Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has assigned contractors and investors of Long Thanh and Tan Son Nhat airports in an attempt to put the two projects ahead of schedule.

Speaking at the launching ceremony for the new bidding packages at Long Thanh and Tan Son Nhat airports on August 31, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said, “Once completed, these airports will open up new development spaces within the aviation-economic ecosystem, create new growth drivers, promote development, and improve national competitiveness.”

The PM reaffirmed that infrastructure development, especially transport infrastructure, is one of the top priorities for the economic development of the country.

“The construction of new transportation links will open up investment spaces in urban areas, industrial parks, and the tourism sector, and bring about obvious benefits for economic and social development,” Chinh said.

Over the years, the Vietnam’s aviation infrastructure has been upgraded and expanded through state investment. However, investment has not always kept pace with growth, with many airports going beyond capacity, particularly Tan Son Nhat.

Speaking about the importance of Tan Son Nhat and Long Thanh airports, the PM said, “The first construction phase of Long Thanh International Airport and the development of a third terminal at Tan Son Nhat are two large-scale projects that will play an important role in the Vietnam’s airport network and ensure national security along with the economic and social development of the key southern economic region and the whole country in general.”

PM Chinh underlined the large-scale complexity of the new bidding packages. “Construction is merely the first step, with much more to do after. Therefore, I have requested all the relevant ministries and authorities to work together to ensure timely support and remove any obstacles to avoid any unreasonable delays or budget concerns,” he added.

The People’s Committees of Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai were requested to accelerate traffic projects that connect with passenger terminals to ensure that once in operation, the terminals will be easily reached by passengers.

The bidding package to construct the terminal of the Long Thanh was won by Vietur Corporation of Vietnam with the investment capital of VND35 trillion ($1.47 billion). Its construction will be divided into three phases. In the first phase, a runway and one passenger terminal along with other supporting facilities will be built for 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tonnes of cargo each year.

Once fully completed by 2050, the airport will be able to handle 100 million passengers and five million tonnes of cargo annually. Located 40km east of Ho Chi Minh City, it is expected to relieve Tan Son Nhat International Airport’s current capacity woes.

The consortium comprises Turkish conglomerate IC ISTAS, and nine local firms such as Vinaconex, Newtexons, Ricons, and Hancorp.

Tan Son Nhat’s Terminal 3 will include a passenger terminal and a high-rise parking garage. The project has the total investment of $463 million and is expected to be constructed within a 20-month timeframe, with an operating date sometime in the second quarter of 2025.

Vietnam Investment Review