Homalin Township to scrutinize applications for port land rental and jetty construction for fuel tankers

In Homalin Township, Sagaing Region, applications from individuals, entrepreneurs, or companies/organizations for port land rental and usage rights, as well as jetty construction rights, to enable fuel tankers to dock will be scrutinized and processed, according to Deputy Minister of Transport U Htun Lu. In response to a question raised by U Kyaw Zin Htun, National Parliament Representative for Sagaing Region Constituency No. 8, during the National Parliament session held on July 16, regarding the urgent need for a standard oil jetty in Homalin Township, Sagaing Region, where fuel tankers can dock, and whether the state has a plan to implement and construct it, or if not, what difficulties prevent its construction, Deputy Minister of Transport U Htun Lu provided this response. Deputy Minister of Transport U Htun Lu stated that for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, there were proposals for business operations on 15 plots of port land within the bank area for vessels to dock and berth at the Homalin Township port. Currently, the Sagaing Region Office of the Directorate of Water Resources and Improvement of River Systems is reviewing these proposals in accordance with the law. If approved by the Sagaing Region Government, the business operations will be permitted after the relevant land use fees for the 15 port land plots in Homalin are paid to the Sagaing Region Government. Furthermore, the Sagaing Region Government will scrutinize and process applications from individuals, entrepreneurs, or companies/organizations for port land rental and usage rights, as well as jetty construction rights, to enable fuel tankers to dock in Homalin Township. Efforts are also being made to develop the navigability of the Ayeyarwady and Chindwin rivers and to create a stable waterway in front of the town's port. However, due to the need for detailed feasibility studies for a standard port, including an oil jetty, in Homalin Township, the technical feasibility, cost-benefit analysis, and the high cost of constructing a port, which necessitates implementation based on investment, there is currently no plan to construct a standard oil jetty in Homalin Township where fuel tankers can dock, the Deputy Minister of Transport stated. The Deputy Minister of Transport responded that if individuals, entrepreneurs, or companies/organizations apply for port land rental and usage rights, as well as jetty construction rights, to enable fuel tankers to dock in Homalin Township, the Directorate of Water Resources and Improvement of River Systems will scrutinize the applications and cooperate for the implementation of port operations with the approval of the Sagaing Region Government. He also reiterated that the Ministry of Transport currently has no plan to construct a port in Homalin Township, Sagaing Region, where fuel tankers can dock.