General Director of Hiep Phuoc Industrial Park Joint Stock Company Doan Hong Tam said Hiep Phuoc area, which is located in the south gate of HCMC, by the side of Dong Nai and Soai Rap rivers has advantages to develop into a modern sea port. Favored by geographical position and State financial investments for southern areas, Hiep Phuoc IZ has completed its first stage of the planning project to relocate and develop new sea ports. According to present plans, Saigon Seaport (District 4) will move to Hiep Phuoc area in Nha Be District, Ho Chi Minh City.

Currently, HCMC is conducting a project to dredge the Soai Rap river bed and move Saigon Seaport to Hiep Phuoc area. In the seaport relocation plan, Hiep Phuoc Industrial Park was chosen to receive investment to become a large scale sea port and the gate of the city and the southern region in the future.

To attract more investment, Hiep Phuoc IZ has carried out specific plans such as developing transport infrastructure, supplying water and electricity for production. At present, it is speeding up compensation for site clearance areas and appealing for new investments to complete the second stage. Hiep Phuoc IZ also focuses on developing infrastructure inside the park such as worker's housings, kindergartens and other services to draw human resources and build trust for investors who want to invest in the park.

Tam also said in 2012, Hiep Phuoc IZ will prioritize investment attraction in some major sectors like mechanical engineering, information technology, refined food processing, construction material, sea port services applying high-tech and clean technology. It will target investors from Japan, Republic of Korea, EU and the US.

In 2012, to overcome difficulties, Hiep Phuoc IZ will make efforts including completing transport infrastructure, upgrading clean water service, waste water treatment, electricity supply 24/24, increasing accommodation areas for workers and implement the one-door policy. Recently, two Japanese investors, Mizuho Bank and Chodai Corporation have kicked off the second stage of infrastructure development at Hiep Phuoc IZ in Nha Be District, Ho Chi Minh City. This project is also the city's development orientation in the coming period.

To fulfill the target of becoming the sea port infrastructure development center in Ho Chi Minh City, Hiep Phuoc IZ plans to find capable partners in investment cooperation. It will strive to basically complete site clearance and compensation in two years to prepare for investment attraction and negotiation.

In addition, to increase more investment, Tam also requested HCMC's People Committee and the Ministry of Finance to let Hiep Phuoc IZ get a stable rental prices for land in the second stage as they are now about two times higher than land rental prices in IZs in Binh Duong Province.

 Minh Kiet