The Can Gio port project began to be mentioned after Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited France in November 2021. After that time, many people working in seaports and logistics asked my opinion about this project. I answered quite consistently that it doesn't matter about the development roadmap or construction capacity. Vietnam can develop such a port. 
But with 15 years of experience in the shipping industry and port operations in Vietnam, I also have certain concerns. Can Gio Port is a huge, billion-dollar project, while the commitment of international investors - a mandatory condition to develop a port of such a scale - needs to be clarified. Moreover, South Vietnam still had exploitation capacity and room to develop new ports with better connection infrastructure at that time than Can Gio port.
Can Gio Province is currently oriented to be an international transshipment port. Vietnam has a few locations that satisfy the conditions for such port development, such as Van Phong (Khanh Hoa Province) or Cai Mep - Thi Vai (Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province). And that is the story mentioned two decades ago. Vietnam started the project of Van Phong international transshipment port in 2009 amid more or fewer doubts and had to stop, bitterly but rightly, when it realized this was a "white elephant" (only one investment projects are very expensive to maintain but difficult, or slow to generate profits). The reason was that Van Phong could not attract foreign shipping lines, and the investor at that time, Vinalines, could hardly develop an effective project.
Even if there are investors, cooperating with them to ensure the harmony of interests is challenging. Once they invest in the transit port, they have the most important customer status, and they can use this position to "suppress" joint ventures or request to enjoy cross-border policies. If no agreement is reached, they will leave, and the port will spend billions of dollars on construction, falling into a situation of no boat.

Similar things have happened before. Ten years ago, an international port operator met with relevant Vietnamese authorities and suggested cooperation in developing an international transit port in Jiamei-Shizhi Port Group. The proposal is feasible because they may affect the source of goods, but they require the development of a dock in the port group. When the port was tendered, another investor gave up and did not bid because it did not meet the lowest rent preferential framework requirements.

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