Research on investment in Vung Tau international passenger port with capital from Ho Chi Minh City

To facilitate the calling for investment in Vung Tau international passenger port, leaders of the Ministry of Construction and Ho Chi Minh City agreed to request the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee to further study the investment plan for this port using the city's capital.

Spectrum of the Seas cruise ship carrying more than 4,000 international tourists to Vung Tau in August 2023 - Photo: DONG HA

The study of the investment plan for Vung Tau international passenger port is one of the contents of the conclusion announcement of Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Xuan Sang and Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Bui Xuan Cuong at the meeting on planning of land and seaport areas of Ba Ria - Vung Tau (formerly), land and water areas of Ho Chi Minh City in the period of 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050...

Accordingly, regarding the planning of passenger terminals, Deputy Minister Nguyen Xuan Sang and Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Bui Xuan Cuong agreed to conclude that the Vietnam Maritime and Waterways Administration would coordinate with departments, branches and sectors of Ho Chi Minh City to study the planning into 3 areas with 3 ship size segments as follows: the front beach area (Ba Ria - Vung Tau) for ships up to 225,000 GT; Mui Den Do area for ships up to 60,000 GT; the remaining areas (Tan Thuan, Tan Thuan Dong, Ben Nghe) for ships up to 30,000 GT and inland waterway vehicles.

Regarding Vung Tau international passenger port, agree with the proposal of the Department of Construction of Ho Chi Minh City on adjusting the port area (terminal, wharf, anchorage area, etc.). Assign the Vietnam Maritime Administration and Waterways to preside over and coordinate with the Department of Construction of Ho Chi Minh City to determine the specific scope and area of ​​the port to update in the planning.

Because Vung Tau international passenger port has many public infrastructure items such as breakwaters and passenger terminals, to facilitate investment attraction, it is recommended that the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee study more options for port investment using the city's capital.

According to the seaport planning vision to 2050, Cai Mep - Thi Vai area includes 24 ports with the function of exploiting general wharf, container, bulk cargo, liquid and gas (no function of exploiting passenger ships).

There is only one port planned to handle international passenger ships with a capacity of up to 225,000 GT, which is Vung Tau international passenger port, but investment has not yet been implemented.

Therefore, in recent years, 9 ports in Cai Mep - Thi Vai area have been allowed to receive passenger ships along with the requirement that port enterprises must complete procedures to add passenger ship exploitation functions.

According to the Vietnam Maritime Administration, from 2018 to present, the ports: Thi Vai general port, Thi Vai international port, TCTT port, SSIT port, TCIT port, PTSC Phu My port, Phu My fertilizer and petroleum services port, SP-PSA international port, SITV port have safely received 277 large international passenger ships with technical specifications up to 168,666 GT.

However, up to now, port enterprises have not proactively made adjustments to add functions and completed procedures to officially announce the port to operate passenger ships. This is the reason why ports are required to stop receiving international tourist ships.

In response to the proposal of tourism businesses, in order to avoid disruption of international tourist transport routes by sea to Ho Chi Minh City, on October 17, the Ministry of Construction approved the policy of allowing some ports in the Cai Mep - Thi Vai area to continue receiving international passenger ships until June 30, 2026.

However, the Ministry of Construction also assigned the Vietnam Maritime Administration to guide, supervise, and request port enterprises to promptly complete procedures to add port functions to receive international passenger ships for official announcement according to regulations before June 30, 2026.

Speaking with Tuoi Tre Online , Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Xuan Sang said that up to this point, the problem of international passenger port in Ho Chi Minh City has been implemented with 3 solutions at the same time.

The immediate solution is to allow ports in the Cai Mep - Thi Vai area to continue operating passenger ships as in the past.

The second solution is that ports have time to add port functions to officially announce passenger ship operations after June 30, 2026.

The third solution is to promote investment in specialized passenger ports using city budget capital because the investment efficiency of passenger ports is not high and few investors are interested.

TUAN PHUNG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nghien-cuu-dau-cang-tau-khach-quoc-te-vung-tau-bang-von-cua-tp-hcm-202510181034556.htm