Solving problems to ensure completion schedule of Long Thanh International Airport

DPM Ha led a government working group to the construction site on June 12 and worked with authorities from Dong Nai province and relevant agencies and units on the progress and supply of construction materials.

He asked investors to ensure the basic completion of the airport before December 31, and select an investor for aircraft maintenance hangars before June 20.

The government official also said that progress must go hand in hand with quality and construction safety.

He emphasised, "If the airport is delayed, we will consider handling the responsibilities of related organisations and individuals."

The Ministry of Construction (MoC) and Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) have been instructed to work on detailed progress milestones and report to the prime minister.

According to Deputy Minister of Construction Pham Minh Ha, all four components are currently being accelerated. Among them, the first component, including the headquarters of the airport authority, customs, and police, is basically on schedule, with many items to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Air traffic control is also on track, with the control tower expected to be completed before September 30.

Auxiliary works such as technical houses, power stations and others will have equipment installed from June, while many remaining facilities will be completed by the end of the year.

The fourth component (catering, aircraft maintenance hangar) is being accelerated. The investor has committed to completing all items this year.

The third component (essential works) is the largest in the entire airport. Invested by ACV, progress is being accelerated despite inclement weather. The goal is to complete it by the end of 2025, and start commercial operation in the first half of 2026.

ACV started construction of the second runway on May 30 and is expected to complete it together with the passenger terminal in June 2026 as scheduled.

At the working session, Nguyen Tien Viet, deputy general director of ACV, said, “Since the beginning of May, the weather at the construction site has changed unfavourably as the rainy season came about a month earlier than expected, seriously affecting the entire construction, and interrupting many items, especially underground works such as tunnels, drainage systems, and roadbeds.”

According to ACV, one of the major challenges is a shortage of materials. As of June 10, the construction site had only received 1.37 million cubic meters of stone, while the demand was nearly 4.92 million cubic meters. Viet suggested that Dong Nai province supply more materials from Nui Nua mine because some mines such as Soklu 2 and Soklu 5 are of poor quality.

On June 11, the government added Long Thanh into a list of projects that are subject to special mechanisms for mineral exploitation. ACV requested the province to increase the capacity of the mines to ensure supplies.

In sync with the urgent pace of Long Thanh International Airport, the atmosphere at Long Thanh Hi-Tech Industrial Park (also known as AMATA City Long Thanh) is incredibly dynamic.

Singapore-based SATS Ltd., one of the world’s largest providers of air cargo handling services, and Vietnam Airlines JSC (VNA) signed an MoU on March 13 to build and operate an air cargo terminal at the new Long Thanh International Airport in Vietnam.

As a member of the Vietur joint venture, ATAD Steel Structure Corporation and Swiss subcontractor VSL have lifted the central steel roof structure for Long Thanh International Airport.