Sections of longest cross-sea bridge in SE Asia joined

Hai Phong (VNA) – The closure segment of Tan Vu-Lach Huyen bridge, the to-be longest cross-sea bridge in Southeast Asia, was installed at a ceremony in northern Hai Phong city on January 6.

The 5.4km-long bridge is part of the Tan Vu-Lach Huyen Highway project, which connects developing areas in the east of Hai Phong with Lach Huyen Port in the island district of Cat Hai.

It includes a main section that is 490m long, an access road with a length of 4.43km in the side of mainland Hai An district and another access road which is 519m long in the side of Cat Hai.

With a width of 16m, the bridge features four lanes which will be increased to six lanes then it is completed.

The Tan Vu-Lach Huyen Highway project has a total investment of almost 11.85 trillion VND (525.3 million USD) loaned by the Japan International Cooperation agency (JICA). Its construction began in May 2014 and is scheduled to finish in May this year.

Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Cong said Hai Phong Port handled 16 million tonnes of cargo in 2016 and is one of the seaports with the fastest growth rate in Vietnam, about 15 percent. However, it has reached its design capacity, leading to an urgent need for Lach Huyen, a deep-water seaport, to be built.

The Tan Vu-Lach Huyen Highway project is expected to form a complete transport network facilitating the transportation to Lach Huyen International Port, thereby attracting investment in Hai Phong.

Cong asked contractors to ensure the project’s schedule and quality so as to inaugurate it at the same time with the Japanese Emperor and Queen’s visit to Vietnam this May.-VNA