Soc Trang (VNA) – A conference in Soc Trangprovince on December 12 underlined the need for transport infrastructureconnectivity in the Mekong Delta to fuel local development.

According to the Ministry of Transport, thereare four modes of transport in the Mekong Delta, namely land, inland waterways,sea and air transport. 

About 131.7 million tonnes of cargo weretransported in the region last year. Freight transportation has grown by about6.2 percent annually between 2010 and 2017. Up to 70 percent of the freight wastransported by water, and the remaining 30 percent by land.

Meanwhile, passenger transport served 707.7million people in the delta in 2017, growing by 3.4 percent from 2010 to 2017.Land transport is responsible for about 83 percent of passenger volume, whileinland waterways transport serves more than 16 percent.

Air transport remains modest compared to thepotential of the region, which is the biggest agriculture and aquaculture hubof Vietnam and home to about 19 million people.

At the conference, participants pointed out thenecessity to complete infrastructure for all four modes of transport to connectlocalities within the Mekong Delta, as well as the region with other Vietnameseregions and foreign destinations.

They urged opening new expressways and upgradingarterial roads in the region, noting that some traffic bottlenecks haveappeared, several stretches of National Highway 1A have been degraded, whilesome important roads or bridges haven’t been connected, making local transportinfrastructure fail to meet development demand.

Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The said theMekong Delta boasts plenty of advantages, but is still less developed thanother regions in Vietnam.

He called for the early completion of sometransport projects, including Trung Luong – My Thuan and My Thuan – Can Thoexpressways, Dai Ngai Bridge linking Soc Trang and Tra Vinh provinces, and theexpansion of Can Tho airport. 

The official also underscored the need for adeepwater port for the whole Mekong Delta region to reduce goods transportationcosts and time.

Speaking at this meeting, Secretary of the SocTrang Party Committee Phan Van Sau said it is necessary to develop a gatewayseaport for the region, with Tran De port the main facility in this province.

Tran De Estuary is the most suitable locationfor a deepwater port of the Mekong Delta since it is located at the centre ofthe region and near Nam Song Hau National Highway, which is favourable forgoods transportation.

Making a development plan on this seaport hasbeen permitted by the Prime Minister, he noted.-VNA