Ho Chi Minh City establishes Free Trade Zone linked to Cai Mep Ha Seaport

Under Decision No.4560/QD-UBND, signed by Vice Chairman Nguyen Cong Vinh, Ho Chi Minh City Free Trade Zone (FTZ) is located in Tan Phuoc and Tan Hai wards. The contiguous area is bounded by natural features, including rivers and canals, as well as provincial road 991B and Ganh Rai Bay.

Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee will be responsible for the overall state management of the FTZ. The site is located approximately 50 km northwest of downtown Ho Chi Minh City and around 25 km north of Long Thanh International Airport.

The Ho Chi Minh City FTZ covers more than 4,170 hectares and will comprise three functional zones and eight contiguous sub-zones.

These include the existing container port; Cai Mep Ha Container Terminal; the downstream Cai Mep Ha Container Terminal; Cai Mep Ha railway station on the Bien Hoa–Vung Tau railway line; an inland waterway port; the southern section of Cai Mep Industrial Park; Cai Mep Ha Logistics Centre; and an integrated industrial, urban, and service area.

The FTZ linked to Cai Mep Ha Seaport is intended to serve as a pioneering pilot model for implementing breakthrough institutional mechanisms and creating an international-standard free trade and investment environment. It is also envisioned as a strategic gateway connecting the city’s manufacturing, trade, and service sectors with regional and global markets.

It will also become a new growth driver, supporting Ho Chi Minh City’s ambition to emerge as a leading maritime economic hub in Southeast Asia. At the same time, it will create new space for rapid and sustainable development while strengthening connectivity across the Southeast region and the country.

Under the development plan, the FTZ will prioritise the digital economy, green economy, and circular economy, anchored by a green logistics hub, a seaport cluster, and an international transshipment port. The zone will be closely integrated with the Cai Mep-Thi Vai deepwater port cluster, Can Gio International Transshipment Port, and Long Thanh International Airport.

In addition to serving as a logistics and green manufacturing hub, the FTZ aims to foster high value-added industries that apply advanced, environmentally friendly technologies. It is also envisioned as an innovation hub, attracting global talent and serving as a regional headquarters location for multinational corporations in logistics, maritime services, and international trade.

Ho Chi Minh City Export Processing and Industrial Zones Management Authority has been assigned to undertake direct state management of the zone, while assuming certain functions, responsibilities, and powers transferred from specialised departments under the municipal people’s committee.

Under the development roadmap, during 2026–2030 the city will focus on enhancing the operational efficiency of existing facilities, including seaports, warehouses, and factories within Cai Mep Industrial Park.

Priorities will include strengthening the governance framework, developing digital platforms for management, operations, and supervision, implementing planning, expanding transport and infrastructure connectivity, carrying out site clearance, and attracting strategic domestic and international investors.

During 2031–2035, Ho Chi Minh City will continue developing the FTZ on the foundation of current infrastructure, while completing a highly competitive maritime economic ecosystem and advancing the zone’s transformation into a green free trade zone. The remaining functional zones will also be completed in line with the approved master plan.

Beyond 2035, the city aims to establish the FTZ linked to Cai Mep Ha Seaport as the nucleus of the southeast region’s maritime economy. It is envisioned to become one of Vietnam’s leading cargo transshipment hubs with regional and international significance.

Cai Mep Port. Photo: Le Toan

Cai Mep Ha Port project wins approval with $1.95bn investment A major port investment has been approved as part of efforts to strengthen Vietnam’s logistics and maritime infrastructure.

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