HCMC TO DEVELOP CAI MEP HA FREE TRADE ZONE TO BOOST LOGISTICS, TRADE

A bird’s-eye view of the Cai Mep–Thi Vai deep-sea port complex in southern Vietnam - PHOTO: TL

HCMC – HCMC is moving ahead with procedures to establish the Cai Mep Ha Free Trade Zone, covering nearly 3,800 hectares and linked to the Cai Mep–Thi Vai port complex, with the aim of creating a new growth engine for the city.

The information was announced by Tran Luu Quang, secretary of the HCMC Party Committee, at the second meeting of the Executive Board of the HCMC Party Committee on December 15, according to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA).

The promotion of the Cai Mep Ha Free Trade Zone is a concrete step to implement the revised Resolution 98, which was passed by the National Assembly on December 11 this year. Alongside the development of an international financial center, free trade zones are seen as a new but challenging area that could become a key driver for investment attraction and revenue growth in HCMC, Quang said.

Under the proposed plan, the Cai Mep Ha Free Trade Zone will be located in Tan Phuoc Ward (part of the former Ba Ria–Vung Tau Province), with a total area of nearly 3,800 hectares divided into three functional sub-zones.

The first sub-zone will serve as a transport and logistics hub, incorporating existing seaports, the Cai Mep Ha container port (both upstream and downstream), inland waterway terminals, and the Cai Mep Ha station on the planned Bien Hoa–Vung Tau railway.

The second sub-zone will focus on logistics, warehousing and industry, including the southern area of Cai Mep Industrial Park and the Cai Mep Ha Logistics Center.

The third sub-zone will prioritize high-tech industries, urban development and services, with an emphasis on allocating land for green spaces and the development of forest carbon credits.

Previously, HCMC proposed developing four free trade zones in Can Gio, Cai Mep Ha, An Binh and Bau Bang, closely linked to the seaport and railway networks. These zones are expected to form a mega port cluster comprising Cai Mep–Thi Vai–Can Gio, boosting logistics activities, expanding international trade and gradually turning the area into a major regional trade gateway.

Free trade zones are designated areas operating under special mechanisms, allowing preferential policies such as import-export duty exemptions, simplified procedures, and unlimited storage and processing time for cargo.

By the end of 2025, Vietnam will have two approved and operational free trade zones in Danang and Haiphong, along with several others under proposal or planning, including one in Long Thanh, Dong Nai Province.

Source: The Saigon Times