Ho Chi Minh City inner port group: need speeding up removal!

By tuoitre.com.vn - 20/12/2008

As the plan approved by the Government, Bason Shipyard and some other ports like Tan Cang, Sai Gon will be removed out of the Ho Chi Minh City itself before 2010.

The steering committee for removal of ports on the Saigon River and Bason Shipyard requests to speed up the removal out of the City, at the same time, to forward the change of function for the area.

Change of use

Bason zone with the area of 23.9 ha will be converted into Sai gon- Bason complex, functioning as a financial centre, offices, luxury hotels and a commemorative area: Bason shipyard, Ton Duc Thang commemorative house.... the maximum height of the construction is 230m.

People Committee of HCM City state that the construction is a compound and synchronous one for trade development but it also guarantees the area of building riverbank parks, linking with the Thu Thiem new urban zone with many public-open spaces.

Explaining the change of use for the Saigon port (Nha Rong and Khanh Hoi), Mr. le Cong Minh, director, said that they base it on the ideas of Nikken Sekkei Company (Japan). The area will be divided into 5 components: Nharong historic relics – where Uncle Ho went to find independence road, complex 1 and complex 2 are trade centers, hotels and resorts; riverbank residence and passenger port. 3 quarters, green parks and walking street will be built also.

Similarly, the City Fruit and Vegetable Port Company (district 7th) – under the removal, has requested local authorities to change some functions of the Fruit and Vegetable Port. Accordingly, they will build office for lease, trade centre, and restaurant combining with river tourism.

Bustling port and ships

Mr. Le Cong Minh said, both wharfs of Nha Rong and Khanh Hoi after the change of use will be continuously used as river passenger port and for passenger ships from the City to other provinces. Besides, a passenger port for maritime vessels is expected to be constructed at the end of area Nha Rong – Khanh Hoi, next to District 7.

However, Thu Thiem Bridge 4 with opening clearance of 45m will be built to guarantee the safety of international passenger ships – mostly 200m long. Consequently, authorities of Saigon Port have requested Ministry of Transportation and People Committee of the city to pay due attention during construction there.

As planned, Ben Thanh –Suoi Tien Metro with total length of 9.7 km will go through Bason shipyard. As a result, station No. 1 is located in front of Ben Thanh market; station No. 3 within the area of Bason shipyard. The metro will go underground from station 1 to 3, then above the ground.

As a result, the area of Bason shipyard to Saigon Port along the Saigon river bank, directed Nguyen Huu Canh - Ton Duc Thang - Nguyen Tat Thanh, is linked by passenger ships and vessels and a metro. If local authorities research and plan a walking street along the Saigon river bank, at the area of Bason shipyard linking Bach Dang Park with Saigon Port, here is the nicest and longest walking street in the City.

Slower than planned

As the Portcoast said, authorities have directed relative ministries and sectors to work with the local authorities to plan the suitable removal, not offering hold-up, waste and a negative effect to business and national defense since 2002. The removal must be done before 2010 for Tan Cang area, Bason shipyard, Sai gon port (Nha Rong and Khanh Hoi ports), Eastern Tan Thuan and Fruit and vegetable port.

However, so far just Tan Cang (new Port) has done its removal to Cat Lai (Dist.2). To the end of 11-2008, Bason shipyard will finish the compensation for over 90 ha in Ban Thach (Phu My District, Ba Ria - Vung Tau province) to move to this location.

Saigon port has been allocated with 100 ha in Hiep Phuoc (Nha Be District). However, the first period (54.66 ha) is expected to start on 2/2009. As Portcoast said, the hold-up of the removal is due to the reason that Nha Rong – Khanh hoi area does not stop exploit business for change of use until 2011.

As for Bason’s heads, the People committee of the City needs approving the plan of the area so that Ministry of National Defense can implement their soil treatments to create capital. At the same time, some ways of creating capital need doing such as transferring, leasing, Bason shipyard said they would level land and partially make the ship repairing in the new location.

As for Mr. Le Cong Minh, the removal of Saigon Port to Hiep Phuoc (Nha Be district) with 2 periods need a capital of 6,700 billions VND. To tackle with this problem, the Port authorities request Ministry of Transportation to report Mr. Prime Minister, directing state commercial banks to lend at a priority rate. On the other hand, the Port will use a part of capital for change of use in the area of Nha Rong and Khanh Hoi for paying this loan.

Agreeing with this idea, Vietnam Maritime Administration requests Ministry of Finance to early issue their policy of financial support, creating capital for the removals in Sai Gon River and Bason shipyard areas.

(Translated by Portcoast)