Construction on Cai Mep-Thi Vai, one of Vietnam's biggest port complexes, began today, the Saigon Times Daily reported.
The forthcoming port complex in Tan Thanh District, around 100 kilometres southeast of Ho Chi Minh City will create a new gateway to the southern focal economic zone.
The Japanese-funded project will be developed along the Thi Vai River with a water depth of 16 meters, which can accommodate 80,000-DWT ships, according to Project Management Unit (PMU) 85, which oversees the building of the port.
The total investment capital of the project is US$616 million.
The project is divided into six contract packages, including consulting service, Cai Mep container port, Thi Vai general goods port, road and bridge linking National Highway 51 and Cai Mep port, and logistics.
Cai Mep container port will have annual throughput of 600,000-700,000 TEUs.
Under a plan by the ministry, Cai Mep-Thi Vai Port will also house Ba Son Shipyard which will be relocated from Ho Chi Minh City's central commercial area.
In a statement, Nguyen Ngoc Canh, vice general director of PMU 85, said building the Cai Mep-Thi Vai international port was part of a broader plan to expand the national port system to attract more local and foreign investors.
Construction work will take four years.
In further news, Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta provinces are investing $272.2 million to upgrade river and sea ports in the country.
This is expected to increase cargo handling capacity to 18-20 million tonnes by 2010 and 30-35 million tonnes in 2020.
The investment is being mobilised from many different sources from both within and outside the country.
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