Lam Hoang Nghiep, Deputy Chairman of Soc Trang People’s Committee, said that many domestic and foreign investors are interested in the development. Under the master plan for the development of Vietnam's seaports, Tran De is planned to become a special deepwater port and has been singled out as an investment priority.

Once completed, the seaport will act as a gateway to the region and will be capable of berthing vessels with a capacity of between 100,000 and 160,000DWT.

The Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang is offering a range of incentives to entice private investment in the port. Investors will enjoy a preferential tax rate of 10 per cent for ten years, tax exemptions for four years, and a 50 per cent reduction on payable taxes for the following nine years, as well as exemptions on land and water surface rentals for the entire leasing period.

The project covers a total area of 4,550 hectares and will handle 30-35 million tonnes of cargo annually. It is one of the projects earmarked to become a Mekong Delta gateway and should make a significant contribution to the development of the region.