After a year-long delay, Quang Ninh is moving ahead with the construction of a new airport meant to serve the throngs of tourists visiting Ha Long Bay.
First announced last March, the airport will be located 50 kilometers from the UNESCO Heritage site and will eventually serve 5 million passengers per year. The facility is set to include one runway, one terminal, and parking spots for four medium to large aircraft, including the Boeing B777 and Airbus A321.
The US$331.7 million, 290-hectare facility located on Van Don Island was initially held up, as its feasibility study process went on longer than anticipated. Resumption of the project was announced on Tuesday by Quang Ninh Province's vice chairman Nguyen Van Thanh at a meeting with the Ministry of Transport, reports Thanh Nien.
Early last year, Da Nang-based real estate conglomerate Sun Group took over the project from a group of South Korean investors that included Korea Airports Corporation and POSCO Engineering and Construction.
The airport is part of a larger expansion for Vietnam’s aviation market which includes fleet upgrades for local airlines and new airports for Saigon and Phan Thiet, among others.
[Photo via Hai Au]
