The location for Myanmar’s first deep-sea port will be decided next year, according to a senior government official. “Construction of a Yangon deep-sea port is one of the projects included as second priority in the National Transport Master Plan. Work is being made and the location can be finally selected and approved within 2020,” U Aung Ye Tun, assistant secretary of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, told The Myanmar Times. In addition, the government will establish six inland ports in Bhamo (Bamaw), Upper Myanmar in Mandalay, Pakokku and Magway, and Monywa on Chindwin River, the official said.

The priority is in Mandalay and construction will be started in this coming October. It is expected to be finished in March 2021. Possible places mentioned for the deep sea port include Dawei in Tanintharyi Region, Pathein in Ayeyarwaddy, Kyaukphyu in Rakhine and Mawlamyine in Mon State. Yangon government’s project bank also lists the Yangon International Multipurpose Terminal proposal, which will be located between Kawhmu and Kungyangon townships in Elephant Point on the Gulf of Martaban.

The port authority’s website lists the Dawei and Kyaukphyu deep-sea port projects but information appears to be wrong. For instance, it says the Kyaukphyu port was completed in 2013. In fact, the developer, a consortium led by China’s state-owned CITIC, has only signed a framework agreement with the government last November and recently started the legally-required environmental and social impact assessment process.

Source: Myanmar Times 

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