Ex-banking tycoon Tram Be re-emerges in infrastructure projects in southern Vietnam

Tram Be, once a famous banking tycoon in Vietnam, has resurfaced in the corporate arena, appearing as a representative of Ham Giang Construction Co. Ltd. at a working session with Vinh Long province authorities on Thursday.

At the meeting, officials from the provincial Party Committee and People’s Committee, led by Party chief Tran Van Lau, reviewed the progress of the Dinh An general port project and other investments proposed by the company.

Tram Be, once an influential figure in Vietnam’s banking circle, was introduced as representing Ham Giang Construction, which is developing a portfolio of four key infrastructure projects covering a total of 468 hectares.

After completing two criminal sentences, Tram Be has gradually returned to business activities in recent years. He was previously associated with a network of companies and banks, though his influence has since diminished following restructuring.

According to the provincial Department of Finance, the projects have combined registered investment of nearly VND5.92 trillion ($224.54 million), focusing on seaports, industrial zones and residential infrastructure.

They include the Dinh An general port, Tra Cu-Tra Vinh port, and associated residential, industrial and aquaculture service infrastructure within Tra Cu port.

The largest is the Dinh An port project, with investment of nearly VND4.71 trillion ($178.6 million). Approved in 2016, it is designed to handle vessels of up to 50,000 deadweight tonnage (DWT) with annual capacity of around 4 million tons, alongside fuel storage and trading facilities.

Construction began in February 2017 but the project has yet to become operational, with delays also affecting the other developments.

Ham Giang said it has committed significant financial resources but faced multiple obstacles, including unresolved proposals to expand connecting transport routes to the port. The company said it remains committed to continuing the projects and requested support from local authorities to address bottlenecks.

Addressing the delays, Tram Be said the firm had invested heavily, particularly in the Dinh An port, but encountered objective challenges during implementation. He urged authorities to facilitate infrastructure connectivity to improve project viability.

In response, provincial leaders called on the company to restructure its organization and provide detailed timelines for each project component. While reaffirming support for investors, authorities stressed the need for firm commitments on execution to avoid wasting land resources.

For the Dinh An port, officials asked the developer to clarify funding sources and set a roadmap to bring the project into operation by 2027. They also encouraged the company to establish a port management unit and partner with capable logistics firms.

According to business registry data, Ham Giang Construction has charter capital of VND1 trillion (37.94 million) and operates mainly in civil and industrial construction, as well as port development and operations. The company's chairman and CEO is Nguyen Tan Su.

Recent references to Tram Be have largely been linked to Trieu An Hospital, where he holds a leadership role.