Focus on developing commercial infrastructure and logistics services

Long An expects logistics centers to be established, gradually becoming industrial and service centers of the Mekong Delta and an important focal point for logistics activities of southern provinces and cities.

Satisfying trading needs

In the past time, Long An has focused on calling for investment and developing commercial infrastructure in line with the province's overall socio-economic development master plan and the national trade development plan. Accordingly, Long An encourages and attracts all resources of all economic sectors in society and foreign economy to invest in developing commercial infrastructure and modern types of distribution services. Currently, the province has 125 markets, of which, there are 107 rural markets; 7 supermarkets (4 general supermarkets, 3 electronics supermarkets); 1 Vincom Plaza Trade Center; 241 convenience stores; 6 car salons; 473 petrol and oil stations; 3 petrol and oil depots; many distribution of gasoline, oil and liquefied petroleum gas;etc.

As the gateway to the Mekong Delta, adjacent to Ho Chi Minh City, with many advantages for industrial and commercial development, Long An is focusing on building a sustainable commercial development in a civilized and modern direction. The Department of Industry and Trade informed that, Long An wishes to increase the proportion of trade in the GDP structure of the provincea, promote the role of trade in orienting and promoting production development, organize the good consumption of for agriculture and farmers; meet the consumption needs of the population and economic growth. Currently, Long An is focusing on attracting investment from domestic and foreign enterprises to develop commercial infrastructure in a civilized and modern direction. In which, priority is given to the formation of trade and service zones in large commercial centers (Tan An City, Kien Tuong town, Duc Hoa, Ben Luc, Can Duoc, Can Giuoc districts).

Becoming a logistics center in the Mekong Delta region

Investors expect Long An International Port to be an attractive destination, meeting all the needs of customers

Long An is located in the Southern Key Economic Zone, the gateway connecting the Mekong Delta region with Ho Chi Minh City and the Southeast region, and is a locality with many competitive advantages, especially regional linkages. The whole province has 37 industrial parks along with 62 industrial clusters planned with a total area of about 15,000 hectares, of which, 16 industrial zones and 22 industrial zones are operating with the occupancy rate of 87.6% and 77.6%, respectively. In 1,079 licensed foreign-invested projects, 796 projects are located in industrial zones with a total investment of 4.5 billion USD. The occupancy rate of industrial parks and clusters is not as much as expected, and the development is not commensurate with the potential, mainly due to the lack of synchronous transport infrastructure. In particular, seaport traffic has not been developed, leading to the low connection of Long An with localities in the country and internationally.

Recognizing the advantages, disadvantages and the potential development of logistics services, Long An made a list of priorities to attract investment and integrated it into the Provincial Plan for the period of 2021-2050. Accordingly, Long An plans 10 projects of logistics with an area of ​​over 794 hectares in the districts of Can Giuoc, Ben Luc, Chau Thanh, Duc Hue, Tan Tru and Kien Tuong town, in which , 2 have been put into operation. The first project is the logistics service center on an area of 10 hectares in Thanh Phu commune, Ben Luc district, which has a bonded warehouse of 12,202m². The second project is Long An International Port with a planned area of up to 147 hectares in Tan Tap commune, Can Giuoc district invested by Dong Tam Group. According to the investor, Long An International Port is expected to be a harmonious combination of a seaport service complex with ancillary works, utilities bringing outstanding value, contributing to the formation of a dynamic and modern seaport complex in the future.

After 8 years of construction since 2015, recently, the investor announced the project progress, officially merged 7 wharfs of Long An International Port and inaugurated the container cargo handling service. The total length from Pier 1 to Pier 7 is 1,670m. In the next stage of development, Long An International Port will carry out procedures to expand the scale of 10 wharfs, including 1 wharf specializing in the exploitation of liquid/liquefied petroleum gas, 3 mooring wharfs, 1 to welcome large cruise ships, domestic and international tourists. When completed, the port will have the longest continuous length in Vietnam of 2,368m and receive ships of up to 100,000DWT. Investors of Long An International Port expect this to be an attractive destination, meeting all the needs of customers. With convenient road infrastructure connecting domestic and international goods movement, in addition to optimizing product costs, it also minimizes risks in logistics.

Currently, most import and export goods, especially goods from industrial zones, are transported by containers. With the Feeder Container transport service, Long An International Port will connect with domestic ports and international transshipment port clusters in the region such as Hong Kong or Singapore. Through Long An International Port, this service will connect goods exported from shippers' warehouses to foreign ports and vice versa, contributing to the filling of industrial zones and industrial clusters in Long An province, the Mekong Delta and the South East region.

In addition to the projects of logistics centers and services, recently, Long An is also an attractive destination for many investors in the construction of warehouses and yards related to logistics activities (including goods transportation services, warehouse rental services,etc). A number of big investors have been building warehouses in industrial zones in the province such as Lotte warehouse project built by Lotte Eco Logis Co. Ltd, Long An cold storage project invested by Transimex Joint Stock Company, etc. Nowadays, Long An also organizes many activities to attract investment in the development of logistics infrastructure (transportation, warehouse systems, services,etc) to provide logistics services. At the same time, the province has completed the connection of traffic - transportation between the industrial zones and clusters in the province with Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta and the Southern key economic region.

It is expected that the efforts in infrastructure system investment will contribute to gradually turning Long An into an industrial and service center of the Mekong Delta region and an important focal point for logistics activities of Southern provinces and cities./.

By Mai Huong - Translated by Q. Thien

Source: https://baolongan.vn/chu-trong-phat-trien-ha-tang-thuong-mai-dich-vu-logistics-a158411.html