Dong Nai City is studying a plan to develop an inland waterway transportation network connecting the northern area with the Dong Nai River. The initiative aims to open a new freight transport corridor linking the northern region with the seaport system in the southern part of the city.

Developing inland waterway transport connectivity will effectively support the growing demand for container cargo transportation from industrial parks in the northern area to seaports in the southern area of Dong Nai City. Photo: Pham Tung

 

Developing an inland waterway transportation network is expected to increase freight transport capacity and support the city's socio-economic development.

Reducing pressure on road transportation

In late June 2026, Dong Nai City officially broke ground on Component Project 1, which includes the section from Ma Da Bridge to Ba Hao Intersection under the project to build the road connecting Ma Da Bridge with Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 4. This section is part of a major arterial road that will not only provide direct connectivity between the northern and southern parts of the city but also establish a complete inter-regional transport corridor. It will become the shortest and fastest route connecting the Central Highlands with Dong Nai City, Long Thanh International Airport, and the Cai Mep–Thi Vai deep-water port complex. The route is also expected to create new development opportunities by strengthening connections between Dong Nai's regions and major logistics centers, seaports, and Long Thanh Airport.

According to the consulting unit, industrial parks in northern Dong Nai currently generate approximately 3.4 million tons of cargo per year, with this figure projected to increase to 10.5 million tons annually after 2030. Container demand is also expected to rise from more than 113,000 TEUs per year at present to approximately 350,000 TEUs per year after 2030.

According to the city's planning, in addition to the above-mentioned road project, Dong Nai will invest in constructing and upgrading several other roads to strengthen connectivity between the northern and southern regions. At the same time, the city is studying the development of alternative transport modes, including inland waterways, to ease pressure on the road network and improve freight transport capacity.

According to Duong Van Hieu, Deputy Director of the Department of Construction, the department has been assigned by the City People's Committee to develop a proposal for an inland waterway transportation system connecting northern Dong Nai with the Dong Nai River as part of a multimodal logistics development strategy for the 2030–2050 period.

According to the consulting unit, Dong Nai has several major rivers, including the Be River, Dong Nai River, La Nga River, and Ray River. However, only Tri An Reservoir, the downstream section of the Dong Nai River, and its tributaries currently have suitable conditions for inland waterway transportation. The Be River, by contrast, has a narrow channel, steep gradients, fast-flowing water, and numerous bridges and dams, making it unsuitable for commercial navigation. Therefore, the proposed waterway connection between the northern and southern parts of the city would utilize the Dong Nai River.

Carefully evaluating economic efficiency

Under the proposed plan, because there is no direct waterway linking the industrial parks in northern Dong Nai, freight transport would combine both road and water transportation. Specifically, cargo from industrial parks would first be transported by road to the proposed Tri An transshipment port integrated with an Inland Container Depot (ICD) in Tri An Ward, before being shipped by water to seaports in the southern part of the city.

To implement this plan, the consulting unit proposed three key solutions: increasing the clearance height of the Ghenh Bridge, the old Dong Nai Bridge, and the Hoa An Bridge; investing in the Tri An transshipment port; and upgrading the navigation channel along the Dong Nai River. According to the consultants, these measures would reduce pressure on road transportation, lower logistics costs, and improve regional freight connectivity.

The Dong Nai River offers suitable conditions for inland waterway transportation connecting the northern and southern parts of the city.

During a meeting on the proposal in mid-July 2026, Vu Sao Sang, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, noted that the transport demand forecast was primarily based on the scale of industrial parks in northern Dong Nai and projected cargo volumes. However, it did not provide a detailed assessment of the proportion of cargo that could realistically be shifted to waterway transportation or the actual demand from logistics providers and import-export enterprises. He emphasized the need for further analysis of the volume of cargo that could be transferred from road to water transport, particularly containers, industrial raw materials, and export goods from industrial parks.

According to Ho Van Ha, Member of the City Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai City People's Committee, the proposal is intended to reduce container truck traffic on roads and lower logistics costs. Therefore, the most important consideration is ensuring the project's economic efficiency and avoiding unnecessary investment.

Phạm Tùng

Source: Báo Đồng Nai