Speaking at the event titled “Project for Development of the Logistics Sector in HCM City until 2025, with a vision to 2030”, Hoang Minh Tri, a former head of the HCM City Institute for Research and Development, said the city should also become a hub for logistics workforce training for the Southern Focal Economic Zone since it has many top universities, hi-tech parks and research laboratories.
To turn the city into a logistics hub would require a lot of land and a large workforce, which would worsen the congestion plaguing it, he said.
Besides, this was not envisaged in its master plan for economic development approved by the Government in 2010, he pointed out.
    |
 |
|
Cat Lai Port in HCM City’s District 2 |
The city planned to develop clean industries which do not harm the environment, and use advanced technologies which do not requires a large workforce, he said.
HCM City has two major infrastructure facilities, Tan Son Nhat International Airport and Cat Lai port, both overstretched.
Tan Son Nhat is crowded both inside and outside and any increase in goods transport or logistics services would make these traffic problems even worse, raising transportation costs.
Construction of a flyover to ease traffic outside the airport cost over 10 million USD but it would require 10 times that amount to clear the congestion at Cat Lai.
Furthermore, traffic congestion and pollution affect people’s lives and have a negative impact on the efforts to attract foreign investment.
For these reasons, HCM City should be developed into a human resource hub for the Southern Focal Economic Zone, supplying labour for the Cai Mep – Thi Vai Port Complex (in Ba Ria – Vung Tau province) and preparing to do the same for the proposed Long Thanh International Airport in Dong Nai province, Tri said.
Once construction of Beltway Nos 3 and 4 and the Ben Luc – Long Thanh – Dau Giay Highway is completed, goods from the Mekong Delta could be directly transported to the Long Thanh International Airport and the Cai Mep – Thi Vai Port Complex bypassing HCM City, he added.
Source: VNA