(VOVworld) – More than 90% of Vietnam’s total trade volume is transported by sea. The development of sea ports, including Hai Phong port, is important. On today’s edition of Vietnam Economy, VOV reporter To Tuan examines how Hai Phong is developing marine economy.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung attends the groundbreaking ceremony of Hai Phong international gateway port

 Although Hai Phong port plays a major role in Vietnam’s sea port system, its main function is to unload goods. There is no deep sea port to receive large ships, and the transport system that links the port with major national centers remain underdeveloped. From 2006 to 2010, Hai Phong allocated 75 million USD to building 6 wharfs. Last year wharfs 6 and 7 were inaugurated. Port infrastructure has been upgraded. Dinh Vu port is the first in Hai Phong capable of accommodating 20,000-ton containers. But local authorities are keen to adjust the master plan of port infrastructure, transport, and warehouses. Duong Ngoc Tuan is Deputy Director of Hai Phong’ s Department of Planning and Investment: “Previously, we only focused on the port itself not the general marine space. This mistake should be corrected”.

According to the latest plan, Hai Phong city has built major transport routes from Chua Ve intersection to Dinh Vu seaport and dredged a sea route near Dinh Vu port. The city’s efforts to develop its seaport system have paid off. In 2012 despite the economic recession, the transit of goods via Hai Phong ports reached 49 million tons, an increase of 12% over 2011.

In its Strategy for the Development of Vietnam’s seaports to 2020 with orientation to 2020, the Vietnamese government calls Hai Phong international gateway port “of special importance”. In the middle of April, The Prime Minister’s order to construct an international gateway port created a breakthrough in the development of Vietnam’s marine economy. The project is divided into two stages. In the first stage, some 900 million USD will be poured into infrastructure, including routes of vessels, dykes against tides and sand, and connecting roads. In the second stage, 2 wharfs for containers weighing up 100,000 DWT will be built at a cost of 320 million USD. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung says:“Hai Phong port is currently the main and largest trading port of the northern region. Despite upgrades, the port is now overloaded, slowing trading activities, increasing costs of port entry-exit and lowering the competitiveness of Vietnamese goods. The construction of the Hai Phong international gateway port is of great importance to the economy”.

When completed in 2016, the Hai Phong international gateway port will enable direct exports from northern Vietnam to Europe and America without routing through Singapore and Hong Kong. This will help make Vietnam a strong marine nation, one in which the marine economy accounts for 53% of the GDP and 60% of export turnover.