VietNamNet Bridge – Multiple domestic and international investors have expressed interest in acquiring expressway operation rights since the Ministry of Transport announced the sale of operation rights to some traffic infrastructure works in the country.

Vehicles travel on HCMC-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway. VEC is considering transferring the operation right to this expressway

Potential investors include Bitexco and Sovico. Some investors from the U.S., Japan and France have also come to explore the possibility of acquiring expressway operation rights, with France’s Vinci Group interested in three expressway projects, Mai Tuan Anh, general director of Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC), told the Daily yesterday.

VEC has established three expressway operation enterprises – Noi Bai-Lao Cai, Cau Gie-Ninh Binh and HCMC-Long Thanh-Dau Giay. So, VEC is mulling selling shares at these firms.

“VEC will offload all stocks at the three companies if investors want to take them all. The State does not intend to hold a majority stake at the companies,” he said.

Some investors have expressed concern over legal problems, saying these projects were funded by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). However, Anh said if the projects were transferred after completion, it would be faster to recoup investment capital, thus speeding up loan repayments for lenders.

Earlier, the Ministry of Transport has asked VEC to draw up plans for transferring operation rights to five expressways – Noi Bai-Lao Cai, Cau Gie-Ninh Binh, Ben Luc-Long Thanh, HCMC-Long Thanh-Dau Giay and Danang-Quang Binh. Of these, Ben Luc-Long Thanh and Danang-Quang Ngai projects are under construction.

SGT