At La Lay International Border Gate in Quảng Trị Province. — Photo Baodautu.vn

The central province of Quảng Trị is developing its infrastructure to facilitate coal transport from Laos via La Lay International Border Gate in A Ngo commune of Đakrông district.

In June, the provincial People’s Committee granted in-principle approval for a project to build a cross-border coal conveyor belt that spans over 23 hectares in A Ngo commune.

The six-kilometre conveyor belt, expected to cost over nearly VNĐ1.5 trillion (US$59.98 million), has a designed capacity of 30 million tonnes of coal a year.

Meanwhile, procedures are being completed to get the local administration’s nod for an over-12-hectare warehouse in A Đeng village of A Ngo commune. The project is estimated to cost more than VNĐ715 billion and has a capacity of 30 million tonnes of coal a year.

The province is also working on an 85-kilometre conveyor belt from the La Lay International Border Gate to Mỹ Thủy seaport in Hải Lăng district and a warehouse project in Cam Hiếu commune of Cam Lộ district.

Coal imports and transport from have been seen as a key sector for economic development in Quảng Trị province.

Over the past time, Việt Nam has imported a large amount of coal from Laos via the La Lay International Border Gate, with the daily volume of up to 12,000 tonnes. Coal imports through the border gate could fetch 500 million tonnes in the next 50 years.

Quảng Trị is investing in upgrading the border gate’s infrastructure to handle traffic congestion and ensure traffic safety there. — VNS