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Eight new Covid-19 cases diagnosed tonight

The Saigon Times

A medical worker takes samples from a resident in Hai Duong Province. The Ministry of Health has reported eight fresh Covid-19 patients, with seven locally-transmitted cases in Hai Duong Province and one imported case in Tay Ninh Province – PHOTO: VNA

HCMC – The Ministry of Health has reported eight fresh Covid-19 patients, with seven locally-transmitted cases in Hai Duong Province and one imported case in Tay Ninh Province, taking the country’s tally to 2,420 as of tonight, February 25.

Five Covid-19 cases in Hai Duong Province tested positive after they had been put at concentrated quarantine centers, while the two others in the province were detected through screening. They are receiving treatment at the field hospital No. 1 and 2 in the province.

Another case reported in Tay Ninh Province is a 25-year-old woman. She entered Vietnam through Moc Bai International Border Gate in the province on February 22 and was immediately quarantined.

In related news, the HCMC government has decided to allow some non-essential services such as wedding venues, cinemas, restaurants, eateries, museums and libraries; and tourism activities to resume from March 1.

The service providers must follow Covid-19 infection prevention and control measures, including wearing face masks, keeping a safe physical distance and avoiding mass gatherings of over 30 persons.

Meanwhile, bars, discos, gyms, karaoke parlors and sporting centers remain suspended until further notice.

Vietnamese firms to provide foundations, harbor services for La Gan wind power project

The Saigon Times

The signing ceremony of four memorandums of understanding between the La Gan Wind Power Development Corporation and four Vietnamese suppliers – PHOTO: EMBASSY OF DENMARK IN VIETNAM

HCMC – Four Vietnam-based contractors–CS Wind Corporation, PTSC Mechanical and Construction, Southern Petroleum Construction JSC and Vietsovpetro–will provide foundation and harbor services for the La Gan offshore wind farm project in the central province of Binh Thuan.

On February 24, the La Gan Wind Power Development Corporation, the developer of the 3.5-gigawatt offshore wind farm project owned by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Asiapetro and Novasia, virtually signed four memorandums of understanding (MOUs) on foundation supply and harbor services with the four contractors, the Embassy of Denmark said in a statement.

The supply of foundations and harbor infrastructure is among the most critical elements of the offshore wind supply chain. The cooperation between the La Gan offshore wind farm project and the four suppliers will contribute to the ongoing efforts to localize the Vietnamese offshore wind supply chain as well as help build the capacity of local suppliers to compete in the international market.

Under the MOUs, the La Gan offshore wind farm project and suppliers will work together to promote offshore wind power in Vietnam. In addition, the project will facilitate knowledge transfer and provide advice on the foundation’s design, facility layouts, logistics and infrastructure requirements, which will enable the suppliers to take the offshore wind market to international standards.

Kim Højlund Christensen, ambassador of Denmark in Vietnam, said in the statement, “One of the key priorities in our long-term cooperation with Vietnam is to support green development and a green transition in the country’s energy sector.”

The development of foreign investment projects such as La Gan will contribute to further expanding and intensifying Denmark’s close cooperation with Vietnam in knowledge sharing and capacity building for industry experts and practitioners, especially in the offshore wind supply chain, he added.

According to an economic impact study by international experts from BVG Associates-the World Bank’s consultants-the La Gan offshore wind farm project will contribute more than US$4.4 billion to the Vietnamese economy and create over 45,000 full time equivalent (FTE) jobs in Vietnam, where an FTE is a job for a year. The localization rate is projected to be 45% of the full supply chain of the project.

Maya Malik, CEO of La Gan Wind Power Development Corporation, said the signing with the four Vietnamese suppliers confirmed the firm’s serious commitment to facilitate knowledge transfer and promote the localization of the offshore wind industry in Vietnam. The firm wanted to ensure that its investments pass onto the local economy and the Vietnamese people, wherever feasible.

The engagement of the four local suppliers also shows the dedication of local industry leaders to invest in offshore wind energy and to support the Vietnamese Government’s vision for green energy transformation, she added.

With a potential capacity of 3.5 gigawatts, the La Gan offshore wind farm project is one of the first large offshore wind farm projects in Vietnam. It is expected to improve Vietnam’s profile in renewable energy in the region and the world as a whole.

Remaining six shipments of Covid-19 vaccine to arrive in Vietnam by early 2022

The Saigon Times

The first shipment of the Covid-19 vaccine arrived in Vietnam on February 24. Vietnam is set to receive seven shipments of 150 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine – PHOTO: MOH

HCMC – Vietnam is set to receive seven shipments totaling 150 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine by early next year, with the first of over 117,000 doses having arrived in HCMC yesterday, February 24.

The remaining six shipments will be shipped to the country from now until early 2022, the local media reported.

Some 1.5 million doses of vaccine, with some 1.2 million doses set to be provided by Covax Facility and some 363,000 doses by British drugmaker AstraZeneca, will be transported to Vietnam in the first and second quarters. These doses of the second shipment will be given to frontline workers, diplomatic and customs officials and soldiers.

In the third shipment, Vietnam will buy 8.2 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. These doses will be shipped to the country in the second quarter of the year and given to policemen, teachers and people aged over 80.

Some 10.9 million doses developed by Covax and AstraZeneca are set to be imported into Vietnam in the third quarter, while 14.4 million doses from AstraZeneca will arrive in the country in the fourth quarter of the year or the first quarter of 2022.

Vietnam will receive the sixth shipment of 25.2 million doses of the Covax Covid-19 vaccine in the fourth quarter of 2021 or in early 2022. Those who have chronic diseases and who are between 65 and 80 years old will be vaccinated with the doses.

In the final shipment, 90.5 million doses will arrive in Vietnam from the fourth quarter of 2021 to the second quarter of 2022.

The national steering committee for Covid-19 infection prevention and control proposed prioritizing the vaccination for residents in Covid-19-hit areas.

Vietnam Airlines to invest nearly VND10 trillion in services at Long Thanh airport

The Saigon Times

Vietnam Airlines aircraft are parked at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCMC. Vietnam Airlines plans to invest nearly VND10 trillion in services at the Long Thanh International Airport – PHOTO: LE ANH

HCMC – Vietnam Airlines has plans to invest VND9.9 trillion to become a ground services provider for aviation fuel, in-flight meals, duty-free sales and ground technical, cargo terminal, aviation logistics and waiting lounge services at the Long Thanh International Airport project, which is under construction in the southern province of Dong Nai.

In its development strategy for 2021-2030, Vietnam Airlines and its subsidiaries will set aside resources to get involved in projects to develop and exploit infrastructure at the airport, providing services for itself and other carriers, the local media reported.

Of the required investment, 30% will be sourced from Vietnam Airlines and the remainder will come from loans.

Vietnam Airlines and its subsidiaries can either develop facilities at the airport or cooperate with the Airports Corporation of Vietnam to set up joint stock or limited liability companies to conduct the work.

The national flag carrier also proposed the competent agencies issue special policies for it and other members of the Vietnam Airlines Group, including Pacific Airlines and the Vietnam Air Services Company so that they can have enough infrastructure and land for their services at the airport.

At first, the air carrier expected to be allocated a dedicated area at the airport to build a hangar for aircraft maintenance.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, Vietnam Airlines’ proposal is reasonable as ground services are associated with transport services. However, the airline must participate in the competitive tender process.

Hanoi’s recovered Covid-19 patient tests positive again

The Saigon Times

A quarantine facility in Hanoi. A 48-year-old Covid-19 patient in Hanoi who had recovered has tested positive again – PHOTO: VNA

HCMC – A 48-year-old Covid-19 patient from Hanoi who had recovered has tested positive again, according to the Hanoi Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The patient, who resides in the capital city’s Cau Giay District, will be taken to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases for another round of quarantine and treatment.

Earlier, the patient was being quarantined and treated at the hospital from January 30 to February 20. She was discharged on February 21 after having tested negative for the coronavirus three times.

On February 24, she had her samples collected for Covid-19 testing and the result came back positive.

Up to now, Vietnam has reported many recovered coronavirus patients testing positive again, but none of them caused community transmission after recovery.

Number of passengers using Can Gio-Vung Tau ferry service on the rise

The Saigon Times

A ferry carrying passengers and goods plies on the Can Gio-Vung Tau route – PHOTO: NLDO

HCMC – The ferry service linking HCMC’s outlying district of Can Gio and neighboring Vung Tau City has seen an increase in the number of passengers and goods after nearly two months of operations, prompting the service operator to consider adding more ferries to meet the rising travel demand.

Data from the Inland Waterway Port Authority for Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province showed that over 400 ferry trips carrying some 31,000 passengers had been operated on the route from January 4 to February 17, with more than 200 trips transporting 15,500 passengers during the recent Lunar New Year holiday.

Given the rising number of passengers and commodities, the operator had to add one-three more trips on the weekends.

Quoc Chanh One Member Limited Liability Company, which is the investor and operator of the ferry project, said that it planned to put four more ferries into operation from 2021 to 2022. The company expects to put 12 ferries into service in 2024.

The company operates 25 daily trips using two ferries on the route. It will take passengers around 30 minutes to travel on the 15-kilometer-long ferry route.