$2.99 bln needed to develop Ho Chi Minh City seaports: new plan

The Ho Chi Minh City seaport system, under a new plan approved the the Ministry of Construction, will have a total of 41-44 ports by 2030, with total investment capital of VND77,452 billion ($2.99 billion).

Under the ministry's Decision 407 dated April 11 on detailed planning for the development of HCMC seaports in the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, there will be 89-94 wharves, with a total length of 16,588.2 m to 18,588.2 m (excluding other ports).

Accordingly, HCMC seaports include Cat Lai-Phu Huu, Saigon River, Hiep Phuoc, Nha Be, Long Binh ports; Can Gio international transit port; other potential ports in Can Gio district; buoy docks; anchorage areas; and storm shelters.

The decision says by 2030, the HCMC seaport system will have a cargo throughput of 228-253 million tons, of which container cargo will be from 11.41 million TEU to 12.8 million TEU, excluding international transit container cargo. Passengers will be from 170,600 to 184,400.

By 2050, the volume of goods through the HCMC seaport system will reach an average annual growth rate of about 3.5-3.8%/year. Passengers will have an average annual growth rate of about 0.9-1%.

Of the total investment capital demand for the seaport system by 2030 of about VND77,452 billion ($2.99 billion), capital for public maritime infrastructure is about VND2,952 billion and the figure for ports is about VND74,500 billion or $2.88 billion (including only ports providing cargo handling services).

The construction ministry also detailed planning for the Can Gio international transit port area. Specifically, in the period up to 2030, the port area will have a cargo throughput of 22.8 million tons to 57.6 million tons (equivalent to 2.4 million TEU to 4.8 million TEU).

This port area will have a total of 2-4 ports, including 2-4 wharves with a total length of 1,016 m to 2,016 m, receiving ships with a tonnage of up to 250,000 tons or larger when qualified and meeting the demand for cargo throughput of 22.8 million tons to 57.6 million tons.

By 2050, the Can Gio international transit port area is expected to develop about 13 ports, meeting the demand for international container transit and cargo growth.