SÓC TRĂNG PROVINCE — The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Sóc Trăng is urgently stepping up procedures to call for investment from the private sector in the Trần Đề deep-water seaport project.

Trần Văn Lâu, chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said the Government approved a new master plan on the development of seaports in September, which is part of the sustainable development plan for the country’s marine economy for 2021-30, with a vision to 2050.

The Trần Đề deep-water seaport project was added to the seaport development master plan.

The existing Trần Đề Port will be developed into an international deep-water seaport on a large scale.

The project is estimated to cost more than VNĐ40 trillion (US$1.76 billion) and will not be funded by the State.

Total construction will cover about 5,750 hectares of land and water areas.

The new seaport’s main offshore area will have seven wharves capable of handling general ships and large-sized container ships of up to 100,000 tonnes, including bulk carriers of up to 160,000 tonnes.

By 2030, it is expected to achieve a throughput capacity of 50-55 million tonnes of cargo a year.

Many investors have shown interest in the seaport project, conducting surveys, research and evaluation activities, Lâu said.

The new seaport is expected to play an important role as an international gateway seaport for the import and export of goods in the region.

It will help to remove bottlenecks in the region’s logistics system, and contribute to regional socio-economic development, security and defense.

The Mekong Delta region has abundant sources of agricultural products for export but its seaport system remains poorly developed.

The new deep-water seaport together with Cần Thơ Airport will promote economic development.

With a coastline of more than 3,000km, the maritime and inland waterway transport system plays an important role in the country.

About 90 per cent of the country’s import and export goods are transported through the seaport system, contributing significantly to economic growth.

There are many advantages of maritime transport, including large-volume transport of cargo over a long distance at the lowest cost among transportation forms, according to experts.

The seaport system has seen significant developments in the past decade, with an increasing volume of containers transported. It needs further investment to meet increased demand for shipping services. — VNS