Cat Hai to become ‘smart island’

Hanoi (VNA) - The Hai Phong Port City management authority and Hai Phong Economic Zone Authority (HEZA) has announced a detailed master plan making Cat Hai Island a smart island.

According to the plan released on last week, the total area will be 5,007ha, comprising 2,650ha of Cat Hai Island, with the remaining 2,357ha being earmarked for the Hai Phong international gateway port and a non-tariff area.

A representative of Nikken Sekkei Civil Engineering Company, the consultancy contractor, said a part of the Dinh Vu-Cat Hai Economic Zone would become an industrial city, with large logistics systems playing an important role in boosting northern logistics development, and maximising the advantages of the Lach Huyen international gateway port.

“The planning of Cat Hai Island is based on the triple bottom line principle, ensuring a balance between society, economy and the environment, leading towards sustainable development,” he said.

The land for industrial production will cover 28 percent of Cat Hai Island’s total area. The remaining area will be used for logistics development, spread along Tan Vu-Lach Huyen highway and port area, as well as social building, such as hospitals, schools, parks and resort.

Activities on the island will aim to save energy, conserve the ecosystem and maintain systemic circulation. The island will also be a comfortable living space, suitable for relaxation. The traditional fishing village will continue to be maintained and developed.

Nikken Sekkei aims to provide a comfortable life to the residents, while ensuring an eco-friendly work environment.

The infrastructure system, particularly of transport, will be built simultaneously to ensure the best connections between Tan Vu-Lach Huyen Highway and Lach Huyen Port, along with rebuilding of the road and bridge connecting Quang Ninh-Lach Huyen, and a rail system linking Lach Huyen Port to Dinh Vu station, connected with the national railway network.

The plan will be implemented in four phases, from 2017 to 2030 and after 2030.

“Cat Hai Island has great potential to attract investors. In addition, the island is part of the economic coastal zone, making it very appealing to investors,” Do Trung Thoai, head of HEZA, said.

Thoại said the city has attracted more than 2 billion USD in foreign direct investment so far this year. There will be two major investment projects in the Dinh Vu-Cat Hai economic zone, with a total investment of more than 1 billion USD.

He expected the announcement of the detailed Cat Hai Island master plan to be a highlight, helping the city, particularly Cat Hai, to further attract investors.

One of the most successful investors is the Rent A Port Group, the developer of Dinh Vu Industrial Zone (DVIZ). At the end of 2015, the group decided to expand and invest in three more IZs, covering a combined area of 2,000ha.

The work includes expansion of the Dinh Vu IZ, and building of the 650ha Deep C IZ, 500ha Deep C III IZ in Cat Hai Island and Tien Phong IZ in Quang Ninh Province.

Total investment in the projects will be about $800 million. The Deep C III IZ is in the stage of finalising a legal setup for detailed planning and site clearance.

The large project is for the city and country too, focusing on the most important region of the Dinh Vu - Cat Hai Economic Zone. This project is expected to be a breakthrough for the development of the Dinh Vu - Cat Hai Economic Zone in the future.-VNA