Vietnam will invest VND60 trillion (US$3.5 billion) into developing its seaport systems to double its current cargo handling capacity to 250 million tons by 2010, the Vietnam News Agency reported, citing a plan recently approved by the Ministry of Transport.
Under the terms of the plan, some VND20.5 trillion will be allocated for the northern region, VND14 trillion for the central region, VND20.1 trillion for the southern region, and VND2 trillion for the southwestern region.
The maritime sector is currently developing at an astonishing rate, with recent plans for the construction of ten seaports, including several deep-water ports capable of receiving ships with a capacity of up to 100,000 DWT.
Out of these, four projects are still due to commence construction; Sai Gon port, with total investment capital of US$791 million is expected to become operational by 2010, and the US$165 million Vung Tau port, which is scheduled to be completed next year.
Additional projects include Nhon Hoi Gemadept international port in Binh Dinh province, with total capital of US$230 million and a US$120 million project to build three wharfs in Cai Lan port in the northern province of Quang Ninh.
The Government has entrusted the Transport Ministry to adjust the plan by early 2009 with the aim of maximizing the performance of the seaports.
Head of the Vietnam Maritime Administration, Vuong Dinh Lam, said that, recently Vietnam’s seaports have experienced a surge in both the number of ships docking and the volume of cargo being handled.
Last year, seaports across Vietnam reportedly handled almost 177.6 million tons of cargo, up 12.7 per cent on-year. Of this total, 57 per cent of cargo was transported via seaports in southern Vietnam, 30 per cent in the north and 13 per cent in the central region.
In the first half of this year alone, the seaports received over 46,800 ships, up 20 per cent on-year.
Foreign experts have also warned Vietnam of the need of the need to develop its seaports to in order to keep pace with economic growth.
At a seminar on Vietnam’s seaports held in Hanoi several months ago, First Secretary of the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam Jin Kimoto stressed the need to develop the country’s seaports in order to reach its investment and import-export import targets.
With support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Vietnam Maritime Administration has been carrying out a project to improve the management capacity of Vietnam’s seaports in order to create an advanced model of seaport management.
This model is due to be tested initially in Cai Mep-Thi Vai port in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, then extended to other ports.
Vietnam is now home to some 260 seaports with nine ports to be upgraded to handle 50,000 DWT cargo ships or 3,000 TEU container ships.
The country needs US$5 billion to build and upgrade its seaport systems from now to 2010, aiming to handle 250 million tons of cargo in 2010 and 550 million tons in 2020. (VNA)
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