Assessment of transport connectivity current status in Cai Mep – Thi Vai port area

By mt.gov.vn, 28/09/2016

In the afternoon on September 27, 2016, at the headquarter office of the Ministry of Transport, the Minister Truong Quang Nghia chaired the meeting on the subject of transport connectivity status in Cai Mep – Thi Vai port area.

Participants were the Deputy Minister Nguyen Ngoc Dong, Deputy Minister Nguyen Van Cong, Vice Chairman of Ba Ria Vung Tau Provincial People's Committee Tran Dinh Khoa, Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; Mr. Le Tuan Quoc, and the representatives from other departments namely Vietnam Maritime Administration, Vietnam Road Administration, Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration, Vietnam Railway Authority, Transport Engineering Construction and Quality Management Bureau etc. Mr. Pham Anh Tuan, Deputy General Director of Portcoast Consultant Corporation who is in charge of preparation of Detailed Planning for Port Group No.5 and Exploitation and Operation Effectiveness Enhancement Scheme for Port Group. 5 and Cai Mep – Thi Vai’s port area participated in the meeting.

The Minister Truong Quang Nghia asked relevant agencies, especially the Vinamarine to review and redefine all reports made since 2013 about Cai Mep Thi Vai port area, to identify appropriate and inappropriate points so as to propose and consider connectivity investment methods suitable for this area.

Also from the Minister, current transport infrastructure of the urban Ho Chi Minh City is under enormous pressure, therefore, reducing its pressure by moving the maritime transport sector to Cai Mep - Thi Vai area is necessary.

After taking all participants’ review comments on selection of the most effective transportation connectivity forms, the Minister said, we need to relieve the pressure on road transport and focus to inland waterway transport to Cai Mep - Thi Vai area due to its favorable river system. The Minister also assigned Vietnam Railway Authority to study and promptly make the report about railway route plan from Trang Bom to Ba Ria Vung Tau.

Besides, the Minister also asked Vinamarine in coordination with the Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration to study and enhance exploitation capability of cargo transshipment source from Phnom Penh to Cai Mep - Thi Vai port area.

According to the Minister, to attract more cargo, the port operators currently presenting at Cai Mep Thi Vai area should actively seek for cargo sources, use of information technology in management, improve services, present professional working attitude. The Minister also suggested Ba Ria Vung Tau province to provide supportive mechanisms to enterprises in the province to enhance their healthy competiveness compared with other enterprises.

"Our objective is to improve national competitiveness, not domestic competitiveness. However, it is required to carefully consider all alternatives, to minimize waste in investment and absolutely comply with the approved planning” the Minister stressed.