The Ministry of Construction has submitted an official document to the Prime Minister proposing that the People’s Committee of Quang Nam Province be assigned as the authorized agency to implement the Chu Lai Airport investment project under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.

The Ministry expressed its support for the proposal, especially given the ongoing difficulties in securing state budget funds for infrastructure development. The Ministry affirmed its backing for empowering Quang Nam authorities to explore capital mobilization strategies to develop Chu Lai Airport through PPP arrangements.

"In the immediate future, Quang Nam’s People’s Committee should direct local departments and units to work closely with the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of National Defense, and other relevant agencies to finalize the Chu Lai Airport master plan for 2021–2030, with a vision to 2050. This will serve as a basis for determining suitable investment options," the Ministry stated.

Regarding legal authority, the PPP Investment Law stipulates that authorized agencies may include ministries or provincial People’s Committees (Clause 1, Article 5). In cases where a project falls under the jurisdiction of multiple authorities, or when there is a shift in authority, the involved agencies must seek a decision from the Prime Minister on which body will assume the lead role (Clause 3, Article 5).

"Therefore, the authority to assign the Quang Nam People’s Committee as the implementing agency for the Chu Lai Airport PPP project rests with the Prime Minister," the Ministry concluded.

Earlier, in mid-February, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh directed Quang Nam authorities to expedite investment and development of Chu Lai Airport.

He urged local leaders to attract investors to operate the airport in line with approved planning and promote the development of an associated airport-driven economic and urban ecosystem. The goal is to complete all investment procedures in the first half of 2025 and finish airport construction within two years.

In late November 2022, the Quang Nam People’s Committee submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Transport (now the Ministry of Construction) for socialized investment in the development and operation of Chu Lai Airport.

According to the proposal, Chu Lai Airport will undergo a comprehensive upgrade that includes the construction of a new 3,048 x 45-meter runway, a system of taxiways (parallel and connecting), and an aircraft apron accommodating 32 to 40 parking positions. The passenger terminal will be designed to handle approximately 10 million passengers annually, while the cargo terminal will have a capacity of around 1.5 million tons per year.

The total investment needed for the upgrade is estimated at approximately 11 trillion VND (about 440 million USD), including around 3.5 trillion VND (140 million USD) for the airfield, 1 trillion VND (40 million USD) for the apron, and 6.5 trillion VND (260 million USD) for the civil aviation area. These figures exclude land clearance costs, which will be calculated separately according to regulations.

N. Huyen