HCMC – During the 2021-2025 period, HCMC will prioritize the construction of five new ports which require a total investment of nearly VND9 trillion, with VND870 billion coming from the city’s budget, and the remainder backed by the State budget and public-private partnerships.
The five ports include a transshipment inland container depot (ICD) cluster in Thu Duc City’s Long Binh Ward, a dry port in the outlying district of Cu Chi, an inland waterway port in the Saigon Hi-tech Park, an international inland waterway port and the Den Do Cape passenger port in District 7, reported Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper.
According to the city’s plan, the transshipment ICD cluster in Long Binh will cover an area of 50 hectares and serve the relocation of the Truong Tho port. It will mainly receive cargo from the neighboring provinces of Dong Nai and Binh Duong, following which the goods will be transported via inland waterways to the Cat Lai, Hiep Phuoc and Cai Mep port areas.
The dry port in Cu Chi will cover an area of at least 10 hectares, while the one in the Saigon Hi-tech Park will stretch some six hectares.
Bui Hoa An, deputy director of the HCMC Transport Department, said that HCMC has an advantage of nearly 1,000 kilometers of waterway. The southern hub has developed multiple waterway transport routes, renovated ports and waterway stations, but it has yet to tap the full potential of the waterway due to the shortfall of resources.
The construction and operations of the five new ports and the upgrade of the existing ones during the 2021-2025 period will contribute to fulfilling the potential of the city’s 1,000 kilometers of waterway and be able to share 60% of the cargo load of road transport.
The deputy director revealed that the municipal government had assigned the relevant agencies to work on capital issues in order to launch these projects.
An added that the five new ports will also help ease the overload facing the Cat Lai port’s infrastructure as well as reduce shipping costs for businesses.
Further, after expanding the existing ports, the Transport Department will focus on building more inland waterway routes with total investment set to reach nearly VND6 trillion, aimed at reducing pressure on the Cat Lai port and supporting road transport, An said.
