As Vietnam prepares to launch a series of large-scale urban rail transit and railway projects in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and other localities nationwide, Transport Engineering Design Incorporated No.1 (TECCO1) has officially signed a Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement with Beijing Urban Construction Design & Development Group Co., Ltd. (UCD) and Sun Engineering Consultants International Co., Ltd. (SUN).
The agreement lays the foundation for the establishment of a multidisciplinary consulting consortium that combines international expertise with local experience to provide surveying, engineering design, project management, digital technology integration, system safety assessment, workforce development, technology transfer, and operational readiness services for urban rail transit systems and green, smart, and sustainable Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) projects in Vietnam.
Comprehensive Cooperation Across the Entire Project Lifecycle
Under the agreement, the three parties will collaborate in the research, development, and implementation of projects covering the entire project lifecycle, from urban planning and public transport network planning to feasibility studies, detailed engineering design, tender support, project management, technical review and verification, workforce training, technology transfer, and the establishment of operation and maintenance systems for urban rail transit and sustainable TOD developments in Vietnam.
A key highlight of the agreement is that the scope of cooperation extends well beyond conventional design and construction services to encompass critical areas that are essential to the successful delivery of modern railway systems, including:
- Development of standards, codes, and technical regulations for urban rail transit in Vietnam;
- Technology transfer for prefabricated bridge construction and modular station construction technologies;
- Transfer of Grade of Automation 4 (GoA4) driverless train operation technologies;
- Third-rail traction power supply systems for metro corridors of up to 100 km in length;
- Systems integration and system safety assessment;
- Operational readiness, workforce training, and operational safety assurance.
These are areas where domestic consulting firms still have limited practical experience, yet they are fundamental to the development of modern, efficient, and sustainable urban railway networks.
UCD – A Leading Consultant in Urban Rail Transit and TOD Development
UCD is one of China's leading consulting organizations in the planning, design, and development of urban rail transit systems, including Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART), Light Rail Transit (LRT), and Metro Rail Transit (MRT). The company brings together members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, nationally recognized surveying and design experts, as well as a distinguished team of professors, senior engineers, and technical specialists.
UCD has delivered professional consulting services in more than 70 cities worldwide, including projects in China, Russia, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Colombia, and Angola. The company has served as the lead designer for 211 urban rail transit lines in 41 Chinese cities, representing a total operational network length of approximately 2,666 kilometers.
In addition, UCD has led the preparation of 23 national and industry standards and technical codes for urban rail transit and has participated in the development of more than 60 additional standards related to urban planning and development, contributing significantly to the technical framework underpinning China's modern public transportation systems.
SUN – A Leading Consultant in Green Transportation Infrastructure and Digital Engineering
SUN is a high-tech engineering consultancy specializing in green transportation infrastructure and digital engineering solutions on a global scale. The company is led by Dr. Junling Sun and Dr. Frieder Seible, internationally recognized experts in transportation engineering and infrastructure innovation.
SUN is renowned for its low-carbon infrastructure solutions and its extensive application of digital technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), cloud-based engineering platforms, and lifecycle data management systems in surveying, design, and project delivery.
The company's technical team possesses extensive expertise in precast and prefabricated concrete technologies, precast manufacturing facility design and operation, and digitally enabled geometric control for precision construction and assembly.
To date, SUN has participated in the design and implementation of more than 400 kilometers of prefabricated bridges, over 30 metro stations, and more than 300 kilometers of railway tunnels across China and numerous countries worldwide. The company has received many prestigious international engineering awards, including ENR Global Best Project Awards, the ASBI Outstanding Bridge Award, the Luban Award for Construction Engineering, the IABSE International Award, as well as multiple Tien-Yow Jeme Civil Engineering Awards and national science and technology awards in the railway and transportation sectors.
Strengthening the Capabilities of Vietnamese Consulting Firms in the New Era of Railway Development
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Trong Nghia, Chief Technology Officer of TECCO1, stated that the urban rail transit development programs currently being planned in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, with networks extending thousands of kilometers, present unprecedented opportunities for Vietnamese consulting firms.
However, he emphasized that railway projects require advanced technical expertise, extensive project experience, and the capability to deliver integrated solutions throughout the entire project lifecycle.
According to Mr. Nghia, international experience demonstrates that the success of modern railway projects depends not only on technology and investment capital but also on the ability to effectively manage every stage of project delivery, from planning and project preparation to design, construction, commissioning, and operation.
Therefore, proactive collaboration with world-class international partners will enable Vietnamese engineers and specialists to gain access to advanced technologies, accumulate practical experience, and enhance their competitiveness in the rapidly evolving railway sector.
A Strategic Step Toward Vietnam's Next Wave of Railway Investment
As Vietnam enters a new phase of unprecedented investment in urban rail transit, regional railways, and high-speed rail systems, the cooperation agreement between TECCO1, UCD, and SUN is expected to establish a long-term partnership platform covering consulting services, engineering design, project management, systems integration, technology transfer, workforce development, and railway operations.
The combination of UCD's and SUN's international expertise with TECCO1's in-depth understanding of the Vietnamese market will not only strengthen the capabilities of Vietnamese engineers and consulting organizations but also create opportunities for domestic enterprises to participate more deeply in the railway industry value chain, ultimately supporting the country's goal of achieving technological self-reliance and sustainable development in the railway sector.
Editorial Board_TECCO1