Can Gio International Port: Don't miss the opportunity but don't trade off the environment
Báo Dân trí•20/02/2024
(Dan Tri) - The Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee said that the Can Gio International Port project is an opportunity for our country to participate in the world maritime chain. However, the city will not trade the environment for economic growth.
Can Gio International Transit Port is a project that has received special attention from Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh when he traveled by boat from the center of Ho Chi Minh City to the planned location of the project during a survey trip in July 2023. At the most recent working session with Ho Chi Minh City right before the Lunar New Year, the Prime Minister requested that Ho Chi Minh City coordinate with ministries and branches to soon complete the Can Gio International Transit Port project, submitting it to competent authorities in the first quarter of 2024.
Perspective of the future Can Gio International Transit Port (Photo: Portcoast).
In an interview with the press on the occasion of the Lunar New Year 2024, Mr. Phan Van Mai, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, mentioned the importance of Can Gio Port and the opportunity that the city should not miss. However, he also emphasized the view that the locality should not trade the environment for economic benefits alone, but must consider and calculate many aspects. "We assess that the Can Gio International Transit Port has an impact on the biosphere reserve, but at a low level. Compared to the effectiveness of the project, we can continue to study and implement this project," the Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee shared. In fact, the Can Gio International Transit Port project only affects about 68 hectares in the buffer zone of the protective forest. On the other hand, Ho Chi Minh City has a plan to plant replacement forests with an area 3 times larger than the area planned to be reclaimed for port construction.
Mr. Phan Van Mai, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, talks about the Can Gio International Transit Port project (Photo: Q.Huy).
The head of the city government also clarified that the locality will continue to work with scientific organizations and experts on environmental protection issues. During the project implementation process, the inevitable requirement of Can Gio Port is to use green technology in construction and operation. "The port construction process will certainly affect the access area and buffer zone of the forest. Everything needs to ensure that the impact on the environment is minimal," affirmed the Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee. Mr. Phan Van Mai also expressed that Can Gio International Port is a large project, not only affecting the economy but also society and the environment. Therefore, the preparation and assessment stages need to be carried out carefully and take a long time to have the most effective approach in terms of cost, economy and environmental protection.
Proposed location for construction of Can Gio International Transit Port (Photo: Portcoast).
"The city will carry out this project very carefully, in the spirit of efficiency, without trading the environment for mere economic growth," the Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee stated. The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee also determined that assessing the impact of the Can Gio International Transit Port project on the Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve is one of the important and essential contents that need to be carefully assessed before implementing the project investment. The Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee said that the construction of Can Gio International Port was determined in Resolution 24 and Resolution 31 of the Politburo. Ho Chi Minh City also recognized that this is an opportunity to develop an international transit port in Vietnam, helping our country participate in the world's maritime chain. "If we do it in time, this is really an opportunity. If we are slow, we may miss this opportunity, and re-investment will take more time," the Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee acknowledged. Regarding some concerns that Can Gio International Transit Port will compete with Cai Mep Port located on the opposite side, the leader of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee informed that, through research by prestigious universities in the world, the points of support of these two ports are more than the points of elimination. Therefore, the future Can Gio International Transit Port and Cai Mep Port will enhance each other's efficiency. More broadly, the port cluster will increase the competitiveness of Vietnamese ports compared to international ports. Can Gio International Transit Port is a project that Ho Chi Minh City expects to have a strong impact on the city's economy when it comes into operation. In addition to the large budget revenue and job creation for workers, Ho Chi Minh City's future super port will help the country's leading urban area participate deeply in the world's maritime chain. With special importance, the Can Gio International Transit Port project is included in two Resolutions of the Politburo: Resolution 24 on socio-economic development and ensuring national defense and security in the Southeast region until 2030, with a vision to 2045; Resolution 31 on the direction and tasks of developing Ho Chi Minh City until 2030, with a vision to 2045.
Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve (Photo: PN).
According to the proposal, Can Gio International Transit Port has a total land use demand of 571 hectares. The area of land for the island (coastal protection forest) to be used is nearly 90 hectares, including nearly 83 hectares of forested land with the current status of natural mangrove forest, the remaining nearly 7 hectares without forest. The project will attract large investment capital from enterprises to invest in building modern seaport infrastructure. About 6,000 to 8,000 workers will be employed at the port, tens of thousands of workers will serve the logistics service industry, logistics center and collect customs fees. When the port is put into operation and reaches its design capacity, the State budget will be directly contributed through taxes from loading and unloading, storage, corporate income tax and maritime fees and charges from ships entering and leaving the port. Just counting water surface rental fees and import-export tax on goods, the budget will have an additional VND34,000 billion to VND40,000 billion each year during the complete investment phase.
"We assess that the Can Gio International Transit Port has an impact on the biosphere reserve, but at a low level. Compared to the effectiveness of the project, we can continue to study and implement this project," the Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee shared. In fact, the Can Gio International Transit Port project only affects about 68 hectares in the buffer zone of the protective forest. On the other hand, Ho Chi Minh City has a plan to plant replacement forests with an area 3 times larger than the area planned to be reclaimed for port construction. 
The Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee said that the construction of Can Gio International Port was determined in Resolution 24 and Resolution 31 of the Politburo. Ho Chi Minh City also recognized that this is an opportunity to develop an international transit port in Vietnam, helping our country participate in the world's maritime chain. "If we do it in time, this is really an opportunity. If we are slow, we may miss this opportunity, and re-investment will take more time," the Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee acknowledged. Regarding some concerns that Can Gio International Transit Port will compete with Cai Mep Port located on the opposite side, the leader of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee informed that, through research by prestigious universities in the world, the points of support of these two ports are more than the points of elimination. 
Therefore, the future Can Gio International Transit Port and Cai Mep Port will enhance each other's efficiency. More broadly, the port cluster will increase the competitiveness of Vietnamese ports compared to international ports. Can Gio International Transit Port is a project that Ho Chi Minh City expects to have a strong impact on the city's economy when it comes into operation. In addition to the large budget revenue and job creation for workers, Ho Chi Minh City's future super port will help the country's leading urban area participate deeply in the world's maritime chain. With special importance, the Can Gio International Transit Port project is included in two Resolutions of the Politburo: Resolution 24 on socio-economic development and ensuring national defense and security in the Southeast region until 2030, with a vision to 2045; Resolution 31 on the direction and tasks of developing Ho Chi Minh City until 2030, with a vision to 2045. 
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