Pakse
Pakse provides a southern distribution point for cargo requiring onward road connections to regional gateway ports.
Northern Mekong and Border Trade
Ban Houeisai is positioned on the northern Mekong corridor, where river and road movements support border-linked regional cargo.
Data Sources and Methodology
- Ecer Freight Ports Database — first-party coverage of 6 Lao People's Democratic Republic port and terminal records, database snapshot Nov 2026.
- UNECE — UN/LOCODE structure and location-code reference framework.
- National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency — maritime and geographic reference context, where applicable.
- World Bank — macroeconomic and logistics context used for country-level interpretation.
- Official public-data review — 2025 is treated as the latest complete statistical year; no consistent facility-level TEU, cargo-tonnage or berth series was identified for all six indexed locations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many seaports does Lao People's Democratic Republic have?
Lao People's Democratic Republic has 6 seaports and terminals indexed by Ecer Freight. The records primarily represent river, inland and cross-border freight locations because the country has no coastline.
What is the busiest port in Lao People's Democratic Republic?
Savannakhet, code LASAV, is the highest-ranked indexed location by Ecer Freight database activity ordering. A verified national TEU ranking is not publicly available for these inland facilities.
What port codes are used in Lao People's Democratic Republic?
The indexed codes are LASAV, LATHA, LATHK, LAPKZ, LAHOE and LAZVK. Each begins with the LA country prefix and should be checked against current shipping documentation requirements.
Which regions handle the main freight flows?
The principal indexed corridors are the central Mekong area around Savannakhet and Thakhek, the Vientiane-area corridor around Thanaleng, the south around Pakse and the north around Ban Houeisai.
Are 2025 throughput figures available for these ports?
A consistent official 2025 TEU or cargo-tonnage series was not identified for all six indexed river and inland facilities. Ocean-port league-table metrics should not be applied directly to Lao People's Democratic Republic.
How does ocean freight move from Lao People's Democratic Republic?
International cargo normally moves by road, rail or river to a gateway port in a neighboring country, followed by the ocean leg. The appropriate routing depends on cargo type, border conditions, equipment and final destination.
How can a shipper request a freight quotation?
Shippers can compare FCL sea freight rates or LCL sea freight rates. A quotation should include the inland origin, gateway routing, cargo details, delivery point and required shipping date.
Editorial note: Port-code coverage is based on the Ecer Freight database snapshot from Nov 2026. Country-level context and available public statistics are reviewed against the latest accessible institutional sources, with 2025 treated as the most recent complete statistical year. Port records and trade-routing guidance are updated quarterly or when material source changes are identified.
Ecer Freight · Seaports in Lao People's Democratic Republic: Port Codes, Throughput & Regional Guide (2026) · Data reviewed quarterly · Port Codes · Ports by Country · Contact