A mechanism is needed to open up the development of Ho Chi Minh City's seaports.

From now until 2030, along with prioritizing the development of the Can Gio international transshipment port, the seaport sector in Ho Chi Minh City will focus on increasing the length of wharves and relocating some wharves on the Saigon River...

Prioritize international transshipment ports.

According to statistics from the Vietnam Maritime and Inland Waterways Administration, in the first two months of 2025, Ho Chi Minh City's seaports experienced growth of over 13.5% compared to the same period in 2024.

Ho Chi Minh City's seaport plays a crucial role in the global supply chain. Photo: TCSG.

Previously, in 2024, the volume of goods handled through Ho Chi Minh City's seaports reached 189 million tons, with container traffic reaching 108 million tons (8.4 million TEU). The average growth rate of goods during the 2020-2024 period was 3.8%.

Currently, Ho Chi Minh City's seaport has 99 permanent wharves with a total length of approximately 14,918m, and 67 mooring buoys that have been officially put into operation.

The regional seaport has received the largest vessel with a tonnage of 150,000 tons at the buoy berth area on the Go Gia River, general cargo and bulk carriers with a tonnage of up to 60,000 tons (unloaded) and container ships with a tonnage of up to 45,000 tons (unloaded) at the berths.

However, in the draft detailed plan for the development of land and water areas of Ho Chi Minh City's seaports for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, recently submitted by the Vietnam Maritime Administration to the Ministry of Construction , the agency stated that many shortcomings still exist in the development of Ho Chi Minh City's seaports.

Consequently, the development of infrastructure in industrial zones behind the ports has been slow, leading to delays in the formation of ports that directly serve these industrial zones (typically Cat Lai and Hiep Phuoc...).

Establishing and ensuring the operation of the new port area requires integrated infrastructure, while the capacity of some investors is limited.

Furthermore, the relocation and repurposing of port facilities on the Saigon River has not met the planned schedule. In particular, the lack of planning for stable, long-term dredged material disposal sites has negatively impacted the progress of dredging and maintenance of maritime channels and the waters in front of the ports.

Great potential

According to the Vietnam Maritime and Inland Waterways Administration's report, by 2030, Ho Chi Minh City's seaports will have 41-44 berths, including 89-94 piers with a total length of 16,588-18,588m (excluding other berths).

The vision for 2050 is to continue investing in the Can Gio international transshipment port area to form a large-scale international transshipment port cluster of regional and international significance at the Cai Mep river mouth; and to complete the relocation of ports on the Saigon River...

According to the draft detailed plan for the development of land and water areas of Ho Chi Minh City's seaports for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, the investment capital needed for the Ho Chi Minh City seaport system by 2030 is estimated at approximately 77,600 billion VND.

The volume of goods handled through the region's seaports is expected to reach 228-253 million tons (containerized cargo from over 11.4-12.8 million TEU, excluding international transshipment containers).

Passenger traffic ranges from 170,600 to 184,400. The vision for 2050 is to continue developing new ports to meet cargo throughput needs at an average growth rate of approximately 3.5-3.8% per year.

According to experts, Ho Chi Minh City's port area has many ports that have been invested in with a synchronized, modern scale, high-productivity handling equipment, and fast ship turnaround times. As assessed by Lloyd's List Maritime Magazine (UK), the future of Ho Chi Minh City's port area has the potential for further expansion.

The Can Gio International Transshipment Port project, located near Ho Chi Minh City's seaports, if approved, will significantly boost trade with countries in the region. Along with the Cai Mep - Thi Vai area, the Ho Chi Minh City container port cluster will become one of the important port areas in the global supply chain.

Businesses need an open mechanism.

Mr. Tran Khanh Hoang, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Port Association (VPA), said that regional linkages will create enormous development potential for logistics in general and regional seaports in particular, including Ho Chi Minh City. Economic development will be an opportunity for seaports to make breakthroughs.

Meanwhile, Mr. Truong Tan Loc, Marketing Director of Saigon Newport Corporation, believes that what is most needed now is new and open mechanisms and policies to facilitate business development. This includes policies related to customs and the clearance of accumulated containers.

"If the clearance of backlog containers proceeds smoothly, ports can ensure continued receiving operations and increase the efficiency of production, business, and exploitation," Mr. Loc said, suggesting that the mechanisms for linking ports and localities such as Cai Mep (Ba Ria - Vung Tau) and Ho Chi Minh City, and between Cat Lai Port and Hiep Phuoc, also need to be more streamlined to facilitate the movement of goods.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/can-co-che-mo-phat-trien-cang-bien-tphcm-192250324233511672.htm