“This is the most important phase of the project so we use the 46m concrete piles which have no joints, the longest ones for Vietnam’s projects in water,” said project director Luo Wen.

CHEC is the general contractor of the port’s three construction packages totally valued at more than US$163 million.

The container and general cargo port project is expected to begin operation in 2011 when it will house three 730-metre wharves capable of handling ships of up to 60,000 tonnes.

The Sai Gon International Terminals Vietnam (SITV) is a joint project between Hutchison Ports Mekong Investment SARL, an affiliate of the Hong Kong-based Hutchison Port Holdings group and Sai Gon Investment, Construction and Trade Company.

The project fits in with the Government’s planning of the seaport group in the area of HCM City and Dong Nai and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces toward 2020.