High-rises to berth in port sites

Plans to transform first ports into property projects with high-rise buildings were gathering pace, said Hoang Xuan Thu, director of Ho Chi Minh City planning information centre. The earmarked ports are Tan Cang, Saigon Port’s Khanh Hoi and Nha Rong, Ben Nghe, Vegeport and Tan Thuan Dong ports, plus Ba Son shipyard.

The 72-hectare Tan Cang Port, which is the only port to have completely moved to Cat Lai and Cai Mep area, would be a future international marine trade promotion centre.

Ngo Minh Thuan, vice general director of Tan Cang port, said: “Lying on the Saigon River and next to Nguyen Huu Canh street, the site is suitable to be a modern international marine trade promotion centre with a international exhibition centre, office buildings, luxury hotels, high-end serviced-apartment blocks and modern, high-rise cargo distribution centre.”

Next to Tan Cang port, the 30ha Ba Son shipyard will become the Saigon-Ba Son complex with a high-storey financial centre, office  buildings, hotels and historical area. The Ministry of Defence, owner of the Ba Son shipyard, said it would be put up for auction, while Saigon Port could put up its Khanh Hoi port area for auction or choose a partner from various developers queuing in front of the company’s gate to find out investment information about the Khanh Hoi and Nha Rong port sites.

Nguyen Ngoc Toi, a representative of Saigon Port, said that based on the city’s master plan that Nikken Seikkei submitted to Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, the 50ha site would be cut into five property projects such as Nha Rong wharf, two complex areas for commercial centres, hotels and restaurants, a residential area along the Saigon River and a tourism port.

Vegeport petitioned Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee to be allowed to transfer its current vegetable and fruit port to be an office, shopping mall and restaurant complex. The Tan Thuan Dong port and the 32ha Ben Nghe port will also be service and commercial complexes and river-view parks.

Thu said that it would take a long time for these plans to become true as the city’s general master plan had not been completed.

However, Thu revealed there would be many buildings with the height from 30-200 metres developed on Saigon River’s western bank.