Vietnam's seaports towards Net Zero: Proactive financial resources for seaport digitalization

Vietnam's seaports towards Net Zero: Proactive financial resources for seaport digitalization

Vietnam's seaports towards Net Zero: Proactive financial resources for seaport digitalization

Posted on: 07/08/2025

In addition to investing in modern equipment that uses electricity instead of oil, to reduce emissions and save costs, port businesses and operators have focused on developing water transport and digitalizing services...

Các cảng biển tập trung phát triển vận tải thủySeaports focus on developing water transport

Focus on reducing emissions

According to Saigon New Port Corporation, transporting a 20-foot container from Lach Huyen deep-water port - Hai Phong to ICD Que Vo - Bac Ninh by barge with a capacity of 96 TEU costs about 10 liters of oil, while transporting by tractor takes about 45 liters of oil. With an output of 30,000 TEU in 1 year, the company's barge transportation by waterway contributes to reducing emissions by up to 80%.

Therefore, the development of water transport will contribute to the development of green transport, thereby contributing to the development of green logistics in Vietnam. Currently, Saigon Newport Corporation is expanding and promoting green transportation by increasing inland waterway transportation connecting major gateways, such as Cai Mep deep-water port (formerly Ba Ria-Vung Tau), Hai Phong port cluster connecting with localities and industrial clusters by waterway transportation. This mode of transportation will contribute to reducing emissions into the environment...

With the goal of building a modern and smart green port model, Gemalink Company is applying many advanced technologies such as a system of 8 Korean STS super shore cranes with a height of 92 m, weighing more than 1,700 tons, reaching capacity of 70 m, can lift 2 20-foot containers or bulk cargo and project cargo with a load capacity of up to 85 tons at the same time; a system of 24 E-RTG cranes using 100% grid electricity, operating semi-automatically, integrating flexible control technology and smart control cabins with a DGPS system synchronously combined with modern CATOS port management software.

Therefore, Gemalink is one of the destinations attracting shipping lines due to its green development criteria, reducing environmental impacts in operations.

​ Các cảng cạn cũng đang nỗ lực chuyển đổi xanh
Dry ports are also making efforts to transform green

Although seaports have made certain preparations to develop according to the green port model, experts say that greening seaports is still facing difficulties due to limited investment in environmental protection infrastructure, prevention and response to incidents in maritime operations at seaports, requiring large funding sources.

At the same time, businesses lack capital or cannot access credit loans for energy-saving projects. Support mechanisms for businesses to invest in replacing outdated production lines with high-performance, energy-saving, and environmentally friendly production lines are still very limited. Therefore, state agencies and seaport businesses need to coordinate closely and have a long-term development strategy to promote efficiency.

Launching a comprehensive digital strategy

At the end of May 2025, Tan Cang Saigon Corporation launched the Tan Cang Digital Transformation Consulting Project from now until 2030, which will be built on a list of specific digital initiatives, identifying priority levels alongside implementation resources for short, medium and long term implementation.

In particular, sustainable development goals will also be integrated into the digital transformation roadmap design, helping Tan Cang Saigon not only improve operational efficiency but also gradually move towards a green port model - an increasingly important requirement of international logistics partners and global supply chains.

Another important content is to improve digital awareness and internal digital capacity. The project will coordinate with departments to train management teams and professional experts in digital thinking, data mining skills and digital platform operations. The project also proposes to build a specialized force with a team of internal experts and an effective coordination model, ensuring a sustainable and synchronous digitalization roadmap.

Các cảng biển đầu tư hệ thống cẩu hiện đại, sử dụng điện thay cho dầu diezenSeaports invest in modern crane systems, using electricity instead of diesel

All of the above components are connected according to a unified overall architecture, with a clear implementation roadmap and linked to specific measurement indicators - from exploitation productivity, business processing time, operating costs to customer satisfaction.

This is the basis for Saigon Newport Corporation to not only successfully transform digitally but also expand its competitiveness, increase long-term value and maintain its pioneering role in the logistics - seaport industry of Vietnam.

In line with this development direction, Mr. Truong Nguyen Linh, Deputy General Director of VICT Port, shared that VICT Port has also successfully implemented a number of projects, such as the electronic port - ePort. This is a tool that helps port businesses as well as customers to quickly perform online delivery services, reduce procedure time, and eliminate some steps in the manual implementation process. At the same time, it reduces waiting time in line to save fuel, increases container delivery cycles for transport companies, looks up online the status of goods delivery, monitors the history of goods delivery at the port, etc.