After the merger, Ho Chi Minh City proposed a series of waterway development projects to reach Asia.

waterway - Photo 1. — In the coming time, Ho Chi Minh City will focus on implementing many plans to develop a regional waterway transport network - Photo: QUANG DINH

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction has just reported to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee on building a list of key projects to develop the waterway transport network, waterway infrastructure, ports and wharves in Ho Chi Minh City after the merger.

The goal is to turn Ho Chi Minh City into a sustainable waterway transport center, leading the country, with a scale comparable to that of Southeast Asia and Asia. This will bring global competitiveness, contributing to socio -economic development, national security and defense...

At the same time, develop the entire water system in the direction of one center, which is the central urban area of Ho Chi Minh City before the merger, and two poles. The two poles are the northern pole (old Binh Duong area); the southern pole (Hiep Phuoc, Can Gio and Ba Ria - Vung Tau areas before the merger).

In the period of 2026-2030, the central area will prioritize investment and strive to complete the Nha Rong - Khanh Hoi international passenger port system and the Bach Dang wharf park passenger port in the central area; encourage investment and form inland waterway ports to serve public passengers.

At the same time, dredging and upgrading Rach Chiec, Trau Trau, Ong Nhieu and some other inland waterways will be carried out to effectively connect the dynamic axes.

The Northern region strives to complete at least one inland waterway port for cargo transport, one inland waterway port for passenger transport and one dry port; encourage investment and form inland waterway terminals serving public passengers in Binh Duong province before the merger, in order to effectively promote the central - Northwest and central - Northeast dynamic axes.

The Southern region completed the operation of Vung Tau international passenger port and some starting terminals of international container ports in the Can Gio - Cai Mep - Thi Vai area.

At the same time, dredging and upgrading the Rach Dia - Rach Roi, Rach Tom, Rach Doi - Song Kinh routes and some other inland waterways will be carried out to effectively promote the central - Southwest and central - Southeast dynamic axes.

The city currently has 132 inland waterway routes with a total length of more than 1,433km, with a system of 37 inland waterway ports in operation/108 planned ports (28 specialized cargo ports and 3 passenger ports). In addition, there are 354 inland waterway wharves in operation/636 planned wharves. The maritime transport network has 17 routes with 95 port projects.

Recently, many experts have commented that Ho Chi Minh City has great potential for waterways, but the infrastructure of ports and yards is very limited. Multimodal connections between roads, railways, and waterways are fragmented and not seamless.

Many waterway projects worth thousands of billions of dong

Based on the orientations and goals, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction has established a list of key projects prioritized for investment in two phases (2026-2030 and after 2030).

Including the dredging and upgrading project of 3 maritime routes with a total investment of 7,000 billion VND; the adjustment and renovation of 4 national inland waterways with a budget of 7,101 billion VND chaired by the Ministry of Construction.

Investment project to develop 7 seaports (3 international passenger ports and 4 cargo ports) with a total investment of 436,615 billion VND from other sources of capital.

Invest in developing 18 inland waterway ports, call for the development of at least 1 dry port serving bonded warehouses, an airport extending the Binh Duong area...

Source: https://ttbc-hcm.gov.vn/sau-sap-nhap-tp-hcm-de-xuat-loat-du-an-phat-trien-duong-thuy-vuon-tam-chau-a-1019549.html