The development of the Chau Doc – Can Tho – Soc Trang expressway project, a critical infrastructure artery for the Mekong Delta, is currently facing a significant bottleneck: the paradox of material scarcity occurring simultaneously with the underutilization of available sea sand. Despite the urgent need for millions of cubic meters of fill material, contractors are hesitating to utilize sea sand due to its prohibitive cost compared to traditional river sand, creating a complex logistical and financial dilemma for authorities and construction firms alike.
The Scope of the Infrastructure Challenge
The Chau Doc – Can Tho – Soc Trang expressway is an ambitious undertaking spanning over 188 kilometers, designed to connect the western provinces of the Mekong Delta with key economic hubs. With an estimated total investment nearing 45 trillion VND, the project commenced construction in June 2023 with a target completion date of 2027. The section passing through Can Tho province alone covers over 132 kilometers and consists of three sub-projects—designated as projects 2, 3, and 4—which have currently reached a physical completion progress of 55% to 62%.
To meet the stringent technical requirements for the foundation of these roads, the project requires a total of 16.3 million cubic meters of sand for land reclamation. However, to date, only approximately 11 million cubic meters have been successfully sourced and delivered to the construction sites. This persistent shortfall has transformed the procurement of fill material into one of the most critical obstacles, threatening the project’s timeline and budget stability.
The Economic Paradox of Sea Sand
While the government has authorized the use of sea sand as a viable alternative to river sand—which has become increasingly scarce due to environmental regulations and the threat of riverbank erosion—the practical application remains limited.
A representative from the project management board explained that sea sand is significantly more expensive than river sand. The base price for sea sand at the extraction site is approximately 180,000 VND per cubic meter, which is already 30,000 VND higher than the price of river sand. However, the costs do not stop there. Once the extracted sea sand is transported to the site and subjected to the necessary desalination processes—a critical step to ensure the integrity of the road foundation—the cost increases by an additional 50,000 VND per cubic meter.
This price disparity, coupled with the rigorous technical standards for salinity—which must be maintained below 5%—has deterred many contractors. The desalination process is not merely a logistical hurdle but a financial one, as it requires specialized equipment, additional labor, and strict environmental monitoring.
Chronology of the Sea Sand Initiative
The initiative to integrate sea sand into Mekong Delta infrastructure projects was authorized by the Prime Minister in early 2024. The strategy was intended to alleviate the pressure on river sand mining and mitigate the environmental risks associated with over-extraction, such as the alarming rate of land subsidence and erosion affecting the delta’s topography.
In June 2024, the VNCN E&C Investment and Construction Joint Stock Company was granted a license to exploit sea sand from block B1, located roughly 20 kilometers offshore. This specific area holds an estimated reserve of over 5.4 million cubic meters of sand, situated within a broader zone with total reserves exceeding 800 million cubic meters.
Despite the promise of this massive reserve, the uptake has been sluggish. Over the past two years, only about 1.1 million cubic meters—roughly 20% of the permitted volume—have been extracted and utilized, primarily for the Hau Giang – Ca Mau expressway project. Currently, the supply chain for block B1 is in a state of suspended animation, with mining operations halted because there is insufficient demand from contractors to justify the daily operational costs.
Technical and Regulatory Constraints
The extraction of sea sand is not a simple dredging operation. It is a highly regulated, capital-intensive endeavor. According to Mr. Chau, a deputy director at VNCN E&C, the extraction vessels operate under strict time constraints, typically between 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM, and are required to be equipped with GPS and tracking technology to ensure compliance with environmental and territorial boundaries.
Beyond the extraction itself, the chemical requirements for the material are stringent. The salt content must be reduced significantly before the sand can be used for road beds. Furthermore, the sand delivered to the construction site must have a lower salinity level than the surrounding environment to prevent negative impacts on nearby agricultural land and local vegetation.
The regulatory environment also lacks clarity. Currently, there is a lack of standardized pricing and clear, finalized regulations from the Ministry of Construction regarding the specific costs associated with the exploitation and processing of sea sand. Contractors and investors, therefore, find themselves in a position of uncertainty. With payments often capped at 80% of the bid price, contractors fear that adopting the more expensive sea sand will erode their profit margins and lead to potential financial losses.
Implications for the Future of Infrastructure
The current impasse serves as a microcosm of the broader challenges facing large-scale public works in Vietnam. While the government has correctly identified the need for alternative materials to prevent environmental degradation, the transition period is proving to be financially burdensome for the private sector participants tasked with executing these projects.
If the current price gap is not addressed, either through government subsidies or a revaluation of project budgets to account for the true cost of alternative materials, the reliance on traditional river sand will continue, despite its environmental cost. This could lead to a scenario where essential, time-sensitive infrastructure projects are delayed simply because the cost of "green" or "sustainable" alternatives is not supported by the existing economic framework of the contracts.
Official Responses and Strategic Directions
In response to the growing concerns, the People’s Committee of Can Tho City has intervened, issuing directives to contractors to focus on the systematic extraction of designated sand blocks. Additionally, local authorities have reached out to neighboring provinces, such as Vinh Long, requesting support in facilitating the sourcing of sand from local deposits to bridge the current supply gap.
Moving forward, stakeholders are calling for a more cohesive policy approach. This includes:
- Standardized Pricing: The Ministry of Construction must finalize the unit price guidelines for sea sand to provide clarity to contractors.
- Financial Adjustments: A review of existing contracts to allow for price escalations related to the use of sea sand, acknowledging the unique technical and logistical costs involved.
- Enhanced Logistical Support: Streamlining the permitting and monitoring process for sea sand extraction to lower the barrier to entry for smaller, specialized firms.
As the 2027 deadline for the Chau Doc – Can Tho – Soc Trang expressway approaches, the pressure to resolve the material crisis will only intensify. The project remains a vital component of the region’s development strategy, aimed at enhancing connectivity, boosting trade, and fostering economic resilience in the Mekong Delta. Whether the authorities can successfully bridge the gap between environmental necessity and economic feasibility will determine the success of this flagship infrastructure project and set a precedent for future sustainable construction efforts in the region.
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