Racing with the Long Thanh Airport City

Long Thanh International Airport: Driving Dong Nai’s Development

The approved Master Plan for Dong Nai Province for the period 2021-2030, with a vision towards 2050, identifies Long Thanh International Airport as the new driving force for breakthrough development. The goal is to transform Dong Nai into a major transportation and logistics hub, leveraging its potential and strengths to develop aviation-related industries and attract high-tech and innovative businesses, aiming for a civilized and modern province by 2030.

A Regional Transit Center

Mr. Vo Tan Duc, Chairman of the Dong Nai People’s Committee, shared that the province has invested in developing an increasingly synchronized and modern transportation system, facilitating trade with other provinces and cities nationwide. Notably, the Long Thanh Airport project opens up the skies, positioning the region as a transit hub and connecting Dong Nai with the world.

“The province has undertaken various tasks, including establishing the airport’s regional planning, developing a connected transportation system, and planning a logistics system in the airport area to create a strong impetus for local and regional economic development,” emphasized Mr. Vo Tan Duc.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Nguyen, Director of the Dong Nai Department of Planning and Investment, provided insights into the expected arrangement of functional areas in the Long Thanh Airport region. These areas will be organized in a satellite and interwoven model within the connection corridor to the airport’s core, including transit hubs, logistics centers, smart cities, airport towns, large-scale commercial and service areas, free trade zones, tourism, entertainment and recreational parks, aviation support services, and the development of a green buffer zone.

The province is committed to completing the investment in the airport’s connecting transportation system with intra-provincial areas and the Southeast economic region. This includes highways, Ho Chi Minh City’s Ring Roads 3 and 4, and a planned railway system comprising three lines: the North-South railway, the Thu Thiem-Long Thanh light rail, and the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau railway. Additionally, the province has planned and is investing in developing seaports capable of accommodating vessels with a capacity of 30,000 to 60,000 DWT, such as the Go Dau, Phu Huu, Phuoc Khanh, and Phuoc An seaports.

Furthermore, to capitalize on the advantages of Long Thanh Airport and international undersea fiber optic cables, the province is establishing a concentrated information technology zone to attract investments in modern data centers and facilitate the international flow of data. Efforts are also underway to develop a logistics center in the Tan Hiep and Bau Can areas.

A Major Aviation Services Center

Regarding the implementation of the aforementioned plans, Mr. Nguyen Huu Nguyen explained that the province is focusing state resources on investing in and developing infrastructure, prioritizing transportation infrastructure, especially inter-regional connectivity and social infrastructure. By effectively combining central and local funds and establishing appropriate mechanisms and policies, the province aims to mobilize private and legal capital for transportation infrastructure development.

Additionally, the province will select the best investors and contractors and embrace the most innovative ideas for its development. Enhancing the province’s competitiveness involves improving the investment attraction environment, including enhancing readiness in receiving, processing, and approving investment projects.

Moreover, strengthening labor supply and demand forecasting is crucial. This entails focusing on elevating human resources in alignment with rapid shifts in the labor structure in critical sectors to attain international standards and create long-term competitive advantages. The province is also constructing an education-training complex in Dong Nai, linked to the Long Thanh airport city, to anticipate the demand for labor in industrial zones.

Meanwhile, the leadership of the Dong Nai Department of Construction anticipates that the Long Thanh airport city will catalyze a rapid increase in real estate values surrounding the airport. Several potential urban development projects are in the pipeline, including the 1,800-hectare Long Thanh urban and service complex, the 77-hectare Long Duc commercial and service center, the 1,000-hectare Loc An – Binh Son new urban area, and the Nhon Trach new urban area.

According to the Department of Construction, Long Thanh will emerge as a significant aviation services center, attracting domestic and foreign enterprises to invest in high-tech industries and aviation-related supporting industries. In anticipation, Dong Nai has planned 12 industrial parks in Long Thanh district, such as Go Dau (184 hectares), Long Thanh (488 hectares), and the Long Thanh High-Tech Park (500 hectares)…

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Dinh Thien, former Director of the Vietnam Economics Institute, asserted that Long Thanh Airport would address multiple strategic issues at the national level and for the Southeast region, propelling Dong Nai towards a significant transformation. Additionally, the airport carries the mission of regional connectivity and linking Vietnam to the world.

Moving forward, Dong Nai should focus on three key areas, including developing connecting transportation infrastructure, in tandem with industrial and urban development.