Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (third from left) visits Cai Mep international terminal (Photo: VNA)
Ba Ria – Vung Tau (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen
Xuan Phuc has asked relevant ministries, agencies and the southern province of
Ba Ria – Vung Tau to develop the seaport and logistics system at Cai Mep – Thi
Vai area to meet regional standards by 2030 towards becoming a world-class
seaport hub in the world by 2045.
He made the request during a working session with provincial
officials on March 20, while highlighting the province’s advantage in seaports,
which the PM said could contribute to the development of the country and the
southeastern region.
Hailing the province for its achievements in
socio-economy, national defence-security and Party building work, he noted that
local seaports’ growth of about 2 percent amid the pandemic is good news.
The PM mentioned the Party’s guidelines and the
13th National Party Congress’s Resolution on the upgrade of seaports
nationwide, including building logistics and transportation infrastructure in
the region and improving service quality. He said as Cai Mep – Thi Vai Port
together with Lach Huyen Port in Hai Phong city are among the top deep-water
seaports in the world, they create an advantage for the country in development.
At the same time, PM Phuc pointed out problems of the region,
including incomplete transport infrastructure and a lack of modern logistics
facilities, financial and banking system, and a strong fleet of ships, which must be
addressed promptly.
He told relevant ministries and agencies to
improve infrastructure at Cai Mep – Thi Vai Port, early start the construction
of the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau expressway and Phuoc An bridge to facilitate the
transportation of goods for import and export.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the working session (Photo: VNA)
The Government leader directed enhancing logistics
infrastructure, including establishing a goods distribution centre linking Long
Thanh international airport and Cai Mep – Thi Vai seaport. He assigned the
Finance Ministry to set up a centre to facilitate customs clearance at Cai Mep
– Thi Vai seaport and attract more vessels and financial brokers to the port.
The leader also suggested building plans to form
financial-banking-insurance hubs in Phu My town, Vung Tau city, while developing
industrial and processing zones to shape a for-export processing centre in the
province. He agreed with a proposal to open a free trade area at Cai Mep area
to attract more foreign investors and a project on connecting Con Dao island
district with the national grid.
Earlier in the morning, PM Phuc inspected the Cai
Mep – Thi Vai deep-water seaport system, including Gemalink - the country’s
deepest and largest deep-water seaport.
The Cai Mep – Thi Vai port complex is a group of deep-water
seaports with a combined length of over 20km, which account for over 30 percent
of the country’s exports by containers, which are expected to be a trade
gateway in the south.
Gemalink is the biggest seaport in the Cai Mep-Thi
Vai complex and one of the 19 big seaports in the world which is capable of
receiving the world’s biggest cruise liners. Built at a total investment of 520
million USD in two phases, the port is equipped with ship-to-shore cranes
designed and manufactured in Vietnam. When the first phase of the port is inaugurated
in May, it will run at at least 80 percent of its designed capacity this year
and at full capacity from next year.
During the trip, the PM also visited Tan Cang –
Cai Mep International Terminal – a joint-venture between Saigon New Port
Corporation and three foreign partners with a total investment of 100 million
USD. Operational in January 2011, the terminal is capable of serving super
vessels up to 160,000 DWT.
Over the past years, Ba Ria – Vung Tau has always
been one of the five biggest contributors to the State budget. It is home to 69
seaports./.
VNA