With inland waterway transportation as the main mode of transportation, Ben Tre province will prioritize the development of inland waterway infrastructure in the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050.
According to Decision No. 1399/2023 of the Prime Minister approving the Ben Tre Province Planning for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, the locality will promote the development of transportation infrastructure, including inland waterway transportation.
Accordingly, in the plan to develop the transportation and logistics network, the locality is oriented to coordinate with ministries, departments, central agencies and relevant localities to develop national inland waterway routes on the routes of the Tiền River, Hàm Luông River, Cổ Chiên River, Chẹt Sậy - Bến Tre River channel, Mỏ Cày canals and channels, and Chợ Lách channel.
Specifically, Ben Tre will plan 6 national inland waterway routes, including the Tiền River (the main route from 500m upstream of My Tho Port to the end of the Vietnam-Cambodia border), the Ham Luong River (from Ham Luong Mouth to the Tiền River junction), the Co Chien River (from Co Chien Mouth to Tra Vinh Channel, from Tra Vinh Channel to the Co Chien River-Tiền River junction, Băng Tra River branch), the Chẹt Sậy - Bến Tre Channel (from the Tiền River junction (Giao Hoa estuary) to the Bến Tre River junction, from the Bến Tre River junction to the Hàm Luông River junction), the Mỏ Cày canals and channels (from the Hàm Luông River junction to the Cổ Chiên River junction) and the Chợ Lách Channel (From the Tiền River - Chợ Lách junction to the Chợ Lách-Cổ Chiên junction).
For local inland waterways, focus on investing in the infrastructure of 190 routes, focusing on developing water transport corridors connecting to the regional hubs. At the same time, develop multi-purpose inland waterway transportation, both ensuring to meet the needs of cargo transportation, and serving the development of tourism, and harmoniously linking with water resources management and agricultural solutions in the region, ensuring salt intrusion and fresh water storage.
In addition, plan to develop 24 cargo ports according to the needs of local socio-economic development and 10 clusters of ports, passenger or tourist berths to serve passenger transportation.Passenger berths for tourism development on major rivers such as the Tiền River, the Hàm Luông River, the Cổ Chiên River...
The decision also emphasized that the investment of inland waterway port, seaport projects in the province must be in accordance with the Development Plan for inland waterway infrastructure and Vietnam's maritime system planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050 approved by the Prime Minister and related plans and schedules. The decision is a significant step forward for the development of inland waterway transportation in Ben Tre province.
The province has a dense network of rivers and canals that provide an important transportation route for people and goods. The development of inland waterway infrastructure will help to improve the efficiency and safety of transportation in the province, and will promote economic development.
According to the Ben Tre Province Planning, there are currently two main modes of transportation in the province, namely road transportation and inland waterway transportation. In which, inland waterway transportation is still an important channel for transporting export goods of the province to the main international trading gate in the HCM City area.
Ben Tre Province has 4 major rivers running through, including the Tiền River, the Hàm Luông River, the Ba Lai River and the Cổ Chiên River. The total length of inland waterways in the province is 4,000 km. Of which, there are 6 inland waterway routes managed by the central government (312 km long), the rest are river, creek, and canal systems managed by local authorities. Only two routes of the Cổ Chiên River and the Hàm Luông River are national special waterways.
According to the orientation of the development of inland waterway corridors and the connection of national water transport infrastructure, the system of inland waterway infrastructure in Ben Tre Province is planned for the period up to 2030, with a vision to 2050, including 3 inland waterway transport corridors.
In particular, the coastal waterway transport corridor from Quang Ninh to Kien Giang serves the transportation needs of coastal provinces and cities and localities with connecting river-sea routes, including the section in the Mekong Delta region, which includes coastal provinces such as Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, and Kien Giang.
The waterway transport corridor from Ho Chi Minh City - Can Tho - Ca Mau serves the needs of transporting goods from coastal provinces and cities in the South to the port area of Ho Chi Minh City and the deep-water port in Ba Ria - Vung Tau, is the most important inland waterway transport route in the Mekong Delta region, accounting for about 40% of the total volume of inland waterway cargo transportation in the region.
The waterway transport corridor connecting with Cambodia (via the Tien River) serves the needs of transporting goods from the provinces and cities of Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang, Can Tho, An Giang, Ho Chi Minh City and international markets.
