Following its merger with Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Ho Chi Minh City has integrated three of Vietnam’s most dynamic economic zones:
(1) The central urban core, serving as a hub for finance, education, and human resource supply;
(2) The former Binh Duong area, designated as a high-tech industrial base; and
(3) The former Ba Ria-Vung Tau area, oriented toward the maritime economy, logistics, and coastal tourism.
This convergence provides the city with a unique comparative advantage to develop a comprehensive supply chain ecosystem, anchored by the Cai Mep – Thi Vai – Can Gio port and logistics cluster.
Envisioned as a digital super port with integrated logistics and free trade zones (FTZs), this cluster will enhance connectivity with global supply chains and support the formation of commodity exchanges, derivatives trading, and international financial services. For example, a coffee shipment from the Central Highlandsstored in an FTZ could be listed on a commodity exchange, allowing buyers to claim goods directly at the FTZ and load them onto vessels with minimal procedures. Such mechanisms demonstrate how seaports, airports, logistics platforms, and FTZs together with an emerging international financial center can jointly elevate Ho Chi Minh City’s global profile while reinforcing Vietnam’s position in international trade.
The Cai Mep – Thi Vai – Can Gio cluster and its associated FTZs thus represent a strategic milestone in affirming Vietnam’s presence on the global logistics map, underscoring the urgency of timely and decisive implementation.
However, without modernized transportation infrastructure, particularly dedicated freight rail lines capable of serving mega vessels, Ho Chi Minh City’s ambition to become a global supply center may remain unrealized. Super ports must be directly linked to industrial heartlands through expressways, coastal corridors, and freight rail systems. In this regard, the proposed Bau Bang – Cai Mep high-capacity rail line is of critical importance, as it would enable the direct transport of cargo to mega vessels. Its success will depend on a special institutional mechanism to ensure timely delivery.
Ultimately, infrastructure investment, especially in transport systems, remains the decisive cornerstone for Ho Chi Minh City to fully leverage its development pillars and advance toward becoming a global supply center.
To achieve these strategic objectives, Ho Chi Minh City requires a more flexible and robust institutional framework, alongside an estimated investment of approximately 38 million USD. Accordingly, the city has submitted a proposal to the National Assembly to amend and supplement Resolution 98, including the introduction of special mechanisms for the development of the Cai Mep Ha super port and FTZ. The proposal also seeks to expand the list of priority sectors to attract strategic investors, and establish transparent selection criteria and mechanisms, ensuring long-term commitment from both domestic and international corporations to the city’s sustainable growth.
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Reference: Tuoi Tre, 2 October 2025
