The Yangon Region government is looking into the possibility of building a seaport in the south of the city as part of a plan drawn up with the help of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
U Toe Aung, deputy head of Yangon City Development Committee’s City Planning and Land Administration Department, said the plan was part of the region government’s vision of making Yangon a “seaport city”.
Letkokkon town in Kungyangone township has been singled out as potential site for the seaport, although the government is still at the stage of conducting a feasibility study into which area might be suitable, he said.
“This is a vision for the future of Yangon. It’s a long-term project,” he said. “So now it is just only at the study phase, and the regional government is looking into the plan with the help of KOICA and the Ministry of Construction.”
The South Korean agency signed with the Ministry of Construction for several large-scale projects last year, including master plans for the north and south of Yangon and designing a national road network.
A region government spokesperson confirmed the government has a plan for a seaport, but could not comment on details.
Such a project could turn southern townships into prime logistics hubs, and help extend and develop the south of Yangon in conjunction with the Southwest New City project, said U Toe Aung. The Southwest New City initiative, however, is still under review by the government.
“The idea is that these [south township] areas could help ships transport [cargo] into the city,” he said, but added that because of how long the project would take, Yangon will continue to rely on its existing downtown port for years.
Quoted from mmtimes.
