SCIENTIFIC WORKSHOP: “ASSESSMENT OF THE CURRENT SITUATION AND PROPOSED SOLUTIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF INLAND WATERWAY TRANSPORT IN LONG AN PROVINCE BY 2030, WITH A VISION TO 2050”
On the morning of May 28, 2025, at International University – Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, the scientific workshop titled “Assessment of the Current Situation and Proposed Solutions for the Development of Inland Waterway Transport in Long An Province by 2030, with a Vision to 2050” was successfully held. The event attracted the participation of over 70 delegates from government departments, enterprises, research institutes, experts, lecturers, and students interested in the fields of logistics and transportation.
The workshop was held live combined with online participation, with the presence of over 70 delegates. Among them were representatives from key departments and major enterprises in Long An Province and surrounding areas, including: the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Construction, the Department of Industry and Trade, the Department of Agriculture and Environment, the Construction Quality Inspection Center – Long An Province Department of Construction, Long An International Port, Tay Nam Company, the Port Authority, GFS Vietnam Co., Ltd., ITL Freight Management JSC, U&I Logistics Company, and others.
The workshop is part of a provincially funded scientific research project commissioned by the Long An Province Department of Science and Technology, with the International University – VNU-HCM as the lead institution. The project was approved by the Long An Provincial People’s Committee under Decision No. 2157/QĐ-UBND dated July 1, 2024, and is scheduled to be implemented over a 12-month period.
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyễn Văn Hợp – Dean of the School of Engineering and Industrial Management, International University – VNU-HCM – delivered the opening speech on behalf of the Workshop Organizing Committee.
At the workshop, three technical presentations were delivered by key members of the research team, clarifying essential aspects of inland waterway transport development in Long An Province. The first presentation, led by Associate Professor Dr. Hồ Thị Thu Hòa – the project leader – highlighted the importance of this transport mode, which supports high-load capacity and low emissions. This aligns with the government’s and international community’s green and sustainable development orientations. Through in-depth analysis of expert insights and a SWOT assessment of Long An’s inland waterway sector, the research team proposed a two-phase strategic roadmap: 2025–2030 and 2030–2050. The strategy centers on integrated infrastructure development, regional connectivity, digital transformation, and the refinement of regulatory frameworks toward sustainability and international integration.
The 2025–2030 phase focuses on addressing existing challenges with prioritized solutions. These include investments in infrastructure tailored to regional connectivity needs, enhancing links between transport providers and shippers within the logistics chain, promoting the application of digital technologies in route management, port operation, and e-port systems, and mobilizing diversified financial resources such as central and local government budgets, ODA funding, PPP models, and support from international partners like the World Bank, GIZ, and UNDP. Especially, in the context of a proposed provincial merger, Long An’s inland waterway planning must be tightly aligned with regional coordination, industrial space planning, and growing import-export capacity. Long An currently has 18 operational industrial parks with 1,762 projects, including 849 FDI projects with a total investment of over 5.6 billion USD. Notable projects include Coca-Cola Vietnam (136 million USD), ECPVN Logistics (34 million USD), and the Thai Tuan High-Tech Complex (over 20,000 billion VND). Despite this, 80% of container exports from the Mekong Delta still rely on road transport, which costs 10–60% more than waterway transport, revealing substantial room for shifting transport modes to reduce logistics costs and road infrastructure pressure.
The 2030–2050 phase is regarded as a period of consolidation and sustainable growth, with a focus on adopting modern, regionally linked management models, enhancing collaboration among waterway transport service providers within logistics chains, refining state management policies, and implementing measures to minimize environmental and social impacts. This phase requires the involvement of consultants, logistics coordination agencies, legislative and administrative bodies, technology companies, and international organizations providing technical, financial, or environmental support. The overarching goal is to develop a green, smart, and connected inland waterway transport system with strong adaptability and meaningful contributions to the sustainable growth of Long An and the Mekong Delta region.
Associate Professor Dr. Hồ Thị Thu Hòa – the project leader – delivered her presentation at the workshop.
The second presentation, given by PhD candidate and MSc. Nguyễn Thắng Lợi (from the collaborating institution, the Vietnam Institute of Logistics Research and Development), applied standardized regression analysis on survey data from 150 enterprises to identify factors influencing the development of inland waterway transport. The analysis revealed that the most influential factors include strategic orientation, investment and infrastructure capacity, route efficiency, the level of digital technology adoption, and environmental considerations. These findings provide a solid empirical foundation for future forecasting and policy development.
The final presentation, delivered by Dr. Nguyễn Hằng Giang Anh, focused on forecasting inland waterway transport demand through 2030 and 2050. The report highlighted the current severe imbalance between supply and demand, with an estimated need for at least 2,500 additional personnel by 2030. It also projected consistent growth in the value of import-export and retail goods, leading to an expected total cargo volume of 24 million tons in 2030 and nearly 31 million tons by 2050. Given the potential merger of Long An with Tây Ninh and the increasing volume of bulk agricultural goods from neighboring provinces in the Mekong Delta, the report proposed developing a logistics hub in Long An based on the hub-and-spoke model to optimize regional connectivity. The specific goal is to increase the share of container transport by water from under 5% currently to 15–20% by 2030. The report also pointed out new influencing factors that could significantly impact inland waterway systems in the future, including energy transition, digitalization, automation, multimodal transport, and climate change adaptation—all oriented toward building a green – smart – connected transport system.
In addition to the technical presentations, the workshop featured insightful and practical contributions from representatives of government departments, businesses, and experts during the discussion session. PhD candidate and MSc. Du Quang Vinh – Director of the Construction Quality Inspection Center (under the Long An Province Department of Construction) – and Mr. Nguyễn Hoài Trung – Deputy Director of the same department – shared their perspectives on the need to enhance infrastructure planning coherence, especially the connection between waterway transport and urban development.
From the business sector, Ms. Ngô Thị Thanh Vy – Board Member, Deputy CEO, and Business Operations Director of Long An International Port JSC – emphasized the province’s potential in port development and its key role as a logistics hub within the regional supply chain. Mr. Võ Đình Sang – Director of Tay Nam Inland Waterway Transport Company – and Mr. Mai Hồng Lực – Department Head at Tay Nam Steel Company – spoke candidly about the need to adjust pricing mechanisms, invest in fleet expansion, and address barriers that currently make inland waterway transport less attractive to shippers. Representatives from logistics and transport companies based in Ho Chi Minh City, such as GFS Global Freight Services Vietnam Co., Ltd., U&I Logistics Corporation, and ITL Freight Management JSC, also attended the workshop and shared their perspectives with the research team.
Additionally, a variety of questions, feedback, and discussions from attending businesses, students, and researchers were warmly addressed by the speakers, contributing to a dynamic academic atmosphere and fostering meaningful engagement between research and practical application in the logistics and transport sectors.
MSc. Du Quang Vinh – Director of the Construction Quality Inspection Center and representative of the collaborating unit – contributed feedback on the project’s research findings. Ms. Ngô Thị Thanh Vy – Member of the Board of Directors, Deputy CEO, and Chief Business Operations Officer of Long An International Port JSC – also shared the business sector’s perspective and raised questions during the workshop.
A student from the Logistics and Supply Chain Management program at International University – VNU-HCM raised a question for the presenters.
Throughout the preparation and implementation of the project, the research team received strong guidance and support from the university and local authorities.
The workshop was not only an occasion to present results, but also a valuable opportunity for the team to gather practical feedback from stakeholders. These contributions will help refine the research output and support the development of an effective, green, and sustainable inland waterway transport strategy for Long An Province. This direction aligns with national development priorities, particularly the goals set out in Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo on advancing science, technology, and innovation.