A project developing inland waterway and logistics corridors in Vietnam’s south is expected to begin next year, according to the Ministry of Transport.

It is a key project and has been prioritized to use loans from foreign donors, the ministry said in a document sent to voters in Mekong Delta’s Ben Tre province on September 20 in response to queries about the progress of the project.

It was approved by the Prime Minister last August and has total investment capital of $168.795 million, which will be sourced from World Bank loans, Australian Government non-refundable aid, and reciprocal funding from Vietnam.

The project will renovate and upgrade a 197-km east-west corridor connecting a number of major rivers in the south. The corridor will allow self-propelled vessels of up to 600 tons and three-tier container ships to pass at any time of the day, while vessels of up to 1,500 tons can pass at hide tide.

It will also repair and upgrade an 82-km north-south corridor along various rivers, which is expected to enable the free and safe movement of self-propelled vessels of up to 5,000 tons and four-tier container ships.