In Report No.9008/BC-BGTVT, sent to the Prime Minister, the Ministry detailed the appraisal results of the Can Gio International Transshipment Port project.
The Ministry confirmed that the proposal has a solid legal foundation and is consistent with the policies of the Party, the National Assembly, and the Government. The HCMC People's Committee has thoroughly addressed and responded to the feedback from relevant ministries, local authorities, experts, and members of the appraisal council.
The Ministry of Transport generally agrees with the objectives of the proposal, which aims to develop the Can Gio Port area into an international transshipment hub, attract major shipping and transport companies, and quickly establish the Cai Mep estuary as a global gateway for transshipment, along with the creation of a free trade zone connected to the international transshipment port.
The Ministry also acknowledged that the proposal has thoroughly assessed the conditions for establishing the Can Gio Port area. Notable advantages include a reduction in the distance for international transshipment cargo by approximately 30-70 percent compared to shipping to Singapore, a strategic location near the Vung Tau - Thi Vai maritime route with a depth of around -15.5 meters, successfully accommodating ships up to 232,494 DWT with reduced load, and lower handling costs compared to Singapore.
The Ministry supports the selection of an investor with substantial experience, financial capability, and the potential to attract international transshipment cargo. However, during the implementation process, the investor must provide firm commitments, and relevant authorities must closely monitor to ensure that the transshipment cargo ratio at Can Gio Port meets the targets outlined in the proposal, avoiding any negative impact on other ports' operations in the region.
The Ministry of Transport agrees that the proposal should include only a preliminary environmental impact assessment. Given that Can Gio is a UNESCO-recognized World Biosphere Reserve, the Ministry requests that the HCMC People's Committee thoroughly research, identify, and assess the environmental and ecological impacts and propose specific measures to ensure compliance with legal regulations on environmental and ecosystem protection.
In the proposal's development, the HCMC People's Committee mentioned plans to use dredged material to fill and expand Thanh An Island (Phu Loi Islet) to the West and South, with an estimated total of about 21 million cubic meters of dredged material. The Ministry of Transport advises that, during implementation, a detailed study should be conducted and reports submitted to the relevant authorities to ensure full adherence to legal requirements.
