The strategic role of ExtendMax in Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien Metro revealed!

EXTENDMAX – 08/02/2025 – In recent days, the people of Saigon have joyfully welcomed the operation of Metro Line No. 1, Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien, a project that significantly contributes to easing traffic congestion in Vietnam's most populous city. However, few people know that behind this success was a challenging journey to resolve legal issues caused by discrepancies between international and Vietnamese technology standards. Advanced equipment brought to Vietnam for the first time had to face inconsistencies in regulatory requirements. Fortunately, with the support of ExtendMax – a partner with deep expertise in Vietnamese legal regulations and conformity certification, the main contractor, Hitachi, overcame all these obstacles. Let's explore how ExtendMax contributed to the success of this national infrastructure project!

Overview of the Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien Metro Line Project

The Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien Metro Line is one of Vietnam's key transportation infrastructure projects, designed to improve connectivity and reduce traffic congestion in Ho Chi Minh City. The project involves the participation of the Japanese Joint General Contractor (NJPT), the Sumitomo – Cienco 6 Consortium (SCC), and several international contractors, including the main contractor Hitachi and subcontractors such as ExtendMax Vietnam Co., Ltd.

This is Vietnam's first modern urban railway, featuring a 2.6 km underground section with 3 stations and a 17.1 km elevated section with 11 stations, making a total length of 19.7 km. The project is equipped with state-of-the-art communication, control, security, and specialized IT systems.

In early March 2015, Vietnamese citizens were invited to contribute their opinions on the design and color of the metro trains. Interestingly, the color chosen by the majority closely resembled ExtendMax's logo color. We often joke that the people of Ho Chi Minh City and the Urban Railway Management Board selected the color as a tribute to ExtendMax's contributions to this national infrastructure project.

Challenges Faced by the Main Contractor Hitachi

Differences in technology standards:

Specialized IT equipment for the railway sector, including automatic control, monitoring, and radio signal transmission systems, operates using specific radio frequencies and technical standards from the international railway system. However, these standards were not compatible with Vietnamese regulations at the time in 2018. One significant challenge was the EuroBalise short-range radio equipment installed under the tracks, which operates on a frequency of 4.23 MHz. This frequency did not comply with the requirements of Circular 46/2016/TT-BTTTT, making it ineligible for import and use in Vietnam. This posed a potential legal risk that could have severely impacted the project’s compliance and progress.

Complex and advanced railway communication systems:

Specialized radio communication devices, such as the TETRA system and communication systems between trains and the tracks, were new technologies being imported into Vietnam for the first time. The complex testing procedures required for these devices necessitated the involvement of a highly skilled and professional consulting firm to provide support and ensure compliance with regulatory standards.

High expectations from the main contractor Hitachi:

As a globally renowned corporation in industrial projects with the "DNA" of a Japanese enterprise, Hitachi demands highly detailed legal consulting services. These services must ensure strict compliance with local regulations and eliminate any legal risks that could impact the project's timeline and progress.

Hitachi's Objectives in Collaborating with ExtendMax

As a global corporation, Hitachi required a partner with deep expertise in Vietnamese legal regulations to act as a liaison between Hitachi and the relevant regulatory authorities. The collaboration with ExtendMax was essential to overcome potential challenges and achieve the core objectives of the project, including:

Ensuring comprehensive legal compliance:

Hitachi needed to fully comply with Vietnam's legal requirements related to the importation and operation of specialized IT equipment for the railway sector. This included obtaining certifications for compliance with technical standards on radio frequency emissions and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC).

Securing approvals for new standards:

Some of Hitachi's IT equipment used frequencies and standards designed for international railway systems, which were not aligned with Vietnamese regulations at the time in 2018. Hitachi required ExtendMax's support to work with the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC), the Radio Frequency Authority, and the Telecommunications Authority to secure approvals for the use of suitable standards and frequencies.

Maintaining the project timeline:

With the strict timeline of Metro Line No. 1 – a national key project – Hitachi needed ExtendMax to expedite testing and certification procedures to avoid delays in the importation and trial operations of equipment.

Minimizing all related legal risks:

Hitachi sought ExtendMax's expertise to mitigate risks related to import procedures, customs clearance, testing, and ICT compliance certification. ExtendMax's support ensured a smooth process for the importation and installation of IT systems used on trains and at depots.

ExtendMax's Professional Solutions

As a professional consulting firm with extensive experience in conformity certification and import-export procedures for large-scale projects, ExtendMax has partnered with Hitachi since 2018 to address legal and technical challenges for the Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien Metro project. The key solutions provided by ExtendMax include:

Comprehensive analysis, solution development, and implementation planning:

ExtendMax's experts collaborated with Hitachi's engineers to thoroughly review the list of IT equipment for various systems, including Telecom, Power SCADA, EuroBalise, Rolling Stock, and Signaling. The team analyzed the differences between international and Vietnamese technical standards and proposed solutions that complied with local regulations. ExtendMax also developed a detailed plan to engage with relevant regulatory authorities to facilitate the approval and implementation process.

Working with Regulatory Authorities on Behalf of Hitachi

ExtendMax served as the primary representative for Hitachi in liaising with key regulatory bodies, including the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC), the Telecommunications Authority, and the Radio Frequency Authority. ExtendMax successfully obtained approvals for the application of international railway standards such as EN 302 608 (V1.1.1) (2008-11), ERTMS/ETCS FFFIS for EuroBalise, SUBSET-036 (V3.0.0) (2012-02), EN 50121-4 (2006-07), and EN 50121-3-2 (2006-07) as part of the conformity certification and declaration process for the EuroBalise system.

Comprehensive Consultation on Import and Customs Procedures:

ExtendMax provided extensive consultation services on import and customs procedures for Hitachi, ensuring the completion of regulatory approvals for equipment that was not previously covered by Vietnamese standards. The firm also facilitated communication between regulatory authorities and Hitachi, helping them understand the new technology. This collaboration contributed to the eventual inclusion of new technologies in future updates to legal and regulatory frameworks.

Conformity Certification and Declaration:

ExtendMax handled the entire process of conformity certification and conformity declaration on behalf of Hitachi. This included all equipment within the project’s critical systems, such as Telecom, Power SCADA, EuroBalise, Rolling Stock, Signaling, F-SCADA, PSD, and low-voltage electrical systems.

Results of the Collaboration between Hitachi & ExtendMax

With the support of ExtendMax, Hitachi successfully imported and deployed the entire specialized IT system for the Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien Metro project. The project adhered to its strict timeline without any interruptions related to legal procedures or technical regulations.

The strong partnership between Hitachi and ExtendMax, which has continued since 2018, reaffirms ExtendMax’s expertise in supporting large-scale projects with complex regulatory requirements.

ExtendMax has also gained Hitachi's trust in providing consultation for the necessary procedures to import equipment for the project’s maintenance and warranty operations.