Vietnam | Gemalink Container Terminal

Project Overview

CMA-CGM (France), together with GEMADEPT (Vietnam) wants to develop a new container terminal on the Cai Mep-Thi Vai river complex, in the province of Vung Tau, south of Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. This port is, together with other ports along the Cai Mep Thi Vai, to serve the import/export of the south of Vietnam.

Ground Condition

The port is designed to accommodate 80,000 DWT vessels and consist in the first phase of 1 deck 800 m long on piles, linked to the container yard by three bridges from 40 to 120 m long, and a container yard developed over an area of 33 Ha (length along the river = 510 m). The natural ground is mangrove and one third of the container yard area is in the tidal zone. In order to be above the 100 years flood, the natural ground level shall be raised from its actual Elevation of -3
to + 1 to above Elevation +5.5. Under such backfill, excessive settlement is expected and the general stability is not ensured during the placement of the fill.

Moreover, the natural river slope shall be further trim to ensure a water draft of 16 m in front of the quay, compromising further the stability.

Menard Solution

The solution proposed by the designer was to create Soil Mixing block, but the cost of such solution was prohibitive and the various bidders proposed different solution. Menard was invited by one of the bidder to propose a more competitive solution. Similar to a port project carried out downstream of the Cai Mep river, Menard proposed to treat a 70 m band along the river bank in order to maintain the overall stability while the fill was raised on in the container area, treated by vertical drain and surcharge.