The investor and contractors of the Ganh Hao Bridge project, connecting the Mekong Delta provinces of Ca Mau and Bac Lieu, are making an effort to complete construction this month to open it for traffic vehicles before Lunar New Year.

Ca Mau boasts specialised seaport facilities but wants to build on that with more roads and bridges

The construction of the bridge is being implemented through seven bidding packages. Once completed, the $27.2 million bridge will create a seamless connection from the Song Doc estuary in Ca Mau to the Ganh Hao estuary in Bac Lieu province.

Other key road projects combine the National Highway No.1, the 109-km Can Tho-Ca Mau Expressway, Quan Lo-Phung Hiep road connecting Hau Giang and Ca Mau, and the southern coastal corridor road connecting Ca Mau and Kien Giang.

The Ministry of Transport (MoT) has submitted a study on investment in upgrading and expanding the National Highway No.1 and Ho Chi Minh Trail with the section from Ca Mau city to Dat Mui. However, these two projects have not yet been included in the medium-term public investment plan, and the sources to allocate capital have not been determined.

If approved, the MoT is expected to put the projects into operation by the end of 2028. Upgrading and expanding the National Highway No.1 and the Ho Chi Minh Road, which covers around 58.5km, are estimated to cost just over $529 million.

According to the transport development plan towards 2030 for Ca Mau, the demand for capital to develop these key road projects is estimated at $3.41 billion, while the required land is estimated at 14,000 hectares.

Another undertaking is to expand and upgrade the Ca Mau Airport, which is funded by Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV). It is currently completing the administrative procedures, surveying, and making compensation and resettlement plans for locals.

According to the investment policy, the objective is to invest in the construction, expansion, and upgrading of Ca Mau Airport to ensure the operation of A320 and A321 aircraft and equivalent; and create momentum for economic, cultural, and social development, while ensuring national defence and security for the region.

The scheme also aims to renovate and expand the existing passenger terminal to reach a capacity of 500,000 passengers annually, which could be doubled if required. It will also construct several synchronous auxiliary works such as roads connecting the new aircraft parking lot to the passenger terminal, an off-campus parking lot, fire station, security fence system, and a belt road. The project’s investment capital is about $100 million, using all of ACV’s equity.

Other key infrastructure complexes include Ca Mau Seaport, which boasts a specialised wharf for importing liquefied natural gas for the province’s gas power centre.

The Nam Can wharf can receive ships with capacity of up to 10,000 tonnes, while the Ong Doc wharf can receive ships with a capacity of up to 3,000 tonnes. Hon Khoai Port is a cargo and service area to load and unload general cargo and containers, meeting the needs of exporting and importing goods.

Nguyen Tien Hai, Secretary of Ca Mau Party Committee and Chairman of Ca Mau People’s Council said the bottlenecks that greatly affect the province’s growth need to be cleared.

“In addition to human resource development, infrastructure investment, especially transport, seaports, and aviation, is a priority issue,” Hai said. “The province proposed the government allocate resources to invest in such infrastructure for special areas such as Ca Mau. This will contribute to attracting investment, promoting growth, and paving the way for Ca Mau to rapidly develop a sustainable marine economy.”