Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved the Ministry of Planning and Investment's 2.5-billion-USD investment plan to build Hon Khoai seaport in the southern province of Ca Mau.

PM Dung on July 17 ordered the ministry and the provincial People's Committee to complete the administration procedures required for Public Private Partnership projects.

The seaport would be built on Hon Khoai island in Ngoc Hien district, 14.6km from Ca Mau and 42km from the province's Nam Can Economic Zone. The island has an area of 4.2 square kilometre and is located northwest of the cape of Ca Mau, the southernmost point of Vietnam.

Once completed, the seaport will have the capacity to accommodate the largest vessels used for commercial activities around the world.

In June, the Ca Mau People's Committee submitted a proposal on the seaport to the Government and recommended Cong Ly Consutruction, Commerce and Tourism JSC as the project's investor.

The company recommended the construction of a system of sea dykes, large harbours for vessels of up to 250,000DWT, transfer harbours for smaller vessels from 5,000 to 100,000DWT, facilities for pilot boats, patrol boats, and bridges and roads to connect the port to the mainland.

According to the proposal, Cong Ly JSC will finance about 15 percent of the seaport project and foreign investors will chip in 85 percent.

The provincial People's Committee said the seaport would play an important role in the development of its Nam Can Economic Zone and enhance national security.

In December 2013, the Vietnam Maritime Administration proposed that the Government build and develop deep sea ports that meet international standards for large-tonnage ships.

The Government estimated that cargo transported through the country's seaports would reach 400 to 410 million tonnes this year, 640 to 680 million tonnes by 2020 and 2,100 million tonnes by 2030.

The country has 39 seaports installed along its coastline, which stretches more than 3,260km.-VNA