The Saigon Newport Corporation proposed constructing a port in Hai Ha Seaport Industrial Zone (IZ) in the northern province of Quang Ninh.

The proposal was made in a meeting between Saigon Newport and the provincial People’s Committee on Thursday.

The Hai Ha wharf system is included in the development plan of Viet Nam’s seaport system approved by the Prime Minister. According to the plan, the IZ was approved by the provincial People’s Committee with a total area of 4,988 hectares, with port area and port logistics accounting for 506.47ha to allow 80,000 DWT berths with a total capacity of 30-45 million tonnes per year.

At the meeting, Saigon Newport Corporation proposed investing in stages. First, the corporation will invest in an inland water wharf (a wharf for 3,000 DWT container ships) to serve cargo shipments between Hai Ha and Lach Huyen port with a total investment capital of VND171.7 billion (US$7.32 million).

The firm proposed to trade in all aspects of port operations such as general cargo handling, container cargo, bulk cargo, liquid cargo, passenger ships, logistics services, warehousing and multimodal transportation.

Nguyen Van Doc, the provincial Party Committee Secretary and Chairman of Quang Ninh People’s Committee, assigned Saigon Newport Corporation to undertake a comprehensive study of the entire IZ-port plan and make a proposal compliant with the provisions of Vietnamese law.

“Saigon Newport Corporation must be the main investor,” he said. “The province will co-ordinate closely to later invest in a number of items to improve the overall development of Hai Ha Seaport.” — VNS