Offshore fishing vessels successively dock after a long night at sea, carrying fresh seafood just pulled up from the ocean.
In front of the warehouse and gathering yard, refrigerated trucks have been parked in line. Each basket of fish is quickly transferred from the ship to the shore, through the hands of loaders and unloaders and then put into the sorting and purchasing area. Seawater and ice flow in streams on the wet cement floor, reflecting lights and early morning lights.
Inside the factory area, the fish sorting line operates almost non-stop. Small silver fish slide through the metal conveyor belt, water shoots up in streaks under industrial lights. Workers, mostly women, wear conical hats or cloth hats, rubber gloves to quickly pick up fish and arrange them in colorful plastic trays.
In another corner, large stone blocks are broken down and then shoveled into the barrels to marinate the fish. The work is repeated but requires speed and accuracy. If you are slow, the fish will rush back right on the conveyor belt, so the female workers are always busy. Outside the wharf, blue and red painted boats are lying close together. Some fishermen take the opportunity to clean up their nets and fishing gear after a long sea trip. On the deck, plastic barrels are still full of fish that have just been pulled up before. According to people working at the port, the time from 4:30 am to 7 am is the busiest time at the fishing port. In a short few hours, a large amount of seafood is transferred from the boat to shore, sorted, iced and brought to the purchasing area before being transported for consumption.
Ben Da fishing port is not only a harbor for ships after a long night offshore, but also an important link in the local seafood supply chain. From here, fresh fish is distributed to markets, restaurants and kitchens in the city.
As the sun rises higher, the labor rhythm at the port gradually slows down. Refrigerated trucks gradually leave the port area, carrying boxes of fish that have just been carefully stoned. On the port yard, workers continue to clean up, preparing for the next ships. Amidst the bustle of a new day's life, Ben Da Fishing Port still maintains the familiar labor rhythm of people attached to the sea, quietly but persistently, like the breath of the ocean itself.
