Vung Ro border seaport, one of the highlights of the South Phu Yen Economic Zone, has been put into operation (Photo: www.diaoconline.vn)

(VOV) - The Prime Minister approved a master plan for the South Phu Yen Economic Zone in Phu Yen province in 2009. After two and a half years of building technical infrastructure, the zone is ready to be a gateway to the East Sea for the South Central and Central Highlands Regions.

Covering an area of nearly 21 thousand hectares, the South Phu Yen Economic Zone spreads from Tuy Hoa City to Vung Ro Port bordering Khanh Hoa province to the south. By now, much of the zone’s technical infrastructure, including Vung Ro Port, Da Nong Bridge, Hoa Hiep Industrial Park, and Phu Lac Resettlement Area, have been put into operation. Dang Van Ngoi from Hoa Xuan Nam commune is one of more than a thousand local households that have been moved to Phu Lac Resettlement Area. He says 'Moving to this location is a disadvantage for lobster farmers but it’s good for the province’s economic development. We hope that the project will soon be completed and factories operating in the zone will employ the young people of the Vung Ro area'.

Though it is still under construction, the Economic Zone has attracted many investors.  Most worthy of note is the 1.7 billion USD Vung Ro oil refinery project joint-ventured by UK-based Technostar Management and Russia’s Telloil Group. Built on 400 hectares of land and water surface, the oil plant is designed to churn out 4 million tons of various products per year in the first phase and is expected to raise its yearly production capacity to 8 million tons in the second phase. Construction will begin in September following the completion of land clearance. Truong Phuoc Cuong, Director of the Management Board of the Phu Yen Economic Zone, says 'From now until 2015, we will focus on several major tasks. First is to increase investment in infrastructure while urging investors to develop functional areas within the zone. Next are land clearance, resettlement, and improving local people’s living conditions'.

The South Phu Yen Economic Zone has a big advantage in transportation. In addition to Highways 1A and an axis of coastal roads, Phu Yen province is also located on Highways 29 and 25 linking the Central Highlands provinces and a road tunnel next to Ca Mountain Pass is under construction. To prepare for international integration, the Phu Yen People’s Committee has promulgated a plan to invest in and build infrastructure in the zone until 2015. Huynh Tan Viet is Vice Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and President of the provincial People’s Council. He explains 'Infrastructure construction is one of key programs of the provincial Party Committee. We consider it a breakthrough as once it’s successful the program will create jobs for local people while contributing to the provincial budget'.

In the future, a 160 km railway will link the South Phu Yen Economic Zone and the Central Highlands province of Buon Ma Thuot. Before that upgrading Highway 29 will shorten the distance from Phu Yen to Dac Lak province. This route will link 5 coastal provinces and the Central Highlands region, developing a gateway for trading and perfecting a road network in the development triangle of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.

Hai Son – VOV