VN’s Vung Ang Port seen vital for Lao’s shipments
VIETNAM has announced that it will continue to create favourable conditions for the transit of Laotian goods via Vung Ang Port in central Vietnam’s Ha Tinh province.
This was relayed by Vietnamese Deputy Transport Minister Le Dinh Tho to Laotian Planning and Investment Minister Souphan Keomixay and Laos’ minister of public works and transport, Bounchanh Sinthavong, during their recent working visit to Vietnam.
According to Viet Nam News, Tho asked relevant agencies and the Vietnam-Laos Vung Ang Port Corporation to cooperate and offer favourable conditions for Laos to transit its imports and exports via Vung Ang Port.
The corporation was asked to become more proactive in helping Laotian enterprises and investors manage operations at the port.
“Vietnam will continue to assist Laos in operations at seaports,” Tho said, adding that this month the ministries of Transport and Planning and Investment had begun developing a plan for better engaging Laotian investors in infrastructure projects at the port.
Laotian officials said Vung Ang Port had played a significant role in transiting goods from Thailand and Laos to Vietnam and China and vice versa since the opening of the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge linking Khammuan province in central Laos to Nakhon Phanom province in northeastern Thailand.
The deputy head of the Khammuan Administrative Office, Vannavong Vongphachanh, told Vientiane Times on Monday that more goods were crossing via this route as it was the shortest way to transport goods to the Vietnamese port.
It is only 300 kilometres from the Laos-Vietnam border to Vung Ang Port, compared with the 500km route from the Laotian-Thai border to another Vietnamese port along Road No 9.
“Laos mainly exports mining commodities through Vung Ang Port, such as potassium and steel. About 80 per cent of Phu Bia’s output is exported through this route,” Vannavong said.
According to the Viet Nam News report, Laotian goods account for 18-20 per cent of all goods handled at the port, generating average annual revenue between US$2.6 million and $3 million (Bt90 million to Bt104 million).
In 2001, Vietnam and Laos started cooperation in investment and operations at wharves and service areas at Vung Ang Port, believing the port could play an important role in regional trade.
