The Southern Coastal Economic Zone of Hai Phong is seen as a new driving force, contributing to Hai Phong's breakthrough in the upcoming period.
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha presents the Prime Minister’s decision to establish the Southern Coastal Economic Zone of Hai Phong. Photo: Dam Thanh When established, the Southern Coastal Economic Zone of Hai Phong will fill the industrial gap in the southern part of the port city. Therefore, upon announcement, this project immediately opened the way for strong growth momentum, ensuring stable employment for hundreds of thousands of workers in the city, and propelling Hai Phong’s further growth.
Unprecedented Scale According to the establishment decision, the Southern Coastal Economic Zone of Hai Phong covers approximately 20,000 ha (of which around 2,909 ha is reclaimed land) — a 3.0 generation multi sector ecological economic zone, focusing on high tech industry and modern logistics; Hai Phong’s gateway to regional and global value and supply chains.
This will be a center for new industrial sectors such as semiconductor chips; a modern international logistics hub thanks to connections via the coastal expressway, Nam Do Son deep water port, Tien Lang international airport, and two rail lines (Lào Cai–Hanoi–Hai Phong, Nam Dinh–Hai Phong–Quang Ninh). This economic zone is considered a new model, combining the advantages of 1.0 and 2.0 models, and adding sustainable development and green transition — in line with the National Strategy on Green Growth 2011–2020 with vision to 2050, approved by the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 1393/2012/QĐ TTg.
It is known that the Southern Coastal Economic Zone has three pillars for sustainable development: industry, urban areas, and ports. Once operational, it will leverage the efficiency of public investment in the spirit of “Using public investment to attract private investment” to develop together.
When operational, the Southern Coastal Economic Zone will become a powerful impetus for the development of the port city. (Source: Hai Phong Information Portal)
According to Ms. Tran Thi Hong Minh, Director of the Central Institute for Economic Management, “Recently, the Government has paid great attention to developing coastal economic zones and free trade zones nationwide, including the Southern Coastal Economic Zone of Hai Phong. The Prime Minister’s decision to establish it gives Hai Phong a solid basis to leverage its port and industrial economic advantages.”
By 2030, the Southern Coastal Economic Zone is expected to become Hai Phong’s main economic engine, reaching 80 % capacity of the Dinh Vu–Cat Hai Economic Zone in 2023. It will play a particularly important role in connecting with neighboring economic zones, forming a coastal economic zone chain and acting as the region’s growth engine; attracting VND 700 trillion in social investment; achieving industrial production value of VND 2 million billion; contributing VND 550 trillion to the state budget; creating over 400,000 jobs and providing housing for around 500,000 people.
According to Ms. Tran Thi Hong Minh, the Southern Coastal Economic Zone enjoys exceptional and unprecedented policies not applied elsewhere. This shows the Government’s strong confidence in Hai Phong’s success in this model — a model involving the establishment of a free trade zone and achieving the advantages seen in FTZs around the world.
A Transformative Leap The Southern Coastal Economic Zone reflects the will, aspiration, determination, and inner strength of Hai Phong's authorities and people. This project marks a new era and a step up to a higher development stage for the port city.
However, to realize these development goals, beyond leveraging its existing advantages, Hai Phong needs to address social welfare, high quality workforce training, land clearance, and resettlement. At the same time, it must foster strong regional linkages with neighboring localities in the northern growth pole and across the country in the near future.
Mr. Le Trung Kien, Head of the Hai Phong Economic Zone Management Board, said: “Hai Phong currently has many superior policies for training high quality personnel. Graduates are provided jobs, career transitions suitable for their age; there are incentives for out of province labor to undertake vocational training. Additionally, the city has policies for social housing for workers in convenient locations, along with preferential loan policies. Meanwhile, there are many mechanisms and policies to attract investment in the Southern Coastal Economic Zone. The city and the EZ Authority commit to giving maximum support so enterprises can confidently invest and expand production and business.”
The model of the Southern Coastal Economic Zone is a bold move that demonstrates Hai Phong’s courage to think and act, proactively creating new space for fast and sustainable development. Once operational, it will become a powerful impetus for Hai Phong to maintain its leading position, marking the city’s transformative leap in the new era.