Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has asked Hai Phong authorities and relevant agencies to do their best to start the construction of the Lach Huyen international port on schedule, ensuring that it can become operational in 2016.

Dung made the request while meeting with Hai Phong leaders during his visit to inspect the construction site of the port in Lach Huyen, Cat Hai district on July 26.

The first phase of the project was approved by the Ministry of Transport with a total investment of over 22 trillion VND (over 1 billion USD). In this phase, the project will build two wharves capable of accommodating 100,000 DWT vessels, breakwaters, roads, and electricity and water infrastructure.

The municipal leaders said the city has instructed Cat Hai district to focus on site clearance to ensure the progress of the project.

PM Dung spoke highly of Hai Phong’s comprehensive socio-economic development results in the first half of the year despite difficulties in the domestic and world economies.

He instructed the city to give priority to removing difficulties for industrial development while helping businesses, especially those involving in construction materials and shipbuilding, to expand markets and access capital sources.

Hai Phong should make the most of its advantages to develop industrial and economic zones as well as speed up infrastructure development to lure investment projects with high technological content, he noted.

The Government leader asked the ministries and agencies to take measures to help boost Hai Phong’s development in the remaining months of the year, focusing on infrastructure projects such as the Hanoi-Hai Phong Expressway and a project to dredge the Hai Phong Port.

According to the municipal People’s Committee, in the first six months of 2012, Hai Phong recorded a GDP growth of 6.81 percent, 1.55 times higher than the country’s rate./.