The Ministry of Transport has approved 45 build-operate-transfer (BOT)projects worth 11 trillion VND (505.6 million USD) to upgrade waterwayroutes, estuaries and ports.
The projects, to be implementedduring the 2015-20 period, aim to provide a major boost for waterwaytransportation in the country, said Tran Van Tho, Deputy Head of theVietnam Inland Waterway Department.
These are the first-ever BOT projects for the waterway transport sector, he added.
Thoexpressed confidence that the 45 projects would attract investors,given their genuine development potential. "Take the project on Tra LyRiver in Thai Binh Province, for example. There are two big thermalpower plants in the area that need nine million tonnes of coal everyyear.
"The distance for transporting coal from Quang Ninhprovince to the plants is 280km on the current Luoc River route. The BOTproject will open a new coastal route will shorten the distance to140km," he said.
He said the new projects marked a growing recognition of the fact that waterways offer the cheapest transportation option.
Severalseminars have been held to identify and remove hurdles faced bywaterway transport businesses, and the department has been providingsupport in terms of infrastructure facilities and easier administrativeprocedures, he said.
The department has also asked relevant agencies to dredge rivers and canals and upgrade signal systems on all routes.
Sofar, three master plans have been prepared for inland waterwaytransport development, including two detailed plans for waterway portsystems in the North and South, have been formulated, said Tho.
Hesaid many projects on upgrading infrastructure facilities have beencarried out on the 45 main routes. These include World Bank-fundedprojects in the Mekong Delta, Hanoi, Hai Phong city, as well as thenorthern provinces of Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa and Quang Ninh.
However, Tho conceded that water transport safety was a cause for concern.
Inthe first half of the year, there were 63 waterway accidents, 19 morethan the same period last year. The main reasons for the accidents weretraffic rule violations and drunken ship conductors.
He saidwaterway management agencies in localities have been asked to reviewsignal systems on all routes, and take measures to control overloadedvehicles and illegal wharfs.-VNA
The projects, to be implementedduring the 2015-20 period, aim to provide a major boost for waterwaytransportation in the country, said Tran Van Tho, Deputy Head of theVietnam Inland Waterway Department.
These are the first-ever BOT projects for the waterway transport sector, he added.
Thoexpressed confidence that the 45 projects would attract investors,given their genuine development potential. "Take the project on Tra LyRiver in Thai Binh Province, for example. There are two big thermalpower plants in the area that need nine million tonnes of coal everyyear.
"The distance for transporting coal from Quang Ninhprovince to the plants is 280km on the current Luoc River route. The BOTproject will open a new coastal route will shorten the distance to140km," he said.
He said the new projects marked a growing recognition of the fact that waterways offer the cheapest transportation option.
Severalseminars have been held to identify and remove hurdles faced bywaterway transport businesses, and the department has been providingsupport in terms of infrastructure facilities and easier administrativeprocedures, he said.
The department has also asked relevant agencies to dredge rivers and canals and upgrade signal systems on all routes.
Sofar, three master plans have been prepared for inland waterwaytransport development, including two detailed plans for waterway portsystems in the North and South, have been formulated, said Tho.
Hesaid many projects on upgrading infrastructure facilities have beencarried out on the 45 main routes. These include World Bank-fundedprojects in the Mekong Delta, Hanoi, Hai Phong city, as well as thenorthern provinces of Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa and Quang Ninh.
However, Tho conceded that water transport safety was a cause for concern.
Inthe first half of the year, there were 63 waterway accidents, 19 morethan the same period last year. The main reasons for the accidents weretraffic rule violations and drunken ship conductors.
He saidwaterway management agencies in localities have been asked to reviewsignal systems on all routes, and take measures to control overloadedvehicles and illegal wharfs.-VNA
