Delay in completion of Sual International Seaport seen
SUAL—Between the lack of government funding and the numerous requirements of foreign investors, further delay in the completion of the Sual International Seaport is inevitable.
This is the lament of Sual Mayor Roberto Arcinue who had earlier expected to hold the groundbreaking of the international seaport project this year.
“Negotiations are still on going… there are a lot of requirements being sought by the investors,” said Mr. Arcinue.
Notwithstanding the new obstacles, the mayor remains optimistic that the project will eventually push through.
Arcinue previously said the international seaport with a minimum budget of $1.2-2-billion would be built and operated by several foreign investors including Chinese, European, American, Middle East locals, and even Filipinos who have existing alike projects in Dubai, China, among others.
He then said the project would cover the area of the existing seaport funded by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), however, the PPA seaport has only completed one of its three phases and thus only accommodates barges and RORO vessels.
Mr. Arcinue said the PPA has no more budget to complete the project and the municipal government could no longer provide their P100-million-counterpart for the project.
Gov. Amado T. Espino Jr. noted that even with the provincial government’s Php200 million counterpart, the second and third phases of the seaport will still not be completed since the project would cost at least P700 million.
ENERGY PROJECT
The mayor added that the Energy City project has also been put on hold subject to the submission of numerous requirements required by the foreign investor.
The Dubai-based Kampac Group earlier disclosed a $10 billion investment for the establishment of a non-commercial port, a township, and the Energy City.
Mr. Arcinue said only the ongoing construction of a smaller project, the municipal fish port is expected to be completed this year.
The fish port is being put up in a 1.2-hectare area in the town proper, just 200 meters away from the boundary of Sual and Labrador towns, said Arcinue. (Johanne R. Macob)
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