Hai Duong eyes to become logistics center

Hai Duong should be turned into a logistics center in the Red River Delta, proposed Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Trieu The Hung at the first Red River Delta Coordinating Council Meeting, presided over by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the end of July.

“Hai Duong has a strategic position at the intersection of domestic and foreign economic corridors and links localities in the Red River Delta and key connection points,” said Hung.

All of the corridors record large flows of trade and goods, requiring logistics development with a series of specialized linkages.

It will help Hai Duong make the most of its advantages to connect many localities across the country through expressways, national highways 1, 2, 5, and 18, border gates, and international seaports, Hung added.

The province also has great potential to become the main channel for the circulation of goods between western and southwestern localities of China and ASEAN countries as well as connecting the Northern key economic zone of Vietnam, becoming a motivation of the regional industrial development.

Hai Duong orients to have 33 industrial parks, covering a total area of 5,661 ha, 61 industrial clusters, 3,209 ha in area, and a specialized economic zone to the south of Ha Noi – Hai Phong expressway in the 2021 – 2030 period with a vision to 2050.

Especially, the province will form eight logistics centers in Hai Duong city, Kinh Mon provincial town, and the districts of Binh Giang, Kim Thanh, Thanh Ha, Gia Loc, Cam Giang, and Ninh Giang with a total area of nearly 190 ha by 2030.

Hai Duong has much potential to develop input logistics, especially warehousing services, thanks to its advantageous location next to Hai Phong, Ha Noi, and Quang Ninh, which are major logistics centers in the North, according to Nguyen Van Quang, Head of the provincial Department of Industry and Trade’s Trade Management Division.

The growth rate of the warehousing sector in the 2016 – 2025 period is forecast to be higher than that of the road transport one, said Quang.

“The province should pay attention to investment in warehousing services to meet the domestic market’s increasing needs for logistics,” Quang added.

Tran Duc Nghia, Director of Ha Noi-based Delta International JSC. with 10 logistics branches in various localities across the country, shared the same view.

“Besides promoting warehousing services, Hai Duong also needs to plan a road transshipment point or a road transport center to make the most of its advantages in transport of goods,” Nghia suggested.

Hai Duong has been focusing on reviewing, supplementing, amending, and proposing approval of plans; building industrial parks and clusters, logistics centers, and supporting industry development zones of the locality and the Red River Delta; forming large-scale inland container depots and logistics centers with high connectivity; and developing cold storage systems in logistics centers to meet the needs of preserving agricultural products in the region.

To achieve the target of becoming a logistics center, Hai Duong has proposed the Ministry of Transport and Vietnam Railway Corporation soon work out a plan to upgrade Ha Noi – Hai Phong rail route and build an international railway station in Cam Giang district.

The province also suggested the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), and other ministries and sectors recommend large, capable, and experienced investors to survey and develop logistics centers in Hai Duong, especially the districts of Binh Giang, Thanh Mien, and Thanh Ha and Kinh Mon provincial town to utilize the advantages of having intersections with Ha Noi – Hai Phong expressway, national highway 5, and the Cam river to Hai Phong seaport…

HA KIEN