Expecting new growth pole from Tran De Coastal Economic Zone

Can Tho Tran De Coastal Economic Zone is expected to become the logistics gateway of the Mekong Delta, but to realize it and attract investment, many bottlenecks need to be removed.

Tran De coastal economic zone (Can Tho city) is identified as one of the key projects to develop the marine economy in the Mekong Delta. The driving force is Tran De deep-water port (abbreviated as Tran De seaport) planned to be located right at the mouth of Hau river, holding a strategic position for the development of regional logistics infrastructure.

Simulation of Tran De coastal economic zone ( Can Tho city). Photo: Kim Anh.

According to Ms. Tran Thi Lan Phuong - representative of Tan Cang Saigon Corporation: If implemented, Tran De Seaport can solve the big logistics problem of the Western region. Because about 80% of the Mekong Delta's exports currently have to be transported by road to the Ho Chi Minh City - Cai Mep port cluster, causing costs of about 170 USD/container (equivalent to 7-10 USD/ton).

The establishment of Tran De Seaport can help reduce 5-10% of logistics costs for agricultural products, improving competitiveness. However, from vision to implementation, there are many barriers that need to be resolved synchronously.

In terms of scale and capacity, the planning options for Tran De Coastal Economic Zone offer ambitious figures, aiming to form a multi-functional economic zone. Specifically, Tran De Seaport has a scale of 5,750 hectares; industrial and processing zones 10,000 hectares; logistics zones 4,000 hectares; urban and service areas about 20,000 hectares. Of which, Tran De Seaport is expected to receive ships with a capacity of 100,000 DWT, with a design capacity of 80-100 million tons/year when completed.

This scale requires huge financial resources, rapid site clearance progress, synchronous economic zone approval procedures, and the ability to cooperate substantially with strong corporations.

Ms. Tran Thi Lan Phuong - representative of Saigon Newport Corporation shared about the development prospects of Tran De coastal economic zone (Can Tho city). Photo: Kim Anh.

One of the biggest barriers mentioned by Ms. Phuong is the synchronization of connecting infrastructure. The intra-regional and inter-regional transport network in the Mekong Delta is not strong enough. Routes such as the Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang Expressway, the Nam Song Hau coastal route and port support works... need to be completed to connect the port with agricultural production areas, industrial parks and transit points.

Regarding the local human resources issue, the current labor structure in the area planned for the development of the Tran De Coastal Economic Zone mainly comes from agriculture. The rate of trained workers is still low, many workers do not have the skills to operate port equipment, logistics management, high-tech processing or necessary soft skills.

From experience, experts propose many interdisciplinary solutions to realize the idea of ​​developing Tran De Coastal Economic Zone.

Mr. Nguyen Hoai Phuong - Institute for Development of Science, Society and Environment said that in recent years, a number of large corporations such as T&T Group, Geleximco, Him Lam, Sovico, Truong Hai (THACO) ... have surveyed, worked and proposed investment ideas in the Tran De area. The cooperation orientations focus on dynamic areas such as deep-water port construction, coastal industrial park - urban development, logistics and renewable energy.

The existing Tran De Port area in Tran De commune (Can Tho city). Photo: Kim Anh.

However, most of the projects have only stopped at the pre-feasibility study stage or signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU). According to Mr. Phuong, for the Tran De coastal economic zone, attracting domestic corporations not only brings capital and technology but also creates a spillover effect on the regional value chain, human resources, infrastructure and economic autonomy of the coastal region. Therefore, to build the Tran De coastal economic zone as expected, Dr. Phuong proposed three key groups of solutions.

Firstly, Tran De needs to be officially established as a Coastal Economic Zone under the Prime Minister's decision, with an independent Management Board with the right to approve projects, sign public-private partnership (PPP) contracts and manage land flexibly, to increase transparency, shorten procedures and enhance investor confidence.

Second, deploy a joint investment model between the State and enterprises in strategic infrastructure sectors such as seaports, highways, industrial zones and logistics. The State must create land funds, invest in basic technical infrastructure and complete the legal framework; enterprises provide capital, technology and management.

Third, it is necessary to build a clear investment brand, organize regional investment promotion forums, and proactively approach domestic corporations through business associations, chambers of commerce, and national conferences.

Tran De coastal economic zone (Can Tho city) is considered a solution to the logistics problem for the Mekong Delta region. Photo: Kim Anh.

Tran De coastal economic zone should be positioned as the green logistics gateway of the Mekong Delta, both demonstrating its advantages and being in line with sustainable development orientation to become an attractive destination for domestic corporations.

Notably, Can Tho City needs to shift from an “administrative planning” approach to a “market-oriented and regional governance” approach. In addition to perfecting the legal mechanism and specific policies for the Tran De Coastal Economic Zone, the city needs to prioritize the development of inter-regional connectivity infrastructure and a modern logistics system, ensuring connectivity between seaports – industrial parks – urban areas – regional supply chains.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/ky-vong-cuc-tang-truong-moi-tu-khu-kinh-te-ven-bien-tran-de-d788188.html