General Director Pham Anh Tuan shared the vision during a recent meeting with city leaders.
Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee today led a delegation on a survey of the Cai Mep - Thi Vai seaport system and Long Son Petrochemical Plant (LSP). The tour aimed to align the city's port development with the broader regional strategy, which positions Ho Chi Minh City as a financial and service hub, Binh Duong as a center for high-tech industry, and Ba Ria - Vung Tau as a key maritime economic zone.
In his report to the delegation, General Director Pham Anh Tuan presented a comprehensive development plan for the new seaport. The project includes converting the Saigon River area into a 30,000 GT international passenger port, which would accommodate approximately 1,200 passengers.
Additionally, a new 60,000 GT international passenger port capable of handling 1,600 to 2,200 passengers will be built at Mui Den Do, while super cruise ships are expected to dock in the Bai Truoc area.
He also highlighted the impressive capacity of the current port system, noting that in 2024, the Cai Mep area alone handled 328 million tons of cargo, accounting for 38 percent of the country’s total. Container throughput reached 21.2 million TEUs, representing 71 percent of all container volume passing through Vietnam's seaports.
A key part of the plan involves Gemalink Port, which is preparing for the construction of its second phase. The port's first phase, with an 800-meter berth, can already receive ships with a capacity of up to 250,000 DWT. Furthermore, the Cai Mep Ha Terminal (CMH) and its downstream facilities are being designed to handle up to 40 million TEUs—double the current output of the entire port cluster. Once completed, this combined route is expected to become a leading international gateway and transit hub for the region.
The delegation then visited Long Son Petrochemicals (LSP), a strategic FDI project of SCG Chemicals of Thailand with a total investment exceeding US$5 billion representing more than one-third of Thailand’s total FDI capital in Vietnam. Following a nine-month technical suspension, LSP has officially resumed full operations, marking the restart of Vietnam’s first fully integrated petrochemical complex. The resumption comes amid declining crude oil prices, which is expected to enhance profit margins while demonstrating the company’s proactive approach to sustaining supply chains and strengthening customer engagement.
Occupying 464 hectares in Long Son, the complex comprises an olefins plant with a capacity of 1.35 million tons per year, three polyolefin plants with a combined capacity of 1.4 million tons per year, as well as tank facilities, a dedicated port, and supporting utilities. Its key products—polyethylene resins (HDPE, LLDPE) and polypropylene—serve both domestic and export markets, helping to reduce Vietnam’s reliance on imported polyolefins and supporting the development of downstream industries.
In parallel, LSP is advancing the US$500 million Long Son Petrochemical Ethane Reclamation Project (LSPE), scheduled for completion in 2027.
The project aims to integrate ethane into the feedstock portfolio, thereby reducing operating costs by more than 30 percent, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthening long-term competitiveness. Key initiatives include the annual import of 1 million tons of ethane from the United States, transportation using five specialized Very Large Ethane Carriers (VLECs) with 50,000-ton capacity each, the construction of two ultra-cold storage tanks of 55,000 tons each, and plant upgrades to enable the use of up to 70 percent ethane in the input mix.
According to LSP General Director Kulachet Dharachandra, diversifying feedstock with ethane represents a strategic move toward sustainable growth. The LSPE project will not only optimize costs but also create over 1,000 jobs during construction while further deepening Vietnam–US trade relations.
During the site visit, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Van Duoc welcomed the plant’s resumption of operations, describing it as a positive development for both the business community and the wider economy. He emphasized that with an additional US$150 million investment allocated for the restart phase, the project will contribute to socio-economic growth and generate employment for around 1,000 workers, including more than 300 local residents.
He affirmed that the city always listens to and stands alongside businesses, ready to address challenges in order to create the most favorable conditions for production and business activities. He expressed his expectation that LSP would continue to maintain operational efficiency and expand investment, thereby strengthening its position in the petrochemical industry in line with green, sustainable, and environmentally friendly development goals.
Earlier, the delegation also conducted a site visit to Gemalink Port, a deep-water port operated by Gemadept Corporation. This is the only terminal in the Cai Mep area capable of accommodating container vessels of up to 250,000 DWT, making it one of only 19 ports worldwide that meet this standard.
With nearly US$400 million in investment, Phase 1 of Gemalink includes an 800-meter berth and a 32-hectare yard. After four years of operation, the port has handled a total throughput of 6 million TEUs; in 2024 alone, it received 525 vessels with 1.75 million TEUs, and throughput in 2025 is projected to approach 2 million TEUs.
Gemalink is currently regarded as a model for mobilizing private investment in port infrastructure development. Notably, CMA CGM has committed to designating Gemalink as its transshipment hub in Asia, shifting more than 2 million TEUs from Malaysia and Singapore to Cai Mep. Additionally, major shipping lines such as MSC, ONE, COSCO, OOCL, and Evergreen have launched direct services from Gemalink to the United States, Europe, and Africa.
Under the new development plan, Gemalink will be extended by an additional 390 meters of berth, connecting with SSIT and CMH terminals to form a continuous 3.5-kilometer quay line by 2030. The entire stretch from CMIT to CMH could reach a total berth length of 22 kilometers, surpassing the scale of Singapore Port and providing a significant competitive edge in handling ultra-large vessels and international cargo flows.
With natural advantages, stable cargo sources, and integrated planning, Gemalink has proposed that the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee approve investment guidelines for the CMH general port project. This proposal aligns with the Politburo's Resolution 24, the Government's Resolution 154 and Vietnam’s national port development strategy, aiming to position Cai Mep – Thi Vai as a leading international transshipment hub in the region.
Ho Chi Minh City is oriented to become a financial and service center while Binh Duong will develop high-tech industries; and Ba Ria – Vung Tau is designated as a marine economic hub, focusing on seaports and petrochemicals. Within this overall strategy, the Cai Mep – Thi Vai port cluster and the Long Son Petrochemical Complex play particularly crucial roles as growth engines for the entire Southeast region, Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee emphasized.
