Developing Tho Quang fishing port associated with forming tourist destinations

After completing the first phase of upgrading and expanding with a total investment of 217.5 billion VND, Tho Quang fishing port and dock are being dredged and upgraded and expanded with a total investment of 350 billion VND to meet the criteria of a type 1 fishing port, improve the environment and synchronize fishing logistics services, aiming to become a large fishing center in the Central region associated with tourism development.

The newly built and put into use covered wharf allows many fishing boats to dock at the same time, conveniently loading and unloading seafood and receiving food, drinking water, and fishing logistics. Photo: HOANG HIEP

Upgrading and expanding fishing ports, renovating seafood wholesale markets

Head of Tho Quang Fishing Port and Lock Management Board Nguyen Lai excitedly said that after completing phase 1 of the Tho Quang Fishing Port Upgrading and Expansion project, loading, unloading, and providing fishing logistics services at Tho Quang Fishing Port took place more smoothly, quickly, and safely than before. Accordingly, a new wharf was built with a length of 150m (9.5m wide) and a roof covering the entire wharf, ensuring that many fishing boats can directly dock at the same time to load and unload seafood and receive fuel, food, instead of having to dock with many goods.

In addition, wharf No. 2 is extended by more than 80m and has a roof; the water surface behind the wharf is leveled to make a concrete yard (wider than ^8,000m2 ) to serve the gathering and transportation of seafood; there is a canopy connecting wharf No. 2 with Tho Quang seafood wholesale market, not only providing shade and rain protection for many people but also limiting the impact on the freshness of seafood...

Currently, the Management Board of Agricultural and Rural Development Projects in Da Nang is implementing phase 2 of the Tho Quang Fishing Port Upgrading and Expansion Project with the project of connecting berths 1 and 3 with berth 2 and the new berth built during the project phase. At the same time, upgrading and renovating the Tho Quang seafood wholesale market, wastewater treatment plant, internal roads and rainwater collection and drainage system... These projects, once completed, will help improve the capacity, efficiency and effectiveness of fishing port and market operations as well as improve infrastructure and environment, not only aiming at a major fishing center in the Central region, but also contributing to attracting and serving tourism.

Director of the Da Nang Agricultural and Rural Development Project Management Board Vo Tien Dung said that the Tho Quang Fishing Port Upgrade and Expansion Phase 2 project has a total investment of 250 billion VND from central and local capital sources. The project was started in January 2024 and is expected to be completed in mid-2025 with a large construction volume, especially while constructing, it must ensure the smooth operation of all activities in the area, especially the renovation and upgrading of Tho Quang seafood wholesale market. This requires the coordination and assistance of relevant units so that the project can be constructed on schedule. In addition, with the project completion deadline set for mid-2025, the capital plan for 2024 allocated for the project is only 50 billion VND. Therefore, to ensure the project's construction progress, the unit proposed that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development allocate an additional 30 billion VND in 2024 and continue to allocate capital in 2025 to promptly disburse and complete the project's construction.

Dredged material in Tho Quang port is brought out by barges to be dumped at the designated location. Photo: HOANG HIEP

Improve the environment

The Tho Quang fishing port and boat lock area is no longer a hot spot for environmental pollution like 15 years ago and has been recognized by authorities as having gradually improved the environment over the past 10 years. The Da Nang Traffic Construction Investment Project Management Board is directing contractors to take advantage of favorable weather to dredge bottom mud, contributing significantly to improving the environment.

Deputy Director of the Da Nang Traffic Construction Investment Project Management Board Le Minh Tuan informed: “According to the plan, the dredging of Tho Quang fishing port will be completed around the fourth quarter of 2024. The contractor is determined to speed up the dredging progress of the fishing port. However, in addition to the rainy and windy weather, the dredging is difficult because there are many ships and boats anchoring tightly, so there is no space for construction. We hope that relevant units, localities and fishermen will create conditions and support to have space for the contractor to construct when the weather is favorable, contributing to improving the environment and increasing the capacity and safety of fishing boats moving and anchoring in the fishing port”.

Mr. Nguyen Lai also said that recently, the water and air environment in the Tho Quang fishing port and wharf area has been improved, in particular, many fishermen, traders, and people working in the fishing port have had a strong change in their awareness of environmental protection. The work of overcoming and minimizing environmental pollution here has been recognized by the city leaders, departments, branches, local authorities and people. However, the implementation of environmental sanitation management solutions in the fishing port and wharf area is currently facing many difficulties and shortcomings, especially in the set of standards for fishing ports, there are no specific regulations on the collection of waste and wastewater from fishing vessels. Therefore, the City People's Committee and departments, branches and wharf consider recommending the central ministries and branches to develop and stipulate detailed management contents on environmental sanitation; it is necessary to stipulate and bind the responsibilities of fishing ports and localities to have a common consistency and consensus on environmental protection work. At the same time, the City People's Committee needs to continue to support funding for bidding to clean up the water surface and embankment of the boat dock; direct relevant departments, branches, units and localities to continue to inspect and strictly handle violations of environmental protection; have a planning orientation to move industries such as shipbuilding and repair; fishmeal trading out of the area to contribute to reducing environmental pollution... gradually forming a tourist destination.

HOANG HIEP

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