Ba Ria - Vung Tau welcomes new wind from infrastructure upgrade and merger plan

Ba Ria - Vung Tau is gradually affirming its position as a strategic growth center.

On the morning of April 18, at the 22nd thematic session, the 10th Ho Chi Minh City People's Council officially passed a resolution agreeing to the policy of merging 3 administrative units including Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau.

After the merger, the new administrative entity named Ho Chi Minh City will become the central metropolis of the Southeast region, playing a core role in the regional development strategy, increasing comprehensive competitiveness and optimizing the geographical potential, land fund, infrastructure and human resources of all three localities.

As the gateway to the East Sea of ​​the Southeast region, Ba Ria - Vung Tau plays a strategic role in the Southern Key Economic Zone. In 2024, this locality is among the 4 provinces and cities with the highest growth rate in the country at 11.47% and continues to be assigned a double-digit growth target in 2025.

Geographical proximity and connectivity

Infrastructure between Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau creates favorable conditions for synchronous planning of economic space and development of smart, modern urban areas.

This is a key driving force to promote trade between the Southeast and Southwest regions, while expanding the space for industrial development, seaports and high-quality logistics services, key areas of Ba Ria - Vung Tau.

In addition, the expansion of land fund after the merger also creates favorable conditions for population dispersion strategies, satellite urban development and construction of new modern urban areas according to green, sustainable and smart models.

Accelerating with a series of key infrastructure projects

With a series of advances in planning and infrastructure investment, Ba Ria - Vung Tau is facing the opportunity to become a key economic center in the South in the next decade.

On April 23, according to news from the People's Committee of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province, the provincial leaders unanimously approved the dossier to adjust the Provincial Planning for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050.

In particular, the Urban Expressway Project connecting Ho Tram area with Long Thanh airport is updated into the province's road traffic network. In addition to the new expressway, the adjustment also adds important contents such as land allocation and zoning, adjusting the list of priority investment projects, creating a premise for the development of economic space and infrastructure in the coming time.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tho, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, requested the Department of Finance to preside over and advise on documents to send to central ministries and branches to get opinions on adjusting the planning in accordance with regulations.

This is an important step to create a legal basis for the implementation of the expressway connecting Ho Tram with Long Thanh airport in the soonest time.

The leaders of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province also set a goal of striving to complete procedures to start construction of this project in January 2026 and put it into operation in the early third quarter of 2027.

Previously, on April 19, Ba Ria - Vung Tau held groundbreaking and inauguration ceremonies for four key projects in the area to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day.

Specifically, the province has organized the technical opening of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway component 3 project. This is an important traffic project that helps exploit the potential and advantages of the locality; reduce pressure on National Highway 51 for smooth circulation of goods, maximize the exploitation of Cai Mep - Thi Vai seaport, and connect traffic to the Southern Key Economic Zone.

In addition, the technical opening of the road section from Nha Lon (Vung Tau City) to National Highway 51 and Cua Lap 2 Bridge under the Vung Tau - Binh Thuan Coastal Road Project (DT 994); the inauguration of the Con Dao Military-Civilian Medical Center with a total investment of more than 247 billion VND.

On the same day, April 19, the province started the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway Connection Road Project, with a total investment of VND13,900 billion. This route passes through Ba Ria City, Long Dien District and Vung Tau City, starting from National Highway 56 and ending at the roundabout intersection of Road 51B-C. Currently, 2 out of 5 bidding packages have been issued a groundbreaking order. The remaining 3 bidding packages are completing contractor selection procedures, expected to start construction in the third quarter of 2025.

In the future, the Phuoc An Bridge Project, one of the key projects, is expected to be completed in 2027, connecting Cai Mep - Thi Vai port with Ben Luc - Long Thanh expressway and the Southwest region.

Beltway 4 connecting Ba Ria - Vung Tau with Ho Chi Minh City, Long An, Binh Duong and Dong Nai is expected to be completed in 2028, forming an economic corridor and free trade zone associated with port clusters, industrial parks and logistics. In addition, the Long Thanh International Airport Project, expected to be put into operation in 2026, promises to bring new development momentum, putting Ba Ria - Vung Tau on the global investment map.

Seaport Industrial Center

Ba Ria - Vung Tau is located in the Southern key economic zone, playing the role of a gateway to the East Sea of ​​the entire Southeast region, convenient for connecting domestic and international trade.

According to Dr. Nguyen Tri Hieu, a finance and banking expert, Ba Ria - Vung Tau's biggest competitive advantage comes from the Cai Mep - Thi Vai port cluster and Long Thanh international airport. Of which, Cai Mep - Thi Vai is one of the largest and most modern deep-water port clusters in the country, belonging to the strategic economic corridor of Moc Bai - Ho Chi Minh City - Bien Hoa - Vung Tau, directly connected to the trans-Asia shipping route.

“This modern seaport will attract FDI capital, creating a boost for the industry, leading to a great demand for housing, commercial infrastructure and services for experts and workers,” Mr. Hieu commented. In addition, when Long Thanh airport comes into operation, the attraction of real estate investment in Ba Ria - Vung Tau will certainly increase strongly.

Long Son Petrochemical Complex, the largest FDI project in the province and one of the top in the country, has a total investment capital of up to 5 billion USD. This is the first integrated petrochemical complex in Vietnam, with a designed capacity of 1.4 million tons of olefin resin per year, along with a series of other petrochemical products.

Construction began in 2018 and the complex officially began commercial operations in late September 2024 after a nine-month trial period. However, since mid-October 2024, Long Son Petrochemical Company Limited has announced a temporary suspension of commercial operations due to fluctuations in the world market, in order to control production and business costs and wait for favorable market conditions to restart.

In February this year, Long Son Petrochemical Co., Ltd. announced the promotion of a USD 500 million renovation project to integrate ethane feedstock at the Complex, helping to reduce production costs, enhance long-term competitiveness, and contribute to reducing carbon emissions. The renovation is expected to be completed in 2027. The project will build ethane storage tanks (2 tanks with a capacity of 50,000 tons/tank) and renovate the cracking plant to process feedstock with high ethane content.

With the resonance of synchronous infrastructure, advantages of seaports, airports, tourism resources and large-scale industrial projects, Ba Ria - Vung Tau is gradually affirming its position as a strategic growth center, playing a key role in the economic development map of the South.

Ba Ria - Vung Tau celebrates 50 years of Provincial Liberation Day

On the evening of April 26, at Ba Ria Park Square, the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province solemnly held

The 50th Anniversary of the Liberation Day of Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province (April 27, 1975 - April 27, 2025). This is a sacred historical milestone and has great significance in the journey of national liberation as well as the sustainable development process of the province over the past half century.

The ceremony was attended by General Phan Van Giang, Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, Minister of National Defense; Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh, Party Central Committee member, Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly, along with other Central leaders, former Party and State leaders, leaders of provinces, cities and localities.

At the ceremony, Provincial Party Secretary Pham Viet Thanh emphasized that April 27, 1975 is an indelible mark in history.

revolution of the province. Under the leadership of the Party, with the spirit of solidarity, strong will and patriotism, the army and people of Ba Ria - Vung Tau made an important contribution to the historic victory of Spring 1975, liberating the South and unifying the country.

General Phan Van Giang highly appreciated the spirit of solidarity and the ability to overcome difficulties of Ba Ria - Vung Tau over the past 50 years. The General suggested that the province continue to focus on 6 key tasks, emphasizing the promotion of patriotism, development of marine economy, digital transformation, promotion of science and technology, development of high-quality human resources, improvement of the quality of healthcare, education and maintaining national defense and security.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/ba-ria---vung-tau-don-lan-gio-moi-tu-nang-cap-ha-tang-va-ke-hoach-sap-nhap-d275589.html