Spanish airport builder Garuda Group plans to invest a combined $15 billion in three international airports in Vietnam.
The airports include the $6-billion Long Thanh international airport, the $8-billion new Hanoi international airport and the $1-billion Chu Lai International Airport.
The investment will make the Spanish group the biggest investor in Vietnam.
Garuda expects to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to undertake a feasibility study for the Long Thanh airport in the southern province of Dong Nai on Jan. 20.
Aviation South East Asia, a branch of the Garuda Group, will coordinate with Vietnam’s Southern Aviation Corporation to carry out the feasibility study and map out a master plan for Long Thanh project, 43 kilometers north of Ho Chi Minh City and expected to create 5,500 jobs once fully operational.
Meanwhile, Garuda signed a MoU with Airport Design Construction Consultancy last month to set up a joint venture to build new Hanoi international airport that will become the biggest of its kind in Vietnam, and also become the largest and the most modern airport in Asia.
The Vietnamese government will allow Garuda to manage and operate the new Hanoi international airport for 30 years, and the term may be extended by 10 years to cover the cost of the project and repay principle debts.
The construction of the Hanoi airport will be developed into three phases, with the first phase from 2011 to 2015 costing $4 billion; the second from 2015 to 2018 capitalized at $1.5 billion and the last phase worth $2.5 billion. It will replace the current overloaded Noi Bai International Airport and will likely be relegated to domestic flights only.
In December, Garuda Group also agreed with the Middle Airport Corporation to build the Chu Lai international airport in the central province of Quang Ngai, which will have an annual capacity of carrying out 2.25 million passengers and 1.5 million tons of cargos by 2015, and 4.1 million passengers and 5 million tons of cargos by 2025.
Last year, the Spanish group set up an office in Hanoi to provide consultancy, investment and construction services for infrastructure projects, market surveys and trade. It also plans to open an office in Ho Chi Minh City soon. (VNS)
Vietnamese
