Investment in Hai Phong City to Surge

Speaking at the ceremony, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that the inauguration of expanded Cat Bi International Airport not only caught the attention of local people but also spread its appeal nationwide. With a completed traffic system comprising ground, water and air ways, investment flows into Hai Phong City will surge and leverage the northern economic zone. Besides, PM Phuc said that Cat Bi International Airport will reduce the service load for Noi Bai International Airport and facilitate the travelling and transportation for people and enterprises in northern coastal areas.

 

Hai Phong has huge tourism potential as it has the World Biosphere Reserve recognised by the UNESCO in Cat Ba Islands with beaches and resorts in Do Son. The upgrading of Cat Bi Airport into an international airport is expected to serve about 4 million domestic and international passengers a year. Three major components to be upgraded and expanded include runways; taxiway, apron and passenger terminal systems; and air traffic control tower.

 

Vietnam Airlines Corporation has operated Boeing 787 Dreamliner to carry out inaugural incoming and outgoing flights to Cat Bi International Airport. Vietnam Airlines has been operating flights to/from Hai Phong since the 1990s. At present, Vietnam Airlines and Jetstar Pacific are operating about 100 flights a week on four routes to and from Cat Bi Airport, of which Vietnam Airlines runs three routes, namely Hai Phong - HCM City/Danang/Nha Trang and Jetstar Pacific operates two routes, namely Hai Phong - HCM City/Buon Ma Thuot.

 

Also on May 12, a new-generation airline, Vietjet opened three new routes from Hai Phong to Phu Quoc, Da Lat and Buon Ma Thuot along with other destinations such as HCM City, Da Nang, Nha Trang and Pleiku. It runs 210 flights a week. The presence of big airlines is a success for the expanded airport.

 

This first deepwater port in the north of Vietnam is carried out by Saigon Newport Corporation, Japanese Molnykit Company and Hai Phong International Container Terminal (HICT) in the public-private partnership (PPP) from backed by the Governments of Vietnam and Japan.

 

Speaking at the ceremony, Rear Admiral Nguyen Dang Nghiem, General Director of Saigon Newport Corporation, said, the two 750m-long wharves in Component B will sit on an area of 40ha each and cost a total of US$321 million.

 

When completed and operated, HICT will be the first deepwater port in the north of Vietnam, capable of receiving container vessels of 100,000 DTW.

 

It is also expected to be a major point connecting with the international deepwater transshipment terminal at Cai Mep - Thi Vai, making it easier for Vietnamese goods to navigate European and American markets.

 

HICT will leverage deepwater seaport system and logistics operation development in Lach Huyen area, promote socioeconomic development, serve transshipment demands in Northeast Laos via East-West Corridor and in Southern China via "two corridors and one economic belt" programme.

 

With modern and synchronous transport infrastructure projects, international investors are very interested in this port city. Such industrial parks as Trang Due, VSIP Hai Phong and particularly Dinh Vu are their favourite destinations.