Barge carrying 3,400-tonne pedestrian bridge arch arrives in downtown Ho Chi Minh City

The installation and joining of the main arch is scheduled on October 21.

During the journey from Dai Dung Shipyard in the Vung Tau area to downtown Ho Chi Minh City, the towing convoy had to navigate numerous sharp bends, requiring intense concentration from the captains and close coordination among the forces involved.

From the Binh Khanh ferry bend and the Mui Den Do junction to the area around Diamond Island, every change of direction involving the oversized, heavy cargo required meticulous calculations and close coordination among the vessels in the convoy.

Throughout the journey, the captains continuously monitored the waterways and adjusted their courses to guide the steel arch safely around the bends.

Waterway traffic police, border guard forces and other relevant units remained on duty to guide the convoy and regulate water traffic in the area.

The pedestrian bridge, which broke ground in late March 2025, has reached over 90 percent completion.

With a total investment of some VND1 trillion (US$38.6 million), the bridge is 720 meters long and 6-11 meters wide.

Its main span features a 187-meter-long steel arch design inspired by the nipa palm leaf, a familiar plant native to southern Vietnam.

One end of the bridge will be at Bach Dang Wharf Park and the other end will be in the Thu Thiem New Urban Area in Thu Duc.

The bridge is Ho Chi Minh City's first project implemented under a build-transfer (BT) model without government payment, with the approach subsequently adopted for other landmark projects in the city.

Hundreds of residents welcome the barge

Standing along the Saigon River, Dao Ngoc Hiep, a resident of An Khanh Ward, watched intently as the barge towed the main arch of the pedestrian bridge.

He also used his phone to capture images of the massive bridge section being transported toward the city center.

Hiep said he was impressed by the scale and color of the bridge arch.

It is the first time he has witnessed firsthand the barge transporting such a large bridge structure.

“The bridge arch is huge, beautiful and impressive,” he said.

“I hope the project will be completed soon so that Ho Chi Minh City residents, people from across the country and tourists can come and see it.

“Seeing the city become more beautiful every day makes me very happy and proud.”

Many other residents also stopped to follow the bridge arch’s journey.

With its distinctive shape and large-scale steel structure, the project attracted the attention of passersby and people interested in urban landscapes.

Le Van Van, a resident of Cat Lai Ward, also stopped near Nha Rong Wharf to observe the bridge arch as he passed by.

In his view, the structure’s impressive scale and nipa palm leaf-inspired design give the project a distinctive character.