The shipbuilding industry needs to be maintained, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung underlined during his visit to the Song Cam Shipyard in northern Hai Phong city on March 19.

Dung affirmed that the Party and State attach importance to the marine economy, including the shipbuilding sector, to boost the country’s economic development while ensuring national defence and security.

Geo-political and geo-economical positions and development goals require the development of the shipbuilding industry, the PM added.

Recognising the sector’s achievements, PM Dung pointed out its limitations and weaknesses, stressing that wrongdoings found in the sector need to be handled strictly.

“We cannot abandon the shipbuilding industry because of its weaknesses and mistakes. We need to uphold the industry at any cost,” PM Dung said, adding that the Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Group (Vinashin) is actively restructuring.

He praised the achievements of the company Song Cam, an affiliate of Vinashin, and expressed his hope that it will restructure with focus on technical infrastructure, ship repair services and modern technologies.

Established on May 28, 1959, Song Cam Shipyard covers an area of 5.9 hectares.

The company has built ships for both the domestic market and for export to a number of countries such as Poland, Romania, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Switzerland, France and Singapore.

Earlier on the same day, PM Dung attended the launching ceremony for the upgrade of Cat Bi International Airport in the northern port city of Hai Phong.

Speaking at the event, Dung underlined the project’s significance to the socio-economic development of Hai Phong, the northern key economic region and the nation.

He praised the locality’s efforts in overcoming difficulties as the main investor of the large-scale and important project.

The leader required Hai Phong to work closely with its contractors and advisors to ensure the project’s quality and progress.

The upgrade will cost over 3.6 trillion VND, funded by the city’s budget, proceeds collected from land auctions and other legal sources.

The upgrades include a new runway, taxiway, lighting, drainage and meteorological systems, and VOR/DME radio links.

Covering an area of over 160 hectares, the airport is designed to receive all kinds of aircraft.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam will join hands with the Ministry of Transport and the ACC Aviation Construction Company to carry out the project.

The new runway is scheduled to be put into service between May 13-19, 2015, while other facilities are expected to be operational between August 19, 2015, and September 2, 2015.

The project aims to meet the increasing transport demand in Hai Phong and its neighbouring provinces.

Currently, Cat Bi Airport services five Ho Chi Minh City-Hai Phong flights and one Da Nang-Hai Phong flight everyday.

During the 2005-2011 period, the airport registered a growth rate of over 38 percent, significantly contributing to the city’s economic development.

By 2015, the total number of passengers using the airport is expected to reach two million per year, along with 20,000 tonnes of cargo.-VNA