From the historic marina to the modern coastal city named Song Doc

In the southernmost land of the country, where three sides are bordered by the vast sea, Song Doc - a coastal commune in Ca Mau province is changing strongly every day. This place not only marks the history of resistance with the wharf to the North 70 years ago, but is also becoming a symbol of the pioneering spirit and the aspiration to rise from the sea of the people today.

With a natural area of 8,395 hectares and a population of over 46,000 people, Song Doc is the largest fishing center in Ca Mau province, owning a fleet of over 1,200 fishing vessels, achieving an output of over 130,000 tons of aquatic products per year. Not only that, Hon Chuoi Island - the fulcrum in the middle of the ocean - has both special economic and tourism value and an important strategic position in terms of national defense and security in the Southwest sea.

Changing infrastructure, the foundation for a dynamic coastal city

In recent years, the appearance of Song Doc has changed rapidly. A series of key infrastructure projects have been invested in, such as the central road axis on the southern bank of Ong Doc River connecting Ganh Hao, the bridge over Ong Doc River, the relic site of the train gathering to the North, resettlement areas and urban projects along the river, which have opened up new development space, creating a strong momentum for this bustling estuary.

A corner of Song Doc commune seen from above.

Currently, Song Doc has achieved about 60% of the criteria for a type III urban area, which is a solid premise for the goal of becoming a provincial ward (type IV) by 2030.

According to the master plan, Song Doc is organized into four main development spaces: Urban - tourism, industry - services, high-tech agriculture , and ecological - defense space. It is forecasted that by 2025, the urbanization rate will reach 78.47%, making this place a key economic - urban center of the West of Ca Mau.

Besides its great potential, Song Doc is still facing many challenges: Connecting infrastructure has not met the requirements for medium and long-term development; fisheries logistics services are still fragmented; processing industry lacks supporting industries; urban planning is not synchronous; investment resources are still limited.

Realizing that, the government and people of Song Doc have set out a clear, methodical and strategic development roadmap, aiming at the goal of both rapid economic development and ensuring sustainability, social security and national defense - security of the sea area.

First of all, perfecting the planning and synchronous investment in urban infrastructure is identified as the key solution. The transportation - seaport - logistics system will be the backbone to help Song Doc make a breakthrough.

Projects to upgrade Song Doc port, storm shelters, inland waterway ports, embankments on both banks of Ong Doc river, along with the external traffic system connecting Ganh Hao - Tran Van Thoi - Ca Mau are being prioritized for implementation.

When completed, this network will not only reduce transportation costs, facilitate the circulation of goods and tourists, but also help expand urban space, redistribute population reasonably, and adapt to climate change and rising sea levels.

Marine economy - the pillar of development and identity of Song Doc

As the province’s largest fishing center, Song Doc has identified developing a high-value-added marine economy as a strategic direction. The locality is gradually modernizing its fleet, applying technology in exploiting, processing, preserving and tracing the origin of aquatic products, linking exploitation with protecting fishing grounds and complying with international regulations.

In addition, Song Doc focuses on forming high-tech seafood processing industrial clusters, seafood trading floors, and stable raw material areas, aiming to build the Song Doc seafood brand to reach domestic and international levels.

Song Doc has achieved about 60% of the criteria for a type III urban area, which is a solid premise for the goal of becoming a provincial ward (type IV) by 2030.

Coastal commercial areas, seafood wholesale markets and modern fishing logistics services are also being planned synchronously, aiming to turn this place into the "seafood capital" of the Southwest sea.

Along with economic development, Song Doc focuses on the direction of a green, clean, sustainable coastal urban area, associated with the program of building advanced new rural areas. The goal is to develop harmoniously between urban and rural areas, ensuring infrastructure while preserving ecological space and local cultural identity.

Marine and ecological tourism are oriented as key economic sectors. With poetic Hon Chuoi, historic wharf, unique seafood cuisine,

Song Doc has full potential to form a unique cultural and ecological tourism destination of Ca Mau. The commune government is coordinating with the province to build a program to develop marine and ecological tourism associated with conservation, thereby creating sustainable livelihoods and promoting the local image.

Increase internal strength, attract investment, create spreading momentum

Investment resources are considered the “key to opening the door to development”. Song Doc is proactively building incentive mechanisms and announcing a list of key projects calling for investment, especially in areas with spillover effects such as: seaports, logistics services, tourism infrastructure, and high-tech seafood processing.

Along with that, the locality encourages private enterprises, cooperatives, and production households to participate in the marine economic value chain - from exploitation, processing to consumption. The four-party linkage model (State - Business - Scientist - Fisherman) is considered a key solution to improve production efficiency, create stable livelihoods, and protect the marine environment.

The monument of the train to the North is a red address to organize the return to the roots and educate the young generation about patriotic traditions.

Located at the forefront, Song Doc is not only a fulcrum for economic development but also a solid fence of the Fatherland. Along with socio-economic development, the locality pays special attention to building a national defense posture associated with people's security, ensuring the safety of fishermen and sovereignty of the sea.

The authorities have increased coordination in patrolling and controlling the sea, preventing IUU fishing, and supporting fishermen to stay at sea for long periods. At the same time, Song Doc has promoted international cooperation in the fields of fisheries, seafood processing, climate change response, and mobilizing resources and experience from international organizations for sustainable development.

Hoang Tho

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/tu-ben-thuyen-lich-su-den-do-thi-bien-hien-dai-mang-ten-song-doc-ca-mau-ar984334.html