As expected, the Long Son steel factory will be built on an area of 468 hectares, with a total capital of VND53,500 billion (US$2,165 million). The investment project is divided into three phases with a capacity of 5.4 million tons a year including quality fabricated steel products, construction steel, and coiled steel.

At the same time, the investor is also studying to invest in the Hoai Nhon port area on a total area of about 496.9 hectares of land and sea. The Hoai Nhon port which is worth at VND10,000 billion is planned as a specialized port for the production of the Long Son Iron and Steel Complex.

According to the People's Committee, when the two projects are put into operation, they are expected to make an important contribution to the development of industry, supporting industries, seaport services, and economic growth of Binh Dinh Province and the South Central Coast region and the Central Highlands. The two projects will create jobs for 5,000-7,500 workers.

As planned, the project initially will recruit nearly 3,000 employees. The enterprise is committed to training and recruiting seafarers to join the factory in the fields of mechanics, electricity, automation, metallurgy, port equipment operation, drivers, and industrial machine drivers. Enterprises promise to have solutions to support beneficiaries of social policies, people's livelihood and improve local education.

It is known that the Long Son Phu My Iron and Steel Complex project was previously studied by authorities in Binh Dinh Province in the coastal communes of My An and My Tho. Initially, the Provincial People's Committee approved the investment project on the area of 499.6ha in November 2021 with a capacity of 5.4 million tons of steel annually and a total capital of VND56,257 billion.

Previously, in July 2020, the provincial People's Committee submitted a report to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Government for the policy of changing the forest use purpose to another purpose to implement the project.

On August 9, 2022, the provincial People's Committee sent a document to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development explaining the appraisal of the application for a decision on the policy of changing the forest use purpose for the project implementation. Accordingly, the area, location and results of the forest survey in the area proposed for forest use purpose conversion is 424.82 ha in the sub-zone 150, My An commune and the sub-zone 162 My Tho Commune.

However, during the construction surveying, the project was met with many criticisms from locals who were concerned about the steel plant and the trade-off between the coastal protection forest area and the province’s economic growth.

Therefore, at the end of October, the People's Committee of this province sent an official letter to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, announcing the suspension of the implementation of the Long Son Phu My Iron and Steel Complex project.

Source: Saigon Times