Unlocking potential for inland waterway transport development

Binh Duong province has recently met with the Ministry of Transport and Ho Chi Minh city to address issues and promote inland waterway transport development, comprising of raising the clearance height of Binh Trieu 1 bridge and establishing a port system on the Dong Nai, Saigon and Thi Tinh rivers, which includes An Son, An Tay and An Dien ports. Additionally, Binh Duong port will be upgraded to meet international container port standards, and the Saigon River route will be upgraded from level III to level II to enhance the inland waterway network.

Synchronous planning and Investment

Recently, Tan Uyen city has launched a new customs procedure point at Thanh Phuoc Port. This event marked a breakthrough in promoting import and export goods transported by inland waterways.

Promoting the development of inland waterway port contributes to reducing road traffic pressure and enhancing regional connectivity. In picture: Goods being unloaded at Thanh Phuoc Port in Tan Uyen city

Speaking at the ceremony, Mai Hung Dung, Permanent Vice Chairman of provincial People's Committee emphasized the importance of this event, highlighting the determination and efforts of Thanh Phuoc Port Joint Stock Company and Binh Duong Customs Department. The customs clearance at the port not only offers significant benefits to the business community, but also helps enable quick, accurate and convenient inspections, promoting a shift from road to waterway transport, reducing road infrastructure load, and limiting environmental pollution.

Currently, with five inland waterway ports in operation and eleven more in the investment planning stage, Binh Duong's inland waterway port system is increasingly demonstrating its role and advantages in reducing transportation costs and time. This also helps reduce the burden on road traffic and enhances regional connectivity.

Provincial People's Committee is also considering investing in the An Dien Dry Port Project, proposed by Ben Cat Logistics Joint Stock Company in Ben Cat city’s An Tay ward, with total registered investment capital of over VND 255 billion. The investor aims at building a modern dry port with synchronous warehouse systems and equipment.

According to assessments by departments, sectors, the An Dien Dry Port Project aligns with the general planning, land use planning, sub-area planning and dry port development planning. If approved by provincial People's Committee this year, the investor plans to put it into operation by the first quarter of 2028. An Dien Port will play a crucial role in Binh Duong's logistics development strategy, becoming a hub for organizing transport, connecting various cargo transport modes, promoting multimodal transport, reducing logistics costs and enhancing the efficiency of regional economy.

Multimodal transport

The trend of containerization and multimodal transport has been formed up obviously. Statistics show that about 70% of goods passing through major seaports in Hai Phong, Ba Ria - Vung Tau and Ho Chi Minh City are containerized. Therefore, investing in container transport services, combining road and inland waterway transport from seaports to industrial zones and factories inland, is essential.

According to the 2021-2030 Dry Port System Development Plan, with a vision to 2050, Thanh Phuoc Dry Port, located on the Dak Nong - Binh Phuoc - Ho Chi Minh City transport corridor, connects with provincial road 747A, National Highway 13, and the Dong Nai River inland waterway. By 2030, its capacity is expected to reach 100,000 - 170,000 TEUs per year. It is strategically located near 14 large industrial zones in Tan Uyen and North Tan Uyen such as VSIP 2A, VSIP3, Dat Cuoc…, connecting to key ports like Binh Duong General Port, Hiep Phuoc Port and Cat Lai Port in (Ho Chi Minh City and the Cai Mep - Thi Vai Port Cluster. Customs procedures for import, export and transit can be efficiently conducted at Thanh Phuoc Port, saving time and costs for businesses.

According to the local logistics service development plan to 2025 with a vision to 2030, Binh Duong will become a satellite center by 2025, a gathering point for logistics services supporting industrial activities in the region, forming up a supply chain from producers to domestic and international markets. In the period of 2022-2025, all major centers are expected to reach above 5PL level (ELogistics - Logistics on the e-commerce platform). A system of ports on the Dong Nai, Saigon and Thi Tinh rivers will be established, connecting with Ho Chi Minh City's belt road 3 and belt road 4…

Provincial People's Committee has required provincial Department of Planning and Investment to find capable and experienced partners to invest in An Tay Port under regulations, with the project expected to be implemented from now until 2027. An Tay River Port is projected to have a capacity of 7 million tons per year by 2030, being capable of accommodating container ships of about 3,000 tons transported by inland waterways on the Saigon River. The port, with total investment of nearly VND 2.3trillion, will be built on a 100-hectare area adjacent to the Saigon River. Once completed, it will become a regional goods transport center, reducing road traffic load and promoting the local socio-economic development.

Reported by Ngoc Thanh-Translated by Kim Tin