Southern Vietnam province Ben Tre to encroach 50,000 hectares of sea for economic development

The Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre will establish a 50,000-hectare sea encroachment zone in a bid to accelerate its economic development.

The area will encompass Ba Tri, Binh Dai and Thanh Phu districts and a maritime area about 65 km in length, director of the provincial Department of Planning and Investment Duong Van Phuc told a press meeting on Thursday.

The project is included in Ben Tre's master plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision until 2050, approved by the Prime Minister late last year.

According to the plan, Ben Tre will have three economic zones: the eastern coastal area covering Ba Tri, Binh Dai and Thanh Phu districts and a 65-km-long maritime zone; the region to the north of Ham Luong River including Ben Tre town and Chau Thanh and Giong Trom districts; and the region to the south of Ham Luong River comprising Mo Cay Bac, Mo Cay Nam and Cho Lach districts.

The eastern sea encroachment area is designated as a key development area, comprising 21,000 hectares in Binh Dai district, 15,000 hectares in Thanh Phu district and 14,000 hectares in Ba Tri district, with a port to be built for large vessels.

“In this area, priority will be given to developing fisheries, energy, transportation, logistics, trade and tourism services,” said Phuc.

To faciliate the sea encroachment area, the province will spend over VND13 trillion ($527.92 million) on building a 53-km coastal road, which is set for completion by the end of next year.

Work on the VND2.2 trillion ($89.34 million) Ba Lai 8 bridge, one of the key projects of this coastal road, will kick off in early October.

Ben Tre spans 2,380 square kilometers and had a population of over 1.3 million as of 2022, ranking 28th in the country.

In recent years, the provincial economy grew at an average of 6-7% annually. In 2023, its average GRDP per capita reached VND53 million ($2,150), up 8.13% from the previous year.

Early next month, Ben Tre will hold a conference to call for investments into the province.