The government has issued measures for implementing the Planning for Inland Waterway Infrastructure in the 2021-2030 Period and Vision to 2050, which identifies 17 investment projects using State budget capital and a series of projects upgrading and expanding passenger and cargo ports using enterprise capital. A breakthrough mechanism on access to foreign preferential loans by the government will also be applied for infrastructure projects that effectively connect inland waterway traffic with seaports.

The Ministry of Transport has issued Circular No. 21/2022/TT-BGTVT stipulating the management and maintenance of inland waterway infrastructure works. The Circular applies to organizations and individuals involved in the management and maintenance of inland waterway infrastructure works and takes effect from November 1.

According to the Ministry of Transport’s recently-issued green energy transformation action plan, five modes of transport - road, railway, inland waterway, maritime, and aviation - must all be converted to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions targets by 2050. The plan clearly identifies eleven key projects in the development of green transport infrastructure, with total funds of more than VND3 quadrillion ($128.3 billion).

Vietnam has 42,000 km of rivers and canals capable of exploiting water transport, including 45 key waterways with a total length of more than 7,000 km. It is necessary to take advantage of inland waterway transport to transport goods and agricultural products and avoid disruptions to supply chains.