 |
| A vessel docks at the Sai Gon Port Container Terminal (SPCT) through the Soai Rap Channel in Nha Be District, HCM City. —VNA/VNS Photo Hoang Hai |
HCM CITY (Biz Hub) — Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai on Saturday attended the inauguration of the second phase of the Soai Rap channel dredging project in Hiep Phuoc Industrial Park, Nha Be district, here.
Started in 2013, the project cost nearly US$131.6 million with over $103 million financed by Belgium.
The 54-km channel is equipped with warning systems, marking buoys and other devices, allowing 50,000 deadweight tonnage vessels to traverse ports in HCM City
In the future, it will be dredged to the depth of up to 12 metres in service of 70,000 deadweight tonnage vessels.
Speaking at the event, Hai said the project formed part of the national maritime economic development strategy by 2020.
The navigation route in HCM City played the most important role in economic development as well as national defence, he added.
According to information from the Sai Gon Port Container Terminal, following the inauguration, at least five shipping companies have announced they would open direct routes from HCM City to major markets instead of relying on a transit port in Southeast Asia or Northeast Asia.
The same day, the Deputy Prime Minister visited the Da Phuoc Solid Waste Treatment Complex in HCM City and had a working session with its operator, Viet Nam Waste Solutions.
He valued the cooperation between the municipal authorities and the operator in promoting the modern waste treatment method, which helps reduce environmental pollution.
The first phase of the $150 million project was completed with a 30-hectare landfill that can handle 10,000 tonnes of waste per day. The complex is currently treating 3,000 tonnes of waste per day discharged by HCM City and 20 tonnes by Long An province. — VNS