The modernisation of the infrastructure sector is one of the biggest bottlenecks Vietnam has to face to maintain current growth rates (forecasts for 2024 range between 6 and 7 per cent) and continue to attract high value-added investment from abroad. The physical conformation of the territory also contributes to the severe shortcomings of the railway and motorway network, which means that internal transport is basically operated by air or sea.
Local authorities are aware of these weaknesses and have recently launched major development plans for the sector, with a strong emphasis on the rail network. In 2021, in particular, the Vietnamese government adopted the ‘Master Plan’ for railway modernisation to 2030, with a vision to 2050. The goal of the ‘Master Plan’ is to build a network capable of handling up to 11.8 million tonnes of freight and 460 million passengers by 2030, through the modernisation of seven national railway lines, the construction of 16 new regional transport lines, and the construction of a high-speed line between the north and south of the country. The estimated cost is at least USD 105 billion.
The country also plans the development in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City of metro networks (8 and 9 lines, respectively) and tramways, to meet the needs of a public transport system that cannot keep up with the fast urbanisation and economic development in the country’s two largest cities which, by 2040, will have an estimated total population of 28 million. The total length of the entire urban rail system would be 220 kilometres for Ho Chi Minh City and 318 for Hanoi. The costs are estimated at USD 25.9 billion and USD 35 billion, respectively.
This scenario also holds opportunities for Italian companies in the sector. Noteworthy is the presence of the company Ghella, which was awarded – in consortium with Hyundai – the construction of a 4.5-kilometre section of underground stations for the new Line 3 of the Hanoi metro. The project is financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and sees Ghella involved in the tunnel excavation work for the new metro.
