HCMC Seeks to Convert Protective Mangrove Forest for $3.9B Metro

Ho Chi Minh City is seeking to convert nearly 4.6 hectares of protective mangrove forest for a $3.9 billion metro project developed by VinSpeed, a subsidiary of Vietnam's largest conglomerate Vingroup. The affected area includes approximately 1.4 hectares of natural mangrove and 3.17 hectares of planted mangrove. The forest lies in An Thoi Dong and Can Gio communes, within the buffer zone of the Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve, though not its core. The city approved the project and named VinSpeed as the investor on December 5, 2025. Ground was broken two weeks later, with completion targeted for 2028. The roughly 54 km double-track line will connect the Ben Thanh area in the city center to Can Gio, ending near a coastal land reclamation township. It is designed for a top speed of 350 kph. Initially, it will feature two stations, Ben Thanh and Can Gio, and a 39-hectare depot, with four intermediate stations to be considered later. The total investment is estimated at VND102.43 trillion ($3.94 billion), excluding site clearance costs covered by the city budget. An updated feasibility study in May placed site clearance at about VND9.83 trillion ($378 million), a reduction of nearly VND3 trillion from initial estimates. The People's Committee stated that the metro qualifies as an urgent transport project, a category that permits the conversion of natural forest under current regulations. The line also conforms to the city's master plans. VinSpeed has pledged to plant replacement forest, and the project's environmental impact assessment has been approved. Information source: VnExpress International