A fishing port in central Bình Định Province. —VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam plans to construct five first-class fishing ports for fishery hubs across the country in the 2021-30 period, according to a plan drafted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Under the draft, which is being circulated among ministries, sectors and localities for feedback, the five ports will be built in Hải Phòng in the north, Đà Nẵng and Khánh Hòa in the central region, and Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu and Kiên Giang in the south.

Priority will be given to developing infrastructure and logistics services at fishing ports and storm shelters.

By 2030, there will also be 160 storm shelters, comprising 30 regional and 130 provincial ones, capable of accommodating 90,600 fishing vessels.

Việt Nam will have 176 fishing ports, capable of handling 2.96 million tonnes of fish annually, and 160 typhoon shelters for boats, which can accommodate 90,600 boats in total.

These ports and shelters will cover about 1,038ha of land area and 5,079ha of water surface.

VNĐ60.37 trillion (US$2.6 billion) will be needed for infrastructure development at fishing ports and storm shelters, most of which will be financed by the State budget.

Out of the 125 fishing ports across Việt Nam, 68 are currently operational, including three first-class, 54 second-class and 11 third-class.

The remainder are under construction or not eligible to open. There are also 74 active typhoon shelters, with a total capacity of 50,885 vessels, approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The development of fishing ports and storm shelters is considered a breakthrough task in turning fisheries into an important sector of the national economy. — VNS