HCMC approves sea-crossing route with undersea tunnel between Can Gio and Vung Tau

By Le Tuyet January 8, 2026 | 05:00 am PT

The proposed design for the Can Gio–Vung Tau sea- crossing route includes an undersea tunnel in the middle. Photo by HCMC Department of Construction

Ho Chi Minh City has approved a strategic proposal by Vingroup to construct a direct sea-crossing road connecting the Can Gio coastal urban area with Vung Tau beach town, cutting travel time to one hour.

The project, greenlit by the city's Party Executive Committee during a high-level meeting on Wednesday, will feature a combination of bridges and a 3.1-kilometer undersea tunnel, applying submerged tunnel technology similar to that used for the Thu Thiem Tunnel across the Saigon River.

At the meeting, HCMC Party Secretary Tran Luu Quang emphasized that the city’s current connection to the Vung Tau area -- which became a ward of Ho Chi Minh City following recent administrative mergers -- is heavily reliant on the Long Thanh–Dau Giay Expressway.

"The current route is frequently congested, lengthy, and makes travel time difficult to plan," Quang noted, adding that a direct coastal connection is essential for the city's orientation toward marine-based urban development.

The approved plan outlines a six-lane, 14-kilometer route spanning Ghenh Rai Bay.

To avoid the logistical and environmental challenges of building a 60-meter-high bridge across a major navigation channel, the project will utilize an undersea tunnel beneath the shipping lanes. Construction will be supported by the creation of two artificial islands on either side of the channel, serving as the transition points between the bridge and tunnel sections.

The total project scope includes roughly 8 km of sea-crossing bridges, 3.1 km of subsea tunnel, and 3 km of approach roads.

The project is estimated to cost more than VND104 trillion (US$3.94 billion) and will be developed under a build-transfer (BT) contract.

Vingroup, Vietnam's largest private conglomerate, has committed to mobilizing 100% of the investment capital, including site clearance costs. In return, the state will repay the investor through land allocations of equivalent value.

The route will specifically connect Bien Dong 2 Street in the Can Gio land-reclamation area to the intersection of the planned Sao Mai–Ben Dinh Road and 30 Thang 4 Street in Vung Tau.

Construction is slated to begin in June 2026 and aimed to complete in the second quarter of 2029.

Once operational, the sea-crossing road is expected to slash travel time between central Ho Chi Minh City and the Vung Tau coast to approximately one hour.

Beyond local commuting, the project is anticipated to act as a vital corridor for the Cai Mep–Thi Vai port complex and the Long Son Industrial Zone, significantly easing the persistent traffic pressure on National Highway 51.