Tan Son Nhat international airport in HCM City. Photo courtesy of the Airport Corporation of Vietnam

Speaking at a recent meeting with contractors, transport minister Nguyen Van The said: “The project needs speeding up to ensure that it be ready by early 2021.”

In June the ministry assigned the Cuu Long Corporation for Investment Development and Project Management of Infrastructure (CIPM) to implement the project, along with the consortium of ACC Airport Construction Company Ltd., CIENC04 Joint Stock Company, and Civil Engineering Construction Joint Stock Company 647. 

According to CIPM, the runway upgrade project, which includes 13 bidding packages, has completed 41 per cent of its work. 

The runway is expected to be completed in November and will be tested for 45 days before opening in early 2021, as planned, according to CIPM.

CIPM has requested that the Government approve undisbursed capital of VND320 billion (US$13.8 million) for project implementation this year.

The said he would seek capital disbursement approval from the Government, and assured that “there would be no shortage of capital”.

The ordered the contractors to ensure that technology used in the new signal lighting systems at the upgraded runway is consistent with the other runway to ensure flight safety. 

“Because the number of flights has dropped significantly due to the pandemic, an early finish for the project could be done,” he said.

The transport chief also ordered the Southern Airports Authority to continue enhancing oversight of the renovation by ensuring security, safety, environmental sanitation, and fire prevention and safety.

The upgrade work began on the runway and four taxiways on June 30.

Tan Son Nhat airport has two parallel runways, 3.8km long and 45m wide each, designed to handle wide-bodied aircraft used for long-haul flights. During the upgrade, aircraft will take off and land on the other runway. 

The upgrade project costs more than VND2 trillion ($86.25 million) and is divided into two phases. The first phase upgrades one runway and four taxiways (over six months).

The second phase will include construction of other works for flight management, signal lights, reflective paint on runways and taxiways, and new drainage systems and ancillary works (over 14 months).

In a related issue, work to upgrade runway and taxiways also began in June at Hanoi’s Noi Bai international airport, according to the ministry.

The ministry has assigned the Vietnam Aviation Administration, Vietnam Airport Corporation, and Vietnam Flight Management Corporation to work closely with the contractors and the ministry to ensure safety and security during construction as well as the quality and progress of the project.

Since 2017 runways and taxiways at both Tan Son Nhat and Noi Bai airports have shown cracks, subsidence and several broken concrete slabs due to overloading, the ministry said.

Flight operations would likely be disrupted if the current deterioration of the runway surface was not repaired or upgraded in time, it said.

The existing runway and taxiway systems of the two airports would not meet demand by 2025, when 44 million passengers are expected per year at Noi Bai airport and 50 million at Tan Son Nhat airport.

Last year, the two airports served 70.5 million passengers, accounting for 60.5 per cent of the country’s total passenger volume.  VNS

Noi Bai, Tan Son Nhat runway upgrades set for July

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has approved a plan to shut the runways and taxiways at HCMC’s Tan Son Nhat airport and Hanoi’s Noi Bai airport for repair and upgrade starting from July 1,