Vinashin delivers completed ships

HAI PHONG — Pha Rung Shipyard Co Ltd, under the Viet Nam Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (Vinashin), yesterday handed over a 34,000-tonne cargo ship and a 13,000-tonne oil-chemical tanker to their owners in the northern port city of Hai Phong.

The cargo ship, named Inlaco Express, which is 180m long, 30m wide, 14.7m high and is powered by a 7,860kW engine, can reach 14 nautical miles per hour.

It is the first to be handed over under a contract to build 20 ships for the International Labour Co-operation Company (Inlaco Sai Gon-Vinalines).

The oil tanker, named Prime Sun, is the first of its kind built by the shipyard. It is 128.6mlong, 20.4 wide and a speed of 13.5 nautical miles per hour.

Work starts on fertiliser plant

LAO CAI — VINACHEM Company Limited has started construction of its No 2 diammonium phosphate (DAP) plant in the northern province of Lao Cai.

The second-largest fertiliser plant in the north, it will cost more than VND4,000 billion (US$190.5 million). It will cover 71ha in Bao Thang District.

The plant will be able to produce 330,000 tonnes of fertiliser a year.

It is scheduled to start operations in the third quarter of 2014.

Ha Noi fair opens tomorrow

HA NOI — A seven-day promotional fair will be held in Ha Noi from tomorrow and run until January 4.

It aims to stimulate consumer demand and support business operations.

The annual fair has attracted 200 enterprises who will showcase garments, textiles, food, household utensils, souvenirs, handicrafts, footwear, handbags, cosmetics and jewelry.

Welding plant for Quang Binh

QUANG BINH — The Kim Tin Group has started construction on a VND130 billion (US$6.2 million) welding material production plant in the central city of Dong Hoi.

The plant has been designed to produce 24,000 tonnes of welding material, 7,200 tonnes of soldering stick a year.

It is expected to create jobs for 500 local labourers.

Drug prices remain stable

HA NOI — A survey by the Viet Nam Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and Trading Association of 8,953 drugs found that the prices of 25 had increased by 5.5 per cent since the end of last year.

The prices of 37 imported drugs had increased by 7.8 per cent and those of 18 dropped by 4.6 per cent.

Analysts expect prices of many local products to increase next year due to higher prices of imported raw materials. — VNS