Sea ferry route connecting Ho Chi Minh City

TPO - The Can Gio (Ho Chi Minh City) - Vam Lang ( Tien Giang ) sea ferry service is expected to be put into operation by the end of the third quarter of this year.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport has just submitted a report proposing a plan to operate a fixed-route passenger and cargo ferry service from Can Gio District (Ho Chi Minh City) to Vam Lang (Go Cong Dong District, Tien Giang Province) and vice versa (Can Gio - Vam Lang ferry).

According to the proposed plan, the Ho Chi Minh City terminal will be located in the existing Long Hoa wharf area (Long Hoa commune, Can Gio district). The other terminal will be in Vam Lang town (Go Cong Dong district, Tien Giang province). This sea ferry route will be approximately 12km long, with a journey time of 30 minutes (one way).

The ferry operates from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM daily, provided the wind speed does not exceed level 6 and visibility is good. The ferry operates a minimum of 4 trips per day, including 4 outbound and 4 return trips. Depending on the actual passenger volume, the investor may increase the number of trips to meet the travel needs of the people.

The sea ferry route connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Tien Giang will soon be put into operation (image 1).

The Can Gio (Ho Chi Minh City) - Vam Lang (Tien Giang) sea ferry service is expected to be put into operation by the end of the third quarter of this year. (Illustrative image)

In terms of scale, the ferry route must have a minimum of 2 vessels, ensuring that the total tonnage is not less than 100 tons, the passenger capacity is not less than 100 passengers, the motorcycle capacity is not less than 50 motorcycles, and the car/truck capacity is not less than 10 cars/trucks with 4 to 29 seats.

It is expected that after the investment and operation plan for the ferry route is agreed upon and approved in principle by the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and Tien Giang province, the Department of Transport of Ho Chi Minh City will take the lead in advising on the establishment of a working group to develop criteria and select qualified and capable enterprises to operate the route.

Regarding financial capacity, the investing enterprise must demonstrate a minimum projected equity and loan capital of approximately 120 billion VND to invest in two terminals; watercraft, waiting areas, parking facilities, etc. Simultaneously, the investor must also demonstrate experience and expertise in this field.

According to the proposed plan, the selection of investors is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2024. Following that, the company will implement the investment and complete it within six months. By the end of the third quarter of 2024, the ferry will be put into operation.

The ferry service will operate for 15 years from the date of announcement of operation at both ends of the route.

In order to provide a basis for submitting the proposal to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee for consideration and approval of the plan and policy for establishing criteria and a working group to select enterprises for operation, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport has sent a document requesting the Tien Giang Provincial Department of Transport to coordinate with relevant departments and agencies to research and provide feedback to finalize the proposed plan. A document should then be sent to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport before February 24th for compilation, finalization, and reporting to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport, regarding inter-provincial connectivity, Can Gio district already has ferry routes connecting it to other provinces, such as the Can Gio - Can Giuoc ferry (Long An province), which has been operating since August 2018; a fixed-route passenger and cargo ferry service from Can Gio district (Ho Chi Minh City) to Vung Tau City ( Ba Ria - Vung Tau province), which has been operating since December 2020; and the Binh Khanh ferry terminal connecting the center of Ho Chi Minh City with Can Gio district. These ferry routes have been invested in comprehensively, with complete infrastructure including piers and wharves, modern vessels with large carrying capacity, capable of transporting cars and motorbikes, ensuring waterway traffic safety, aesthetics, and environmental protection.

However, the waterway connection from Ho Chi Minh City to Tien Giang province has not been developed as much as the other routes. The vessels currently in operation are rudimentary (wooden hulls), have low carrying capacity, and only serve to transport people, hand-carried goods, and a few motorbikes (cars are not allowed). Therefore, it is necessary to invest in and operate the Can Gio - Vam Lang ferry route to increase the capacity for passenger and cargo transport by waterway, contributing to the socio -economic development between the two localities.