On June 29, 2026, the Ministry of Construction issued Decision No. 1062/QD-BXD to approve the adjustments to the Master Plan for Inland Waterway Infrastructure for the 2021–2030 period, with a vision to 2050. This pivotal decision is considered a crucial legal foundation for relevant authorities to continue developing the detailed plan for inland waterway infrastructure for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050. Adjusting the plan at this time aims not only to optimize infrastructure resources but also to unlock the enormous potential of the intricate network of rivers and canals, thereby reducing logistics costs which are currently a barrier to the competitiveness of the economy.
According to the decision, the plan is adjusted to shorten the length of inland waterway routes managed by the central government, following the transfer of some rivers and canals to local management.
At the same time, coastal transport routes that used to be part of the inland waterway plan are being transferred to the maritime infrastructure plan, classified as coastal transport routes. The plan also updates the place names, lengths of some transport routes, and scale of inland waterway port clusters according to the growth scenario and new administrative boundaries.
The target by 2030 is for inland waterway transport to reach approximately 939 million tons of goods and 577 million passengers; the volume of goods transported will reach approximately 172 billion ton-kilometers, and passenger transport will reach approximately 11 billion passenger-kilometers.
Map of the National Master Plan for Inland Waterway Infrastructure
Shaping 10 Key Transport Corridors
Setting a strategic vision for the coming decade, the plan outlines extremely ambitious goals. By 2030, the volume of inland waterway transport nationwide must reach approximately 939 million tons of goods and serve 577 million passengers. Along with this, the turnover of goods transported is expected to reach approximately 172 billion ton-kilometers, while passenger transport is estimated at 11 billion passenger-kilometers.
To realize these goals, the plan establishes 10 main transport corridors, acting as economic “blood vessels” spreading throughout the regions. The largest in scale is the Ho Chi Minh City – Ca Mau/An Giang corridor with the largest projected volume, ranging from 196 to 206 million tons. Next is the North–South (Eastern) trade route connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, with output from 113 to 122 million tons; and the northern economic triangle of Hanoi – Hai Phong – Quang Ninh, with a scale of 112 to 118 million tons.
The remaining strategic corridors include: the Hanoi – Lao Cai route (38-41 million tons); the Hanoi – Hoa Binh (Phu Tho) – Dien Bien route (approximately 4 million tons); the Ho Chi Minh City – Moc Bai border gate route (13-15 million tons); the Ho Chi Minh City – Bien Hoa – Vung Tau industrial axis (approximately 22 million tons); and the Ho Chi Minh City – Hoa Lu border gate route (approximately 8 million tons). Specifically, the Mekong Delta region has established the Chau Doc – Can Tho – Soc Trang axis, directly connecting to Cambodia through the Tien and Hau river systems (approximately 12 million tons), along with the coastal route Ha Tien – Rach Gia – Ca Mau (approximately 15 million tons). Alongside these are supporting transport corridors across the three regions, carrying a total volume of approximately 151 million tons.
Master Plan Map for Inland Waterway Infrastructure in Southern Vietnam
The Chau Doc – Can Tho – Soc Trang transport corridor is one of the 10 key national waterway transport corridors, planned to connect directly with Cambodia through the Tien and Hau rivers systems. This strategic route handles approximately 12 million tons of goods per year, opening up an important logistics space for the entire Mekong Delta region. According to the latest planning approval decisions from the Ministry of Construction’s electronic information portal, this strategy focuses on the following key points:
Transport capacity: An estimated 12 million tons are transported along this corridor, playing a key role in trading agricultural products, supplies, and import-export goods.
Multimodal connectivity: Besides the waterway, this corridor is also supported by the Chau Doc – Can Tho – Soc Trang expressway, passing through 4 provinces and cities with a total length of more than 188 km.
Development orientation: Build a system of inland waterway ports and deep-water seaports (such as Tran De port in Soc Trang) to enhance direct export capacity, instead of relying entirely on ports in the Southeast region.
Kim Ngoc – Translated by Ha Giang