Ba Ria-Vung Tau strives to become national marine economic hub

By 2050, Ba Ria-Vung Tau will strive to become a national marine economic hub and a maritime logistics centre of Southeast Asia. (Photo: baobariavungtau.com.vn)

Ba Ria-Vung Tau (VNA) – With advantages in terms of landscapes, developed seaports, transport infrastructure connectivity, and potential for industrial development, the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau is striving to become a national marine economic hub.

The province boasts a long coastline with flat clean beaches, well-known historical cultural sites, and traditional festivals, which are favourable conditions to promote its tourism.

Moreover, the province locates next to major economic hubs and populous localities in the Southeastern region with a market of over 18 million people and per capita income being 1.5 times higher than the country’s average.

Cai Mep-Thi Vai Deep-water port in the province is the region’s gateway to the East Sea. It is one of the 20 large ports in the world, capable of accommodating container vessels of over 200,000 TEUs. It is also the only port in Vietnam which can receive container vessels directly from the EU and the Americas.

According to John Campbell, Manager of Savills Industrial Services, Ba Ria-Vung Tau not only offers competitive rents and infrastructure that is suitable for medium to heavy industries, but also has access to a developed seaport cluster.

The Cai Mep-Thi Vai international port cluster is a great alternative to the crowded port system of Ho Chi Minh City. With a length of 20km, it welcomed more than 2 million TEUs in 2020 and is receiving great support from the government to turn it into an important shipping centre by 2045.

The development of the Southeast region revolves around two main axes - Tan Son Nhat airport and Ho Chi Minh City's port system.

However, the main axis of the aviation industry will soon move from Tan Son Nhat airport to Long Thanh airport. When Long Thanh airport is completed, import and export goods through the seaport gateway will move mainly to the Cai Mep-Thi Vai port. That is an advantage and valuable resource to develop Ba Ria-Vung Tau into a national marine economic centre with a focus on forming a free trade zone associated with a deep-water seaport in Cai Mep Ha area.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau is focusing on developing typical tourism products.(baovanhoa.vn)

Thus, the province is focusing on developing typical products such as MICE tourism (a type of tourism that combines business activities such as meetings, conferences, incentives, and events with travel), marine tourism, and eco-tourism. Local destinations with great tourism potential include Dinh river, Cha Va river, Con Dao national park. Tourists can go on sightseeing tours across the province, visit the oil and gas port system, fishing villages, and enjoy unique cuisine.

Chairman of the People's Committee of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province Nguyen Van Tho affirmed said the province had advantages to become the nation's marine economic centre and an important growth pole of the country.

According to the province’s master plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, which is awaiting approval, Ba Ria-Vung Tau will become a centrally-run city and have a multi-centre urban structure and multimodal transport infrastructure.

By 2050, Ba Ria-Vung Tau will strive to become a national marine economic hub and a maritime logistics centre of Southeast Asia. It is also set to develop into a gateway to the sea and an industrial centre of the Southeastern region, as well as an international high-quality tourism centre.

He said the province will have breakthrough solutions for development in the coming time. For example, it will complete traffic routes connecting the province with the Southeast region. It also plans to form a national logistics centre, and establish a free trade zone associated with a seaport in the Cai Mep Ha area. The province is determined to attract strategic investors, design a complete and synchronous ecosystem, and apply leading international standards. It will form tourist urban areas with synchronous, modern infrastructure systems, and a safe and healthy living environment. In addition, the province will form high-tech industrial parks to attract investors and human resources in advanced manufacturing industries with modern technology./.