Vietnam recently inaugurated the Cam Ranh International Port in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa, which is expected to become the biggest deepwater port in the country in terms of wharf length.
Once completed, the international seaport at Cam Ranh Bay, some 1,040 kilometers south of the capital Hanoi, can handle 18 ships at one time and accommodate vessels of up to 110,000 deadweight tonnage, according to a report by VGP News.
To serve both civilian and military vessels, the port, with an investment of VND2 trillion (US$90 million), is designed to protect ships against eighth-level winds and storms.
Leading inauguration rites was State President Truong Tan Sang, who said the hub will provide logistics, maritime repair, and supply services in support of nation building and national security.
He also urged the Saigon Newport Corporation to step up the implementation of the second phase of the project.
Cam Ranh Bay holds a strategic position in the East Sea due to its proximity to international navigation routes and the Hoang Sa and contested Spratly islands, as well as to oil and gas areas in the southeast continental shelf of Vietnam.
Lumut Port development
In Malaysia, on the other hand, the expansion of Lumut Port in Kampung Acheh, Lumut, in the state of Perak, is expected to be completed before 2020, according to Zambry Abdul Kadir, the head of the local government of Perak.
The project will cater to the needs of future investors, said Zambry. In the past 20 years, the port has handled more than 45 million tonnes of cargo and received about 7,400 ships, he added.
He described the feat as extraordinary since the Lumut port is not a main port of call like Port Klang or Pasir Gudang Port, reported Bernama.
In a related development, Zambry said the state government has identified a suitable site for a new port in Hilir Perak, an administrative district of Perak.
Photo: Basilicofresco
