Vietnam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines) on December 15, 2008 held a ground breaking ceremony to build Vinalines – Hai Phong Container Depot on an area of 16.1 ha in seaport Hai Phong City.
Leaders of the Government Office, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Hai Phong People’s Committee, the Vietnam Maritime Administration and other local authorities attended the ceremony.
The project, with total investment of VND513 billion (US$30.17 million), is one of Vinalines’ seaport logistic projects, which are under the medium and long-term development strategy until 2020 approved by the Prime Minister. After completion, the depot can receive cargo ships with capacity of up to 40,000 DWT coming from all over the world to meet the high demands for cargo container transport in particular and for economic development of northern provinces and cities in general.
The first phase of the project, focusing on building offices, container warehouses, subsidiary works, electricity, water and fire-fighting systems, will be carried out from now to 2010 with total investment of VND326 billion (US$19.17 million).
Based on the cargo circulation via seaports in 2001 – 2006, Vietnam Maritime Administration estimates that the cargo circulation at northern seaports in 2010-2020 is expected at 94.57 million tones/year, including container cargo of 4.5 million TEU/year.
Over the past 13 years of development, Vinalines has owned 146 ships with total capacity of more than 2.5 million tones. In 2008, the corporation estimates its sea transport capacity at 32 million tonnes and 115 billion TKM, up 29 per cent and 53 per cent respectively over 2007, and obtains a profit of VND1,300 billion (US$76.47 million), up 50 per cent over 2007.
T.N
Vietnamese
