The Ministry of Transport is weighing a proposal by Vietnamese conglomerate, Vingroup, which wants to buy up Vietnam’s largest train stations and seaports.
One of the nation’s leading private corporations (and the parent company of Vincom, Vinhome and VinPearl), Vingroup has targeted the central train stations in Hanoi, Saigon and Da Nang as new additions to its portfolio, reports Dan Tri.
At a meeting on Monday, Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang seemed amenable to Vingroup’s proposal.
"Da Nang has a plan to move the Da Nang Railway Station out of the center so the transfer of the rights to use the infrastructure of the old station is reasonable and harmonious. For the Hanoi and Saigon railway stations, we need to conduct research to modernize these stations, not by the State money," said Minister Thang.
In addition to the train stations, the company is also bidding to purchase two of Vietnam Shipping Corporation’s (Vinalines) busiest seaports - Saigon Port Ltd. and Hai Phong Port Ltd.
Vingroup’s aggressive push to acquire these hubs is part of a larger scheme to sell off important segments of the country’s transportation infrastructure.
In January, the Ministry of Transport announced that once it privatizes the country’s aviation sector, it will offer the rights to operate Vietnam’s airports to local investors.
[Photo via Batrouney]
