New Transportation lines anchor Ho Chi Minh City's future
Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is both Vietnam's main business city and a key node in the country’s infrastructure network. In this issue of VSC Magazine, Jaap Janssen and Joep Janssen of JNSN architects examine the impact of some of the changes that are occurring in HCMC.
Ho Chi Minh City is in the middle of a great leap forward in the process of globalization as new city extensions are designed, roads built, and bridges constructed. (...)
The engineering consultancy firm DHV has been hard at work on a project to improve the navigability of the water networks in the Mekong Delta. DHV is responsible for widening and deepening over 250 kilometers of waterways, the construction and restoration of 18 bridges, and the construction of a new lock.
According to Ben Reeskamp, director of Ports and Waterways at DHV, Vietnam has the opportunity to become a transit country for Southeast Asia comparable to the Netherlands in Europe. "It is a delta area with a lot of waterways and thus many import and export opportunities. In the future, transit to Laos and Cambodia is even possible." When the project is completed in 2014 the waterways will be able to accommodate convoys of inbound ships of up to 600 tons.
"The project", Reeskamp said, "represents a strong boost for the economy. It will result in an important traffic artery on which large ships will be able to navigate and commerce will flourish. Our experience in the Netherlands teaches us that inland water transportation also offers a sustainable alternative to road transportation."
This project is a welcome sign of prosperity, though it is only the first step. It is important that the lessons of this project will be used to achieve a social balance in HCMC that is ecologically sustainable and economically attractive.
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