HCMC’s Management Authority for Urban Railways signs cooperative agreement with US software provider

Ho Chi Minh City’s Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR) signed an MoU on January 24 with Autodesk, a multi-billion-dollar software corporation headquartered in the US, on promoting digital transformation and the application of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in the management of the city’s urban railway network.

MAUR and Autodesk will strengthen their comprehensive, strategic partnership in order to support digital transformation solutions and the application of BIM across the digital ecosystem.

The two will set up a joint management group that will conduct biannual strategic discussions to monitor and ensure the progress of all planned programs.

Both will also participate in several programs and events, learning and referencing best practices in BMI from entities around the world.

Concerning the digital transformation roadmap, workshops will be organized to assess current capabilities, identify strategic goals, and subsequently develop an effective transformation roadmap with detailed steps for human resources development, process enhancements, and the application of technological standards.

This will include the development of sample profiles for implementing BIM projects and related documentation.

Regarding personnel training, Autodesk’s training and certification partners will cooperate in developing and enhancing a suitable BIM training and certification program to provide professional support for MAUR’s workforce.

There will also be close cooperation to improve and digitize the processes involved in implementing urban railway projects with the integration of appropriate technological solutions at each phase.

Technology-wise, Autodesk will introduce and advise on the pilot application of BIM technology for railways in railway construction projects.

MAUR still faces various challenges in implementing BIM in its projects, a representative from the Authority said. These challenges include legal difficulties, issues relating to personnel capabilities, and the provision of hardware and software tools specifically designed for BIM.

Confronted with these challenges, support and cooperation from consulting firms and professional BIM software providers such as Autodesk will be invaluable. This support will help MAUR approach the application of BIM in the management of urban railway construction projects in Ho Chi Minh City in a more accurate, prompt, and convenient manner.