HCMC – The World Bank (WB) has approved a loan of US$107 million to Vietnam to enhance the efficiency of inland waterways and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector.
The project will fund the upgrade of the east-west transport corridor, reducing the transportation distance between the largest port in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho and those in HCMC by about 30%.
The development of waterway corridors and logistics in southern Vietnam will facilitate cargo flow and reduce transport duration on the vital North-South transportation corridor, ultimately improving the competitiveness of Vietnam’s exports.
Shifting to inland waterway transport is crucial in reducing carbon emissions in Vietnam’s transportation sector, as road freight transport emits six times more carbon than waterway transport.
Mariam Sherman, World Bank country director for Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, said, “The waterways in the southern region of Vietnam have great potential as this is a cheaper, greener, and safer mode of transportation.”
The 2022 World Bank’s National Climate and Development Report for Vietnam highlights the promotion of inland waterway transport as one of the most effective measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Vietnam’s transportation sector.
