Quickly and completely resolve the shortcomings at Cua Lo international seaport

POTENTIAL SAFETY RISK

Cua Lo Port has been planned to become a national type I hub port, one of the projects to concretize the program and plan to implement Resolution No. 26 of the Politburo on the direction and tasks of Nghe An development until 2020.

In recent years, Cua Lo port has always received investment attention from the Ministry of Transport, Nghe An province, and enterprises. Wharf No. 5 in Cua Lo port area has also been put into operation since the end of 2018, capable of receiving ships with a tonnage of 30,000 DWT to serve the economic development needs of the region and Nghe An province.

Unloading goods at Cua Lo port. Photo: Thu Huyen

However, for a long time, about 100 large and small capacity ships from Nghi Tan and Nghi Thuy wards have regularly encroached and anchored at wharves 4 and 5. The illegal anchoring and encroachment of ships on the wharves have seriously affected the exploitation and transportation of goods, causing high insecurity for cargo ships entering and leaving the port.

Mr. Tran Van Dat - Director of Cua Lo Port said: Pier No. 4 is located right on the left edge of the port's channel, so there are many fishing boats regularly anchoring and entering this area. Not only Nghi Tan and Nghi Thuy boats, but also Dien Chau fishermen's boats are currently anchored at the port, posing a potential risk to maritime safety. In fact, there have been collisions between seagoing ships and fishing boats at the port, causing fires in fishing boats and ships when occupying pier No. 4.

There are many conflicts and collisions between ships and fishing boats that occur frequently, making shipping companies very afraid to come to Cua Lo port. This situation has been discussed and resolved by the authorities and local governments many times, but so far it has not been completely resolved.

Fishing boats anchored at Cua Lo port violate maritime safety. Photo: Thu Huyen

Recently, at a meeting between Nghe An province leaders and businesses and business associations to resolve difficulties, the shortcomings at Cua Lo port were raised again.

Fishing boats of fishermen still regularly occupy Cua Lo wharf as a place to anchor, hindering the exploitation of the wharf, maritime safety and security and order at the port; not in accordance with the International Code for the Security of Ships and Port Facilities (ISPS Code), so ships are very reluctant to enter Cua Lo port, especially ships from developed countries such as Japan, the US, the EU, South Korea... do not enter Cua Lo port.

Mr. Bui Kieu Hung - General Director of Nghe Tinh Port Joint Stock Company

In addition to the problem of illegal anchoring of fishing boats, Cua Lo port area is currently home to a large population, which has greatly affected production and business activities. Some products cannot be produced 24/7 according to international practice due to noise and dust from coal, stone, etc.

Residential houses are located right next to the cargo staging area of ​​Cua Lo port, affecting production and business. Photo: Thu Huyen

Although the company has applied measures to minimize the phenomenon of coal dust causing environmental pollution such as: covering with tarpaulins, watering, sweeping, washing the wheels before taking goods out of the port and moving vehicles slowly when passing through residential areas, it has not received the consensus of the people.

FISHING WERK IS SLOW PROGRESS

To solve the difficulties for Cua Lo port, Nghe An Provincial People's Committee has invested in building a separate fishing wharf upstream of Cua Lo port. Accordingly, Nghi Tan fishing wharf was invested with the goal of relocating fishing boats encroaching on Cua Lo wharf, ensuring 300 fishing boats anchored to avoid storms, invested by Cua Lo Town People's Committee (approved by the Provincial People's Committee in Decision No. 2110/QD.UBND - DTXD dated June 13, 2012).

The project includes: Dredging of the channel for boats to enter the anchorage, anchorage for fishing boats No. 1 and No. 2, water area and anchorage for fishing boats (temporary berth). However, the bridge design has revealed shortcomings, the current pier is 3.5m wide, too narrow, not suitable for the actual transportation and loading and unloading of fish and goods onto and off the ship.

Cua Lo town is submitting a request for additional funding to invest in a 100m-long Nghi Tan wharf to accommodate the entry and exit of large-capacity ships. Photo: Viet Phuong

To complete the fishing port and put it into operation, in 2018, Nghe An Provincial People's Committee approved the project adjustment: Construction of embankment to prevent landslides on the right bank of Nam Cam River and a place to anchor ships and boats to avoid natural disasters in Nghi Tan ward, Cua Lo town (phase 2). The total investment of the project is 76 billion VND, with Cua Lo town People's Committee as the investor.

Currently, phase 2 has completed the infrastructure and dredging of the channel, but the wharf cannot accommodate large-capacity ships to anchor, so the People's Committee of Cua Lo town continues to request adjustments and submit to the superiors to add 14 billion VND to build a wharf with a length of 110m and a width of 7m. Up to now, the capital has not been allocated, and the project has not been effective.

Nghi Tan fishing port (Cua Lo town) currently only meets the anchorage needs of small capacity boats. Photo: Thu Huyen

Mr. Hoang Thanh Son - Chairman of Nghi Tan Ward People's Committee, Cua Lo Town said: Nghi Tan fishing port was built in 2005, in 2012 Cua Lo Town invested in upgrading to relocate the number of boats anchored at Cua Lo fishing port, but the structure of the wharf is not suitable for large-capacity offshore fishing vessels. That is one of the reasons why fishermen refuse to leave the spontaneous wharf at Cua Lo port to anchor at Nghi Tan fishing port.

Thus, despite billions of dollars in investment, Nghi Tan fishing port has remained unfinished for many years. In order for the port to develop to its full potential and receive fully loaded ships of over 10,000 DWT, moving fishing boats out of the port area is an urgent requirement. Fishing boats mooring in the cargo port is giving shippers a bad impression of Cua Lo port, causing difficulties for investors.
Faced with such shortcomings, it is recommended that the authorities take timely measures and provide guidance to quickly complete the new fishing port, and coordinate with local authorities to mobilize people to comply with the relocation of fishing boats out of the Cua Lo wharf area to ensure maritime safety, in accordance with the provisions of the International Code on Security and Ports; ensure conditions for receiving ships from developed countries such as the EU, Japan, the US, South Korea, etc. entering and leaving the port. At the same time, consider relocating households living close to the port fence in accordance with the planning.

At a recent meeting to resolve difficulties for businesses chaired by Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung, the leader of Nghe Tinh Port said: Cua Lo port channel has not been maintained for 4 years, up to now the channel to Cua Lo port is only -6.1m, large ships entering and exiting must wait for the water to rise. Wharf No. 5 has been completed to operate 30,000DWT ships, wharves 3 and 4 operate 25,000DWT ships (reduced load). However, the channel to Cua Lo port is only designed at -7.2m, only ensuring the entry and exit of 10,000DWT ships. Therefore, the Ministry of Transport and the Vietnam Maritime Administration need to soon implement phase 2 of the project to upgrade the channel to -8.5 to -9m so that ships with a tonnage of up to 30,000DWT can enter and exit conveniently. On the other hand, continue to carry out research on improving the channel for 50,000 DWT ships to enter and exit in the future, meeting the requirements of economic and social development of Nghe An province and the region.

Announcement of the decision to establish Vinh - Cua Lo Forest Ranger Department

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