Vietnam’s Ministry of Transport has started the upgrade of major waterway corridors and river ports in the Lach Giang estuary in the northern province of Nam Dinh, state media reported on Feb 24. This is part of a $201.5 million transport development project to which the World Bank (WB) pledged to lend $171 million. The first phase is to upgrade the Viet Tri-Hanoi-Quang Ninh waterway corridors and the second is to build a breakwater and canal at the Lach Giang estuary while upgrading the Viet Tri and Ninh Binh-Ninh Phuc river ports. Once operational in 2015, the channels will allow ships with a capacity of up to 1,000 tons to reach ports in the Red River while heavier cargo ships will gain access to Ninh Co port in Nam Dinh province and Ninh Phuc port in Ninh Binh province. (vietnamplus.vn Feb 23, Nhan Dan – The People Feb 24 p1, Lao Dong – Labor Feb 24 p3)
