Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on Monday urged authorities of central Đà Nẵng City to carefully plan Liên Chiểu Port and build it into a modern port.— VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on Monday urged authorities of central Đà Nẵng City to carefully plan Liên Chiểu Port and build it into a modern port.

According to local authorities, cargo via Đà Nẵng port grew by 16.2 per cent annually and is forecast to surge to nearly 10 million tonnes by 2020, and about 30 million tonnes by 2030 – which exceed the capacity of the port’s Tiên Sa and Sơn Trà wharves for that period, and surpass the loading capacity of transport infrastructure which connects the port and the city centre, causing traffic congestion, accidents and harming the environment and tourism.

There were reportedly 24 traffic accidents between January 2016 and September 2018 on Yết Kiêu-Ngô Quyền-Ngũ Hành Sơn route which cargo from the Tiên Sa port was taken through.

In this context, the Liên Chiểu port project is considered a key project in the development of the city’s infrastructure, socio-economy and security. Constructing Liên Chiểu Port into a cargo port is an urgent task. Tiên Sa Port will then be switched to a tourism port, according to local authorities.

City authorities have finished the pre-feasibility study and the Ministry of Planning and Investment is collecting feedback from the ministries of finance and transport.

PM Phúc said Tiên Sa Port has a low level of water, making it difficult for big ships to dock, hindering the port from playing its role as a key port of the city and region.

PM Phúc hailed the city’s authorities and the transport ministry for attracting private investment to the Liên Chiểu port project.

He asked the city to work with the ministries of transport and planning and investment and propose assistance to soon start the project’s construction.

As the Liên Chiểu seaport lies in an important location, its planning should be made synchronously and thoroughly, towards building a modern and world-class seaport, the PM said. 

The Government leader also asked that small port stations which can’t take big ships should not be built.

He recommended city authorities to establish a steering committee or working group in charge of managing the project implementation.

Liên Chiểu Port project covers 220ha with estimated investment of nearly VNĐ32.9 trillion (US$1.4 billion). Its construction will be implemented in three phases. — VNS