The Ministry of Transport plans to establish four economic groups by merging several State-run corporations involved in construction, consultancy and exploitation.

The construction group merger will include the Civil Engineering Construction Company No 1 (Cienco 1 ), Cienco 8 and the Thang Long Construction Corporation, all from the North as well as Cienco 4, Cienco 5 and Cienco 6 in the South.

Construction, consultation, finance and credit corporations are all scheduled to be merged with the Vietnam Expressway Corporation to become the Vietnam Expressway Investment Group.

The three airport corporations (North, Central and South) are to be merged into the Vietnam Investment and Airport Group. The merger will be implemented over two separate periods of approval.

Minister Dinh La Thang said these groups will take on large-scale transport infrastructure projects and public utility duties in underprivileged areas in addition to accumulating capital to boost competitive edge. /.