Construction site "runs out of steam" due to lack of building materials.

The demand for construction materials in Ho Chi Minh City during the 2026-2030 period is projected to increase sharply due to the simultaneous implementation of numerous large-scale infrastructure, transportation, and public investment projects. Meanwhile, the supply of construction materials is revealing many limitations, directly affecting the progress and costs of infrastructure projects, especially key projects.

Engineers and workers are busy constructing the Phuoc Khanh bridge on the Ben Luc - Long Thanh expressway.

Construction site in disarray.

After several years of suspension, the construction of the Phuoc Khanh bridge on the Ben Luc - Long Thanh expressway has recently resumed. This contract was awarded to a consortium of Bac Trung Nam Infrastructure Construction Joint Stock Company and Freyssinet Vietnam Co., Ltd. The Phuoc Khanh bridge spans the Long Tau River (connecting Can Gio, Ho Chi Minh City and Nhon Trach, Dong Nai Province). Mr. Nguyen Huu Thiem, the construction materials engineer at Bac Trung Nam Infrastructure Construction Joint Stock Company, stated that at the end of 2025, the price of sand was only about 385,000 VND/ ^m³ , but has now increased to nearly 500,000 VND/ ^m³ ; the price of construction stone, previously 594,000 VND/ ^m³ , has now risen to 700,000 VND/ ^m³ ; and the price of steel has increased by more than 10% in the southern region since the beginning of 2026. The high prices of construction materials have significantly impacted construction work on the site.

Similarly, the Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 3 project, the western section passing through the Cu Chi, Hoc Mon, and Binh Chanh areas, previously spanned approximately 32.6 km. According to the initial plan, the route was to be technically opened to traffic no later than December 31, 2025, and fully operational by April 30, 2026. However, due to various reasons, the completion deadline has been adjusted, with the new requirement being to put the entire route into operation before June 30, 2026. Despite having less than a month left, observations show that construction sites on many sections remain in disarray. The biggest difficulty currently at the construction site is the supply of construction materials. A representative from a contractor involved in packages XL8 and XL10 stated that the demand for stone alone reaches 88,000 ^m³ , but only over 30,000 ^m³ has been supplied.

Meanwhile, the Tham Luong - Ben Cat - Nuoc Len canal renovation project, which commenced in February 2023, is currently facing a significant impact due to a shortage of construction materials. Observations show that many sections of the road have been covered with crushed stone but not yet paved with asphalt; some sections, despite being compacted, remain unpaved dirt roads. The Ho Chi Minh City Urban Infrastructure Investment and Construction Project Management Board (the investor) stated that the goal of completing the entire project by the end of this year is highly unlikely. The reason is the scarcity and high prices of construction materials, which are affecting the contractors' construction plans.

Updated pricing, more flexible supply.

The Vietnam Association of Road Transport Investors (Varsi) recently noted that the prices of essential construction materials such as sand, stone, cement, and steel have increased sharply in many localities due to rising transportation and production costs driven by fuel prices. In some southern regions, the supply of construction materials is unstable. These price fluctuations are directly impacting the implementation of transport projects. Many construction contracts, signed based on fixed or adjustable unit prices, have not been updated to reflect significant market changes, leading to the risk of exceeding the total investment budget.

Mr. Tran Chung, Chairman of Varsi, stated that he has proposed to the Government and relevant agencies to consider and direct the implementation of several solutions to alleviate difficulties for businesses. Specifically, measures are needed to stabilize fuel and construction material prices; and to expedite the updating and publication of construction price indices, ensuring they closely reflect reality and serve as a basis for contract adjustments. Varsi also proposed allowing contract price adjustments for projects significantly affected by price fluctuations, in order to share risks between the state and businesses. Mr. Dinh Hong Ky, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Construction and Building Materials Association, also shared that businesses will move towards a more flexible approach, meaning updating prices in shorter cycles and more accurately calculating factors such as delivery distance and transportation costs, instead of maintaining a rigid price level for a long period. However, businesses in the building materials industry still prioritize stability and transparency, avoiding sudden price increases that disrupt customer plans. "In the context of volatile global energy prices, the appropriate strategy is not just to raise prices, but to increase productivity, reduce consumption, and build a more flexible supply chain," Mr. Dinh Hong Ky emphasized.

Faced with a shortage of construction sand, the Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, Bui Xuan Cuong, has requested the Department of Agriculture and Environment to survey, plan, and propose potential sea sand mines that can be exploited as an alternative source of natural sand. The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee has assigned strategic investors or capable enterprises to implement sea sand washing projects to supply sand for public investment projects. Simultaneously, efforts are being made to increase the capacity of construction stone quarries to increase the production of crushed sand to replace river sand. The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee also requested the Department of Construction to closely monitor construction material prices, update and publish prices monthly to limit abnormal market fluctuations, and require investors and contractors to proactively survey additional legal or imported sand sources to ensure project progress.

DUC TRUNG

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/cong-truong-duoi-suc-vi-thieu-vat-lieu-xay-dung-post855333.html