The Green Revolution: Balancing Industrial Growth and Environmental Preservation in Ba Ria – Vung Tau

In recent times, Ba Ria-Vung Tau province has been making continuous efforts to improve the investment environment and facilitate the sustainable development of industrial parks (IPs). This is evident through the province’s proactive review and adjustment of IP planning, aiming for selective investment attraction while protecting the environment and efficiently utilizing land resources.

Notably, linked industrial clusters have been established, creating a supply source for the Cai Mep – Thi Vai Port system, one of the largest and most important ports in Vietnam.

Review and Adjustment of Industrial Park Planning

Currently, Ba Ria-Vung Tau province has a total of 16 IPs spanning over 9,000 hectares, including large industrial parks such as Phu My IP, Cai Mep IP, and Dat Do IP. To enhance land use efficiency and ensure sustainable development, the province has reviewed and adjusted its planning, focusing on regulating the industries investing in these industrial parks. As a result, only clean, advanced technology, and less polluting projects are granted permits to operate.

According to statistics from the Management Board of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province’s IPs, in the first half of 2024, the province attracted 22 new investment projects, including 14 foreign-invested projects with a total registered capital of over $800 million and 8 domestic projects with a total registered capital of approximately VND 5,000 billion. These projects were carefully selected to ensure alignment with the province’s development goals and to prevent negative impacts on the environment.

One significant change in the province’s IP planning is the adjustment of targeted industries for investment attraction. Industries with a high risk of environmental pollution, such as metallurgy, chemicals, and fabric dyeing, have been restricted from obtaining permits. Instead, high-tech, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly industries are being prioritized. These include food processing, electronics manufacturing, and renewable energy industries, which are currently receiving focused development by the province.

Developing Linked Industrial Clusters to Supply Cai Mep – Thi Vai Port

A key feature of Ba Ria-Vung Tau’s IP planning is the formation of linked industrial clusters that create a supply chain and support each other in production. These clusters play a crucial role in providing a stable supply of goods for the Cai Mep – Thi Vai Port system.

The Cai Mep – Thi Vai Port system is one of the largest deep-water ports in Southeast Asia and plays a vital role in Vietnam’s import and export cargo transportation. With a capacity to accommodate vessels up to 200,000 DWT, the port serves not only the southern region but also acts as an important international gateway for the entire country.

In 2023, the total cargo throughput of the Cai Mep – Thi Vai Port reached 113.9 million tons, an increase of 9.3% compared to 2022. Specifically, the port handled approximately 6.5 million TEU in container cargo, accounting for about 30% of the country’s total container cargo volume. To meet the growing demand for cargo volume, connecting the industrial clusters to the seaport is of utmost importance.

Presently, Ba Ria-Vung Tau has established industrial clusters linked to the port system, such as the Cai Mep cluster, Phu My cluster, and Dat Do cluster. Enterprises in these clusters not only enjoy geographical advantages but also benefit from special incentives provided by the province to promote their production activities and ensure timely supply of goods to the port.

According to the report from the Management Board of Industrial Parks, the occupancy rate in these linked industrial clusters reached 80% by the end of 2023, a significant increase from 60% in 2020. This demonstrates the effectiveness of developing linked industrial clusters, enhancing the supply capacity, and positively contributing to the development of the Cai Mep – Thi Vai Port system.

Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development

Alongside investment attraction, Ba Ria-Vung Tau province always prioritizes environmental protection. The provincial government has imposed stringent regulations to monitor enterprises operating in industrial parks, requiring them to implement proper waste treatment measures and ensure no negative impact on the surrounding environment.

According to statistics from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, as of 2023, more than 95% of enterprises in the industrial parks complied with environmental protection regulations and implemented national standard-compliant wastewater treatment systems. Notably, newly built IPs, such as Long Son IP and Phu My 3 IP, are mandated to install centralized wastewater treatment systems and adopt green production technologies.

The province has also implemented various programs to support businesses in transitioning to cleaner technologies, reducing emissions, and efficiently utilizing resources. Enterprises participating in these programs receive not only technical support but also enjoy tax and land-related incentives. This encourages investors to adopt environmentally friendly, new technologies, and contributes to the province’s sustainable development.

Economic Benefits from Industrial Parks

The adjustment of planning and the development of IPs towards selective investment attraction, coupled with environmental protection, have yielded positive economic results for Ba Ria-Vung Tau province. As of the end of 2023, the total industrial production value in the IPs located in the province exceeded VND 500,000 billion, contributing approximately 45% to the province’s GDP. Among these, the processing and manufacturing industries accounted for the largest proportion, reaching about 60% of the total production value.

Additionally, the IPs make significant contributions to the local budget revenue. In 2023, the IPs contributed over VND 15,000 billion to the provincial budget, a 10% increase compared to 2022. This increase was mainly driven by foreign enterprises with large-scale investment projects in high-tech and export processing industries.

Another factor contributing to the economic efficiency is the creation of thousands of job opportunities for local and migrant workers. Currently, the IPs in Ba Ria-Vung Tau provide employment for over 100,000 laborers, stabilizing the lives of many families and contributing to the province’s overall development.

Moving forward, Ba Ria-Vung Tau province will continue to attract investments into the IPs while maintaining stringent environmental protection and land-use efficiency standards. Development strategies will focus on improving transportation infrastructure, particularly the connectivity between the IPs and the Cai Mep – Thi Vai Port system.

The province has set a target that by 2030, the occupancy rate of IPs will reach 100%, with a focus on industries with high added value and low environmental impact. Clean, high-tech, and renewable energy industries will remain a priority in the province’s development strategy.

Simultaneously, sustainable development through the utilization of renewable energy and environmental protection solutions will be a key trend in the province’s future plans.