The second phase of a project dredging the Hau River in the Mekong Delta’s Tra Vinh province to allow it to accommodate larger vessels has been completed and the river will open to such traffic in March, according to the Maritime Project Management Board at the Vietnam Maritime Administration.

The project was approved by the Ministry of Transport in 2021 with total investment capital for the second phase of nearly VND2.6 trillion ($108 million).

Construction began in December 2021.

The project is expected to improve customs clearance capacity for Mekong Delta localities as well as promote transport infrastructure in the immediate region.

The first phase of the project was put into operation in 2017 and allows for the Hau River to accommodate vessels of up to 10,000 tons. It received total investment capital of VND6.1 trillion ($254 million).