Southern seaport industry attractive to foreign investors

Illustrative image (Photo: baodautu.vn)

Over the past ten years, numerous foreign investors have poured capital into developing seaports in Vietnam.

In the southern region, Ba Ria - Vung Tau stands as the locality that has attracted the most foreign investors for constructing seaports, with prominent conglomerates such as PSA of Singapore, APMT of Denmark, Hutchison Port Holding of Hong Kong (China); and shipping companies like Mitsui O.S.K Line of Japan and Wanhai Lines of Taiwan (China) which are investing in and operating international container terminals at Tan Cang - Cai Mep Port.

Statistics from the Vietnam Maritime Administration under the Ministry of Transport showed that during the 2011 -2020 period, out of the total investment of 202 trillion VND (8.35 billion USD) in seaports, the investment from enterprises and the State budget accounted for 86% and 14%, respectively. This demonstrates the attractiveness of seaport investment.

Among these opportunities, the Can Gio International Port with an estimated investment of nearly 5.4 billion USD is undergoing the stage feasibility studies. The project was proposed by the Vietnam Maritime Corporation (VIMC), Saigon Port JSC, and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) – the world leader in global container shipping. The MSC is committed to investing in the project in an eco-friendly model and utilising the port for cargo transport.

Long An, which borders Ho Chi Minh City, is also focus on developing seaports, aiming to become a gateway and a hub for cargo transshipment connecting localities in the Mekong Delta region with the southern metropolis.

In 2015, Dong Tam Group (DTG) started the construction of Long An International Port, and its first phase was inaugurated in September 2020. Container operation commenced at the port in the second quarter of 2023.

Vo Quoc Thang, Chairman of the Board of Directors of DTG, stated that the remaining items of Long An International Port will continue to be invested and will be completed by June next year.

Along with seaport projects, river port ones have also attracted the interest of many investors. In June 2023, the Department of Planning and Investment of Binh Duong province called for investment in the An Tay River Port project worth nearly 2.28 trillion VND with a total area of 100 ha.

The southern locality aims to develop the An Tay River Port into a centre for the transshipment of goods from industrial zones in the Central Highlands for transporting to HCM City.

Right after Binh Duong announced the construction of the An Tay River Port, several foreign corporations considered investing in logistics centres there. Recently, representatives of A.P. Moller Maersk Group of Denmark and the People's Committee of Binh Duong province had a working session to discuss investment plans in developing large-scale warehouses and logistics centres in the locality./.