TOPLINE The People’s Committee of Ba Ria – Vung Tau province has just issued a paper to the Vietnam Maritime Administration and the Ministry of Transport (MOT) about the consideration and adjustment of many ports projects in the province in the master plan that can expand the Southeast region’s and Vietnam’s seaport systems between 2021 and 2030, with a long-term vision of 2050.
KEY POINTS
- The project of the Vung Tau Container Terminal and a potential Container Terminal in the Sao Mai Ben Dinh area has been approved by the Prime Minister to adjust the planning.
- The province proposes to consider not planning these projects, especially the Sao Mai – Ben Dinh Petroleum Marine Service Base project will continue.
- In Con Dao district, Ben Dam Wharf is operated and exploited by Ben Dam Port Management Board. The port of marine services and petroleum services and the Con Dao LNG Terminal shall suspend the planning until the general planning on construction of Con Dao until 2030 is approved.
ARTICLE
The projects proposed to be adjusted by the province include Vung Tau Container Terminal, Potential Container Terminal in Sao Mai Ben Dinh area (Vung Tau City), and projects in Con Dao.
For the project of the Vung Tau Container Terminal and a potential Container Terminal in the Sao Mai Ben Dinh area, the Prime Minister has agreed to adjust the relevant planning during the meeting to discuss investment policy for the development of the port complex. and oil and gas services in the Sao Mai Ben Dinh area (August 2020). On that basis, the province reported to the Ministry of Planning and Investment in October 2020 on the province’s investment and development policy for the port complex and oil and gas services in the Sao Mai – Ben Dinh area.
In addition, the province issued a document to the Ministry of Transport requesting that planning be halted to accommodate the development of Vung Tau circumstances according to the general plan of Vung Tau city approved by the Prime Minister in May 2019. Now, the province continues to propose to consider not planning these projects in the planning of Vietnam’s seaport system for the period up to 2030 and a vision to 2050 to match the local socio-economic development situation as suggested earlier. The province suggested continuing planning to serve logistical activities of oil and gas projects, particularly the Sao Mai – Ben Dinh Petroleum Marine Service Base project, which was implemented in phase 1.
In Con Dao district, according to the detailed plan of the Southeast seaport group (Group 5) for the period to 2020, with a vision to 2030 approved by the Ministry of Transport, the district will have three seaport zones.
In which, Ben Dam port as a general and passenger port, receiving ships of 10,000 – 30,000 DWT (passenger ships of 50,000 GT), is operated and exploited by the Ben Dam Port Management Board. The other two projects are maritime service and petroleum service port (can be aggregated for ships of 30,000 DWT) and Con Dao LNG Port, which is a dedicated port. In the past, some investors applied for a policy to research investment. However, because the investors did not continue to implement the project, the province withdrew the investment policy of these projects.
With the strength in spiritual tourism and natural landscape conservation, the protection of the landscape and environment in Con Dao district is very important. Therefore, Ba Ria – Vung Tau province requested the Ministry of Transport and the Vietnam Maritime Administration to update and adjust the seaport system plannings in the direction of suspending the planning of port terminals for maritime services and oil and gas services and berths. Con Dao LNG port until the general planning on construction of Con Dao until 2030 is approved.
This pause is to have a basis for planning orientation, adjusting, and supplementing the contents to suit the actual situation to call for investment and development of Con Dao in the coming time.
Phan Quyen
FURTHER READING
