VN starts up construction of its first int’l transshipment port

VGP – PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng today attended the construction starting up ceremony of Vân Phong International Transshipment Port, the first regional-grade one in Việt Nam.

October 31, 2009 2:26 PM GMT+7

PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng orders the start of the construction of Vân Phong Transshipment Port in the southern central province of Khánh Hòa, October 31, 2009 - Photo: VGP

At the groundbreaking ceremony, PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng recited the sea strategy of Việt Nam under which some international and regional trade ports will be built, and by 2020, maritime will become a key economic industry which can significantly contribute to the country’s industrialization and modernization as well socio-economic development.

PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng (center) presses the button to kick-start the construction of Vân Phong Transshipment Port in the southern central province of Khánh Hòa, October 31, 2009 - Photo: VGP

Stressing the importance of the project, PM Dũng asked the local authorities to guarantee the site clearance schedule and outline necessary projects which will be conducted in the Vân Phong Economic Zone.

He also assigned the Ministry of Transport to promptly draft the regulation on operations of the port, laying the legal foundation for luring shipping companies, transporters and investors.

The construction of Vân Phong Transshipment Port is started in the southern central province of Khánh Hòa, October 31, 2009 - Photo: VGP

Vân Phong Bay is located in Vạn Ninh, a northern district of Khánh Hòa Province. It is the easternmost point of the Indochina Peninsula, not far from international sea routes from Europe to North-east Asia, from Asia to Latin America, from North Asia to South Asia and Australia and vice verse.

Vân Phong Bay is protected from big waves and strong winds by the Hòn Gốm Peninsula in the east and north. It boasts for its depth, around 15-22m.

These are natural advantages for Vân Phong to be an ideal site for an international deep-water transshipment port.

Vân Phong was also selected as the site for an open economic zone through which domestic enterprises can easily access to the world market.

According to Mr. Dương Chí Dũng, CEO of the Việt Nam National Shipping Lines, the Vân Phong Port not only meets the increasing demand of container loading/unloading but also facilitates the transportation and transshipment of Vietnamese exports and imports.

The Vân Phong International Transshipment Port Project was approved by the PM in 2005.

The construction of this port, 12,500 m in length, requires the total investment capital of over US $3.6 billion to build 42 piers for receiving 17,000 TEU ships and 200 million tons of cargos per year.

The project is carried out in four phases. In the initial phase, two piers, 690 m long, passages, the turning bay, and an outside road network will be built to receive 9,000 TEU container carriers. The fund for this phase is nearly VND 6,000 billion.

By Xuân Hồng