Ba Ria-Vung Tau lies 60km west of Ho Chi Minh City, bordering Dong Nai province to the north, Binh Thuan province to the east, and the East Sea in the south. The province is also home to Cai Mep-Thi Vai Port, which is Vietnam’s largest deepwater port and the 19^th largest in the world.

As an international transshipment centre with a 16m deep channel, the port can accommodate ships with a tonnage of over 200,000DWT and is the only seaport in southern Vietnam with a direct shipping route connecting Europe and America.

According to the Vietnam Maritime Administration, the Cai Mep-Thi Vai port complex currently handles more than 16 per cent of the total sea cargo coming into Vietnam, as well as 35 per cent of the country's container volume and half of the southern region's containers.

In addition, Ba Ria-Vung Tau has planned the development of industrial zones (IZs) linked to infrastructure connections with key transport routes, including the Ba Ria-Vung Tau motorway, Ring Road 3 and Ring Road 4 of Ho Chi Minh City, the inter-port transport system of Cai Mep-Thi Vai, and a railway connecting the regional economies.

IZ development is set to be closely linked to the seaport, connecting Dong Nai with Vung Tau city and connecting the Cai Mep - Thi Vai - Ganh Rai Bay area to National Highway 56.

The Sonadezi Industrial Zone, Chau Duc district

Hoang Dinh Thao, director of Hong Ha Investment and Construction Consulting, JSC, said, “Transport infrastructure is an important driving force for economic development. The first thing investors should consider is whether the transport and technical infrastructure can meet the needs of their industry. The focus on developing transport infrastructure in recent times reflects the strategic vision of the provincial leadership in promoting sustainable economic development.”

Ba Ria-Vung Tau leaders met with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in October to discuss a technical support project for the development of eco-friendly and smart IZs. Both parties agreed to implement a pilot project at Phu My 3 IZ, and later extend it to other IZs in the province.

As part of the project, JICA will install measuring equipment and monitoring systems at Phu My 3 for energy consumption, carbon preservation, clean water, and wastewater treatment systems. The project is expected to be completed within 48 months.

Phu My 3 Industrial Zone

Ba Ria-Vung Tau is currently home to 15 IZs covering almost 8,500ha. 13 of those IZs are operational, with an occupancy rate exceeding 65 per cent of completed infrastructure. By 2030, the province aims to have 23 IZs with a total area of around 14,000ha.

As of last August, the province’s IZs had attracted 565 ventures, with a total capital volume approximating $20 billion.