Vinashin to build passenger ships

Vietnam?s Prime Minister, Nguyen Tan Dung, gave the nod Vinashin to build six high-speed passenger ships to operate on the north-south sea route.

The 160m-long ships, to be fitted with 60,000kW engines, are estimated to cost between US$1.5-2 billion in total. Each passenger vessel will be able to carry 2,000 passengers and reach a top speed of 29knots. The first vessel will be built abroad while the other five will be built in Vietnam according to local reports.

Currently, travellers travel by train or airplane between the capital Hanoi in the north and southern Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s commercial centre, while high-speed boats are only used for short trips in each of the regions.