A model of Cần Giờ international transshipment port project in HCM City. — Photo baogiaothong.vn

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Transport (MoT) has agreed with the HCM City People's Committee on the need to set up an outline of a research project to build Cần Giờ international transshipment port and carefully evaluate the impacts of the project.

According to the MoT, the project needs to update new cargo forecast data, and assess the capacity and flow of containers to and from the port’s container terminals when the volume of container cargo increases according to the forecast data.

Besides, analysis and evaluation of the influence of the construction of this port on the distribution of cargo volumes, cargo flows, and maritime transport routes of the region and the country are needed.

In particular, the project must carefully consider the impact of the construction of a new large-scale port like Cần Giờ port on other seaports in HCM City and nearby areas, including HCM City’s Cát Lái, Hiệp Phước and Cái Mép-Thị Vải in the southern province of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu that have been invested and in the plan.

The MoT said that it is necessary to clearly forecast two types of goods, including international transshipment goods brought to Việt Nam by shipping lines and Việt Nam's import-export goods.

At the request of the MoT, the HCM City People's Committee needs to map out and propose a plan to implement each phase of the project in which size, capacity, vessel receiving capacity and related utilities are mentioned.

Regarding the investment and financial plan, the MoT suggested that the project analyse the financial sources that can be used, including private capital, loans from financial institutions and capital sources from the State budget for infrastructure.

The project also needs a preliminary environmental and social assessment, including impacts on the land, water resources, mangroves and ecology of the area, to propose solutions to minimise negative impacts and increase positive impacts on the environment and society.

The Cần Giờ international container transshipment port project with a total investment of about US$6 billion is being studied by the Vietnam Maritime Corporation (VIMC) and the Mediterranean Shipping Company.

A resolution on the development orientation of Cần Giờ District up to 2030 stated that attraction of investment in the construction of general and specialised seaports, international passenger ports, international transshipment container ports should be associated with supporting services at locations adjacent to Long Tàu River, Sài Gòn-Vũng Tàu, Cái Mép-Thị Vải, in order to form a logistics infrastructure connecting the country and the world. — VNS