A view of Nga Nam Floating Market at the convergence of five rivers in Soc Trang Province in the Mekong Delta. According to a five-year Transport Ministry plan, the delta's waterway will be able to handle 83 million tonnes of cargo a year by 2020.— VNA/VNS Photo Huy Hung

According to a Transport Ministry plan, the delta's waterway will eventually be able to handle 83 million tonnes of cargo a year. The five-year plan primarily focuses on developing needed logistics infrastructure.

Deep seaports will be added to the Mekong Delta to meet the needs of increased activity, like accommodating more container vessels. Dredging work will continue to widen waterways leading to ports.

Upgrades to Can Tho Port will increase capacity to 650,000 tonnes a year and will accommodate 10,000-tonne ships. Another of the city's ports, Tra Noc, will get two more piers.

Cai Cui Port, also in Can Tho City, will begin the second phase of construction on four piers that will be able to dock 20,000-tonne ships. As much as 2.5 million tonnes of cargo could pass through its harbour in a year.

City authorities will move the Ninh Kieu harbour (for passenger ship) elsewhere to make way for other cargo ships. They will also construct an on-sea transit harbour near Dinh An estuary, welcoming 60,000-tonne ships.

The ministry has a variety of projects underway or planned.

The dredging of a 34km man-made canal recently finished, creating a shortcut from the East Sea to the city via Tra Vinh Province. The canal will reduce pressure on waterways connecting the delta and HCM City.

Construction, upgrading and dredging work will take place at various delta locations, including a buffer zone between Bac Lieu and Ca Mau provinces, the Plain Reefs, and the Long Xuyen Quadrangle in Dong Thap and An Giang provinces.

The ministry organised for upgrade work to a 253km corridor connecting Kien Giang to HCM City, and a 148km corridor linking Ca Mau to HCM City.

According to a ministry report, there is huge economic potential in the delta's waterway transport network. With a 700km-long coast and a 23,000km-long canal transport system, the delta constitutes 70 per cent of the country's total waterways.

A report by the Viet Nam Maritime Administration said 80 per cent of cargo transported to and from the delta, also called the southwestern region, had to stop at ports in the southeastern region, in HCM City, Ba Ria – Vung Tau and Dong Nai provinces.

The east to west transit resulted in an additional US$10 cost for each tonne of cargo and exerted more pressure on the roads. The ministry's big plans were drafted in order to improve the situation. — VNS