The Long An International Port. — VNA/VNS Photo

LONG AN — Long An Province is formulating open policies to attract domestic and foreign investment, aiming to leverage its competitive advantages and accelerate socio-economic development.

The province aspires to transform Long An International Port into a logistics hub, serving as a vital link between the eastern and western regions of the Mekong Delta and the southern economic zone.

Located in the southern key economic region, Long An has made remarkable socio-economic strides. Alongside industrial development, the province is prioritising logistics as a critical economic sector, with ambitions to establish Long An International Port as a regional cargo transshipment centre.

The port currently operates seven berths with a total length of 1,670 metres and one million square metres of warehouse space, accommodating vessels of up to 70,000 DWT. Upon completion, it is expected to feature nine berths capable of handling vessels from 100,000 to 200,000 DWT, meeting international import-export and logistics demands.

Permanent Vice Chairman of the Long An Provincial People’s Council, Mai Văn Nhiều, said that the province is investing in comprehensive, high-quality inter-regional infrastructure. It is also introducing incentive policies to position Long An as a cargo transit hub connecting the Mekong Delta to HCM City and the southeast region.

Despite these efforts, attracting major shipping lines remains a challenge.

The province recognises the necessity of policies to encourage container traffic at the port. Drawing on experiences from other regions, Long An is designing support measures that align with the provincial budget while ensuring benefits for other provinces in the region.

To attract cargo, Long An is implementing a 'three-party solution', which involves collaboration between port operators, cargo owners and international shipping lines. This approach distributes responsibilities and benefits among stakeholders.

The policy includes financial support for cargo owners and shipping lines, offsetting additional costs compared to other ports. A portion of these costs will be covered by the state budget, with the remainder shared among the stakeholders.

Vice Chairman of Long An Provincial People’s Committee, Nguyễn Minh Lâm, emphasised the urgency of developing mechanisms to attract container traffic to the port. He highlighted the potential economic impact of maximising the port's capacity, which would drive sustainable socio-economic growth and enhance the province's competitiveness in attracting investment.

If successful, attracting container traffic to Long An International Port will not only generate economic benefits for the port but also stimulate the province's logistics sector and the Mekong Delta region, he said. — VNS