The visiting delegation poses for a group photo at the Savannakhet Special Economic Zone on Tuesday.

Industry Minister observes operation at Savannakhet Dry Port

A delegation led by Minister of Industry and Commerce Mr Malaythong Kommasith on Monday visited Savannakhet Special Economic Zone C – Savan Park and Savannakhet Dry Port.
The visits were made to observe developments at Zone C and spur investment and further development in the zone.
The group was welcomed by the General Manager of Savan Park, Mr Tee Chee Seng, and the Chief Executive Director of Savannakhet Authority, Mr Phanomkone Dararasmy.
The delegation saw the development plan as well as the development progress of Zone C along with transportation at the port, including the issuing of documents and the vehicles that provide transport services in the Zone.
Tee Chee Seng said a 3.9-km road under construction in the Savannakhet SEZ would be finished early next year.
“The road will reduce the volume of traffic on the main road while also increasing the government’s revenue,” he added.

Mr Malaythong Kommasith compliments the operators of the Savannakhet SEZ on their achievements.

The road from the border will be used to transport goods from Thailand through the dry port where goods in intermodal loading units can be turned in as if directly to the seaport.
The Savannakhet SEZ has a big container yard and provides all the logistics services and facilities needed for shipping and by forwarding agents in the port.
Mr Tee Chee Seng urged the government and business operators to attract more investment in the SEZ as well as ensure that all the Zone’s systems operate smoothly and openly and are modern, to increase credibility among foreign investors.
Mr Malaythong complimented the operators of the Savannakhet SEZ on their efficient administration and for giving Lao people, especially those living in Savannakhet province, the opportunity to learn new technologies, use electronic machinery, and have jobs.
The Savannakhet Special Economic Zone (Savan Park Zone C) is strategically located on the East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC) and was developed from 234 hectares of wasteland into an industrial, commercial and logistics hub.
Through the strategic location setup of the EWEC by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Savan Park SEZ fulfilled the potential for the development of the site into a free trade industrial zone.
Plenty of companies in the region are now considering investing in Laos because of the incentives offered, the country’s political stability, the relative lack of extreme weather events, low initial investment cost, and the low or zero import duty paid by importing countries on products that are “Made in Laos”.
To ensure that sufficient skilled workers are available for the increasing number of investors, as well as providing jobs for local people, Savannakhet Dry Port partnered with Savannakhet University to open the Academic Learning Centre for Logistics and Transport in 2022.
The centre has been training students to work in the logistics sector.
The dry port is located on the East-West Economic Corridor at a distance of 1,450km from Vietnam.
The Corridor passes through Savannakhet province and Thailand and ends in Mawlamyine, Myanmar, from where links to the Andaman Sea and the South China Sea are possible.

Mr Malaythong Kommasith (right) hears about the operation of the Savannakhet SEZ from Mr Tee Chee Seng.

The Savannakhet Special Economic Zone is part of the Greater Mekong Sub-Region development programme.

A total of 82 companies are currently registered in the Savan Park SEZ Zone C, paying a sizeable amount of taxes to the government and helping to raise the living standards of the local community, as well as boosting exports.
The total value of imports in 2023 was recorded at US$140,480,327.8 while the value of exports rose to US$160,711,221.9, according to figures updated last month.
The record for imports in 2022 was US$200,783,102.63, with the value of exports rising to US$207,145,947.38.
The value of transit cargo passing through the Savannakhet Dry Port in 2022 was estimated at US$5,929,965,550 and, as of October this year, the value of transit cargo reached US$5,595,773,805.
Savan Park is fully protected by a Prime Minister’s Decree that was approved in 2003 to generate investment in the Savannakhet Special Economic Zone. Operations at the Zone are in full compliance with this decree and investors are confident in its effectiveness.
Savan Park was established in 2008 as the first SEZ in Laos. The Special Economic Zone was later upgraded, becoming the Savannakhet Special Economic Zone Authority (SEZA) and providing a one stop-service to all investors in the zone.

By Advertorial Desk
 (Latest Update November 30, 2023)