After the merger, Can Tho City owns a 72 km long coastline, accounting for 2.21% of the country's coastline, with 6 communes and wards bordering the sea, with a strategic position in terms of security, maritime transportation and economy.
Sharing with Lao Dong, Dr. Tran Khac Tam - Chairman of the Soc Trang Provincial Business Association - commented that from the inland center, Can Tho can become a coastal urban area, opening up new development space for industries such as fishing, aquaculture, renewable energy, sea and island tourism, especially the development of coastal industrial parks and logistics services.
Mr. Tam said that Tran De deep-water port is the strategic focus of regional development, with the ability to receive general and container ships up to 100,000 DWT, cargo ships departing up to 160,000 DWT. "Tran De will become one of the key seaports in the South, sharing pressure with the port clusters of Ho Chi Minh City and Cai Mep - Thi Vai, while serving the export of agricultural and aquatic products to the entire Mekong Delta region, reducing transportation costs for people," said Mr. Tam.
According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Can Tho City, in terms of maritime economy, the city has an important position in the Mekong Delta region, facilitating high-tech agriculture, seaports, logistics, industry and energy. The planning for the development of Soc Trang seaport land and water area (now Can Tho city) for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, identifies Tran De offshore port as an import-export gateway for the whole region, helping to directly transport goods, reducing costs and time compared to Southeast ports, while harmoniously integrating economic pillars: agriculture, aquaculture, industry, services, tourism, in parallel with the task of national defense, security and protection of island sovereignty.
Can Tho also has the advantage of developing renewable energy with coastal alluvial areas of more than 50,000 hectares and high sunlight hours, favorable for wind power and solar power. By 2030, the city plans to deploy 17 solar power projects with a total capacity of 975 MWp, while researching environmentally friendly and stable tidal energy.
Regarding seafood, the area of farming currently reaches 96,237 hectares, of which brackish water shrimp accounts for 51,069 hectares. Seafood export turnover reached more than 1.77 billion USD, brackish water shrimp is the main product with nearly 910 million USD. The whole city has 797 fishing vessels, with an annual output of over 60,000 tons.
In the coastal industrial sector, Can Tho owns a synchronous transport network and modern infrastructure, attracting investment in key projects such as My Thanh Industrial Park, Tran De Industrial Park and Tran De deep-water port, contributing to effectively exploiting coastal potential.
Regarding island tourism, the Tran De - Con Dao high-speed train route operates 3 - 4 trips/day, serving 1,200 - 1,500 passengers. Outstanding eco-tourism destinations include Be Lake, Mo O, and Cu Lao Dung mangrove forest. Vinh Chau coastal area implements wind power projects combined with tourism, both exploiting renewable energy and developing sustainable marine services.
The Can Tho City Party Committee has determined that by 2030, it will be a center for trade, tourism, logistics, marine economy, processing industry, concentrated digital technology and high-tech agriculture.
To achieve the goal, the Department of Agriculture and Environment proposed to perfect institutions and policies on marine resources and environment, deploy marine space planning; train high-quality human resources, expand the development of renewable energy, encourage investment in new energy projects; effectively exploit Tran De deep-water port, synchronize transport infrastructure, logistics and participate in regional and national supply chains.
In seafood, the city prioritizes offshore exploitation, sustainable farming, resource protection, application of high technology, increasing economic efficiency and community income. The system of fishing ports, beaches, and farming areas has been invested in synchronously, ensuring the environment and adapting to climate change.
Regarding tourism, key products have been improved in quality, infrastructure investment in Cu Lao Dung, Tran De, Vinh Chau, connecting the Tran De - Con Dao expressway and implementing the Mekong Delta tourism linkage program, creating a foundation for sustainable development of the marine economy.
