A container terminal at Tân Cảng - Cát Lái Port in HCM City's Thủ Đức City. — VNA/VNS Photo Hồng Đạt

HCM CITY — Nearly VNĐ1.5 trillion (US$60.3 million) has been collected via the automatic fee collecting system for the use of infrastructure and public services at ports in HCM City since April, according to the city’s Port Authority of Inland Waterway.

The authority said the system has collected an average of VNĐ250 billion ($10 million) per month since it was officially launched in April.

The rates are from VNĐ15,000 ($0.6) per tonne for liquid and bulk cargo to VNĐ4.4 million ($177) for a 40-foot container.

The fees for international goods transported by inland waterways in and out of HCM City were cut by half from August 1.

The move aims to help businesses dealing with challenges, such as rising fuel prices, and promote the city’s economic recovery programme after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The reduction in fees also seeks to encourage businesses to increase use of waterways and reduce pressure on road transport.

About VNĐ16 trillion ($643.2 million) is expected to be collected by 2025 for reinvesting in port infrastructure and improving connectivity, including new roads and upgrades to existing ones near ports, as well as improving waterways and inland ports.

Bùi Hòa An, deputy director of the city’s Department of Transport, said the collected money will be put into the State budget to raise revenue for the city's transport infrastructure development around ports in the 2021-25 period.

Eleven transport infrastructure projects will be carried out in the near future, such as the upgrade and expansion of Nguyễn Duy Trinh Street leading to Phú Hữu Industrial Park in Thủ Đức City, and dredging Soài Rạp Channel.

There are six projects being prepared for investment, including building three road sections of three sub-projects of the Ring Road No. 2 project, a section from Phú Mỹ Bridge to Mỹ Thủy intersection, an inter-port road connecting the Cát Lái and Phú Hữu ports, and Thủ Thiêm Bridge No. 4.

These projects need total public investment capital of about VNĐ30 trillion ($1.2 billion). — VNS