HANOI: Ba Ria-Vung Tau province is strategically located with a coastline of over 300 kms and a continental shelf of 100,000 sq kms.
The province is blessed with abundant marine resources and has the largest reserves of oil and gas in Vietnam. With these advantages, it is well-positioned to develop its maritime economy, including activities such as oil and gas exploitation, tourism, fishery, maritime services and logistics.
The Cai Mep-Thi Vai port cluster is situated along the Thi Vai River in a province with a naturally deep waterway, making it capable of receiving large cargo ships.
The port cluster is strategically located near major international shipping routes and has played a crucial role as a gateway for trade and a vital international transshipment port for many years.
The area is always bustling with weekly routes connecting Asia, Europe and the Americas.
The province is expected to have 69 seaports, of which 50 ports are active with a combined handling capacity of 150 million tonnes per year. The province is currently developing eight large container ports with a combined handling capacity of 8.3 million 20-foot equivalent units per year.
Among these, the Cai Mep-Thi Vai seaport is one of the world’s 19 largest ports capable of accommodating mega ships.
The province’s export turnover of goods through these ports has been consistently increasing.
The province has a diverse range of logistics services and post-port support, including transportation, warehouse services and other support services.
It is now home to over 300 businesses engaged in cargo transportation and logistics warehouse services. There are currently 20 logistics warehouse projects in operation, covering a total land area of about 224 ha, with 10 projects under construction totalling approximately 42 ha.
The Phu My inland port, which started operations this August, is considered the most modern and largest inland port in the province. This port is seen as an extension of the Cai Mep-Thi Vai port cluster.
Experts have long recognised that Ba Ria-Vung Tau province has all the necessary conditions to establish and develop a deep-water seaport system of national and international significance.
In 1992, the Vietnamese government approved a comprehensive plan to develop the Thi Vai deep-water port system in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province. After 20 years of implementing the plan, the seaports in the province have evolved into crucial gateways for Vietnam and the South-East Asian region.
The Vietnamese government classified the Ba Ria-Vung Tau seaport system as one of the country’s two special seaports on July 8, 2022.
The resolution determined that investing in the development of the logistics system and international transshipment ports in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province is entirely in line with its potential and advantages.
Accordingly, it is necessary to continue modernising the international gateway port of Cai Mep-Thi Vai into a major international transshipment port, with regional and international significance. — Viet Nam News/ANN
