DeGi and Tam Quan ports were proposed to be removed from the planning and insteaddeveloped into fishing ports while the lagoon areas would be developed intostorm shelters for fishing vessels.
Theprovincial People’s Committee said for many years, De Gi and Tam Quangestuaries have had low levels of water and narrow channels only suitable forfishing vessels. Currently, no cargo is transported via these ports.
Removingthese two ports out of the planning would not cause any problems as noinvestment projects were being carried out at the ports, the People’s Committeesaid.
DangDinh Dao, former Director of the Institute for Economics and DevelopmentStudies, said the proposal had set an example for other localities inmaking planning in the context that every coastal locality wanted seaportswithout paying adequate attention to the natural, social, economic orenvironmental conditions.
Alot of planning had proven to be unrealistic, Dao said, adding that it would bea big problem if every locality had an international seaport and did not payattention to regional links or master planning.
Hesaid Vietnam had more than 20 international seaports but none of them hadreceived the investment to reach international standards.
Hepointed out that there were a number of lessons. The planning of the wholesalemarket was an example. Many wholesale markets within planning were built buthad not been put into operation due to problems attracting sellers and buyers.
Planningmust be innovated, not only for seaports but also for other infrastructuredevelopments, he said.
“It’stime localities closely work with central agencies to develop realisticplanning which ensures consistency with other socio-economic planning," hesaid.
Vietnamis developing new master planning for seaports in 2021-2030 with a visionto 2050 to promote economic development.
Thereare 286 ports across the country with a total wharf length of 96km, more than4.5 times longer than in 2000. The seaport system handled a total cargo volumeof more than 692 million tonnes in 2020, 8.4 times higher than 2000./.