Vung Tau welcomes new opportunities from international seaport planning

The detailed planning of land and seaport area of Vung Tau for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050, recently approved by the Ministry of Construction, creates a foundation for a strong breakthrough of the coastal province. In particular, Vung Tau international passenger port emerges as a "strategic highlight", opening a new chapter for the coastal city to enter the global cruise tourism race.

Driving force to expand development space of coastal provinces

The approval of the Detailed Plan for the development of land and seaport areas of Ba Ria - Vung Tau (old) is an important step towards completing a synchronous and modern seaport infrastructure, meeting the strong growth rate of the marine economy in the new period.

The planning includes key port areas of Thi Vai, Cai Mep, Long Son, Song Dinh, Sao Mai - Ben Dinh, Con Dao port, buoy terminals and transshipment areas... forming a multifunctional seaport system, closely linked with the logistics network of the Southeast region.

It is expected that by 2030, the entire region will have 60 ports with more than 117 wharves, with a total length of approximately 29,000 m. This scale allows the Vung Tau seaport system to receive 2.67 - 2.89 million passengers and handle 215 - 236.9 million tons of cargo per year (excluding international transit container cargo).

With a vision to 2050, the focus of the planning is to continue developing new wharf areas to meet the stable growth in cargo demand at 3.5 - 3.8% per year.

However, what makes this planning stand out is the orientation for developing Vung Tau international passenger port - a project considered as the "international tourism gateway" of the South.

As part of the overall planning, Vung Tau international passenger port is invested towards international standards in terms of scale, function and architecture. The port includes 2 passenger wharves with a total length of 840 m, capable of receiving ships with a tonnage of up to 225,000 GT - equivalent to the largest superyachts in the world.

With a capacity of 1.39 - 1.5 million passengers per year, Vung Tau International Passenger Port is expected to create a turning point in the province's tourism economic development strategy. Not only serving the needs of passenger transport, the port also plays an important role in making Vung Tau a familiar destination for international shipping lines.

The emergence of a professional passenger port also solves a “problem” that has existed for many years: large cruise ships that want to dock often have to anchor far away and transfer by canoe, wasting time and limiting the tourist experience. When the new port is formed, Vung Tau can directly receive groups of tourists from the US, Europe, Australia, Asia… with a quick, modern and safe process.

One of the most outstanding values of Vung Tau international passenger port is its location at Front Beach, right in the city center. Unlike many international passenger ports that are located far from residential areas or separate from tourist areas, Vung Tau possesses a rare natural advantage: close to the urban center, close to tourist attractions, and convenient for deep-sea waterways.

This helps visitors to travel from the pier to famous places such as Bach Dinh, Big Mountain - Small Mountain, Front Beach Park, central food court, or tourist streets in just a few minutes.

Vung Tau prepares carefully for iconic project

Before the Ministry of Construction issued the plan, from 2024, Ba Ria - Vung Tau province (old) proactively planned to invest in an international passenger port at Bai Truoc, identifying this as a symbolic project, demonstrating the stature of a potential coastal city.

The consulting consortium has proposed 11 design options with many different styles. The options range from strong square approach bridges to soft curved approach bridges, all aiming to become “the new facade of Vung Tau seen from the sea”.

The approval of the Detailed Plan for the development of land and water areas of Vung Tau seaport is an important step towards completing a synchronous and modern seaport infrastructure, meeting the strong growth rate of the marine economy in the new period.

The investment level is calculated from 1,333 to more than 8,000 billion VND depending on the plan, showing the large scale and strategic nature of the project.

Not just a wharf, Vung Tau international passenger port is also expected to become a new architectural and cultural symbol, similar to what major port cities in the world such as Sydney, Hong Kong or Singapore have done.

When Vung Tau international passenger port comes into operation, a series of strong spillover effects will be activated, creating great momentum for tourism, trade and services.

First of all, Vung Tau will welcome a wave of cruise tourism that is growing rapidly. This is a group of tourists with high spending levels, who like different experiences and often travel with large cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean, Costa Cruises, MSC Cruises or Dream Cruises.

Being able to directly receive large tonnage ships helps Vung Tau seize the opportunity to attract European, American, Australian tourists, etc., thereby expanding tourism products from quick sightseeing tours, cultural - historical tours, local cuisine to high-end resort packages suitable for international tourists.

The influx of visitors to the city center also creates conditions for the city’s night-time economy to flourish. Walking streets, art spaces, night markets, and outdoor events will have more visitors to develop in a more professional direction, contributing to extending the length of stay and increasing spending of visitors.

Along with that, the local service and trade market will be strongly activated. From hotels, restaurants, transportation, shopping to logistics services for ships such as fuel and food supply, all will benefit from the flow of international passengers and ships.

This spillover effect continues to increase investment attraction in coastal cities, especially high-end hotel projects and resorts in Front Beach and Back Beach, helping to change the city's appearance in a more modern and professional direction.

Back Beach, Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: Luong Y)

The international passenger port will become a fulcrum for the locality to organize yacht festivals, welcome international sailing races, strongly develop MICE tourism and expand night-time economic activities. All blend together to create the image of a dynamic, civilized, integrated coastal city while still retaining its identity.

Looking more broadly, the Vung Tau seaport planning for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050, is not only a simple step to expand infrastructure, but also a push to reposition the province's position on the national maritime economic map. In that picture, Vung Tau international passenger port emerges as a symbol of the aspiration to reach out to the sea, a testament to the sustainable development strategy based on the advantages of the sea and islands.

When the project is completed, Vung Tau will turn a new page: from a familiar destination for domestic tourists, it will become a center for welcoming international cruise ships, a "world tourism gateway" with a new stature for the entire Southeast region.

Hoang Tho

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/vung-tau-don-van-hoi-moi-tu-quy-hoach-cang-bien-quoc-te-ar989064.html