Hanoi (VNA) – Focusing all resources on developing the maritimeeconomy holds great significance and is also the fastest way for the MekongDelta provinces of Tra Vinh and Ben Tre to become rich and strong sea-basedlocalities.

With a combined coastline of more than 130km, the twoprovinces have made the most of their potential and advantages to comprehensivelydevelop the maritime economy, from aquaculture, fishing, aquatic productprocessing, and fisheries logistics services to sea tourism.

In recent years, Ben Tre province has focused on nearly46,000 hectares of aquaculture, with a total output of more than 298,000 tonnes.Notably, the high-tech shrimp farming model in Ben Tre is developing strongly,with the area expanding continuously.

The province's fishing is growing as well, with an output ofabout 210,000 tonnes a year. In addition, fisheries logistics services andinfrastructure have improved, with three fishing ports and two storm shelters.

Meanwhile, Tra Vinh province can serve high-tonnage ships which enterthe Hau River through the territory of Tra Vinh province to the East Sea, andCai Cui port of Can Tho city. This helps Tra Vinh become a hub forinternational trade through sea transportation. Especially foragricultural products, Tra Vinh's strength helps them easily access otherVietnamese localities, the Mekong sub-region countries and other ASEAN nations.

The province also has Dinh An economic zone, which is one ofVietnam’s eight key coastal economic zones invested to bring into full play thepotential of the maritime economy, promote socio-economic development and industrialgrowth of the locality in particular and the Mekong Delta in general.

In addition, Tra Vinh boasts many advantages in developingaquaculture and fishing, with nearly 34,000 hectares of fish farming and nearly1,200 fishing boats.

Recently, both Ben Tre and Tra Vinh provinces have focusedon developing renewable energies from the advantages of the sea. Wind powerprojects, put into operation, have also made important contributions to the developmentof the tourism sector, thus creating a highlight in their marine ecotourism.

Ben Tre has been approved by the Ministry of Industry andTrade in planning 19 wind power projects with a total capacity of more than1,007 MW. Construction is now underway on nine projects with a capacityof about 368 MW.

Meanwhile, Tra Vinh has approved the investment of nine windpower projects; in which five have been put into operation and connected to thenational grid, with 79 wind turbines, and a total capacity of 320 MW.

In the coming time, the two provinces aim to achieve strongand sustainable maritime economic development, with focus on renewables,fisheries and tourism. They are striving to effectively adapt to climate change,protect the marine environment, prevent coastal erosion, and conserve andpromote maritime ecosystems.

Tra Vinh has been selected by the Government as a keyprovince for the development of both fisheries and international trade.

Currently, the province is calling for investment in projectsof building a fish and shrimp processing factory with an annual capacity of 10,000 tonnes, a factory for preserving and processing aquatic products and seafoodwith a scale of 10,000 tonnes a year; an aqua feed processing factory with ascale of 20,000 - 30,000 tonnes per year; a high-tech brackish water shrimp farmingproject; a clam production and consumption linkage project in coastal alluvialareas; and another to raise ecological shrimp for export.

Similarly, Ben Tre aims to become one of the localities withstrong and sustainable development in the matitime economy, focusing ondeveloping renewable energy, fisheries and tourism by 2030, with a vision to2045.

The province is taking drastic measures in researching anddeveloping a coastal economic zone development project, in which one of the keytasks and solutions is to implement the project of sea encroachment andconstruction of a coastal road./.