Vietnam is speeding up a USD201 million project to upgrade an inland waterway corridor in the Red River Delta region.
Waterway transportation along the Red River (Photo by Viet Hung)
This is the biggest project of its kind in the northern region so far. When completed, it is expected to help lower transportation fees and heighten efficiency.
Of the total sum, USD171 million will come from the World Bank while the rest will be contributed by the investor, the Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration (VIWA).
The project will be divided into two phases. The first phase is expected to help upgrade the 280-kilometre long waterway corridor No. 1 ranging from Phu Tho Province’s Viet Tri City to Hanoi and Quang Ninh Province.
The second phase will include construction of a canal and a breakwater around Lach Giang Port and the dredging of the Ninh Co River to serve 1,000 tonne ships calling at Hanoi.
A canal connecting the Day and Ninh Co rivers and a wharf to house 3,000 tonne ships will also be built, in addition to the upgrading of Viet Tri, Ninh Binh-Ninh Phuc river ports and 28 river ferries.
The Project Management Unit of the Northern Inland Waterways (PMU-NIW) recently signed two construction contracts worth USD174 million with two contractors.
These are part of 14 construction contracts during the first phase of project. Work is expected to start in late February 2012.
