A golden opportunity amid the pressure of “green transformation”
Vietnam is standing before a “golden opportunity” to redefine its position on the global maritime map. With more than 3,260 km of coastline and its proximity to one of the world’s busiest international shipping routes—handling 45% of global cargo—Vietnam possesses natural advantages that few countries can match. Data from the Vietnam Maritime Administration shows that cargo throughput at seaports has maintained impressive growth, reaching over 733 million tons even during times of economic volatility.
However, the global “rules of the game” are rapidly changing. The green transformation is no longer a slogan but a mandatory technical barrier. International organizations and new-generation trade agreements (such as the EVFTA) are imposing stringent standards on carbon emission reduction. Major shipping lines worldwide now prioritize ports with low emission indicators (Green Ports) and smart processing systems (Smart Ports).
If Vietnam falls behind in this transition, the risk of lagging and being excluded from high-value supply chains is real. Therefore, developing green ports and smart ports is a crucial mandate to enhance national competitiveness.
Ms. Đặng Minh Phương – Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City Logistics and Port Association – stated that Vietnam’s logistics industry has been expanding rapidly, contributing 4–5% to GDP and maintaining an annual growth rate of 14–16% from 2007 to 2023. According to her, the port economy market is forecasted to reach 52 billion USD by 2025 and 72 billion USD by 2030, with an average growth rate of 6.6%.
Mr. Benoit de Quillacq – General Director of MSC Vietnam – emphasized that carbon reduction and logistics digitalization are inevitable global trends in maritime transport. Vietnam is fully capable of developing green port and smart port models if it can address bottlenecks in connectivity and infrastructure.
Sharing the same viewpoint, Mr. Benjamin Lim – Senior Strategy Director at YCH Group – assessed that Vietnam has the opportunity to become a regional logistics hub.
Highlights and the economic efficiency equation
Reality has shown that green transformation brings dual benefits for both the economy and the environment. Tân Cảng Cát Lái (Ho Chi Minh City) is a prime example of this pioneering effort. As the first port in Vietnam to receive the “Green Port” certification from the APEC Port Services Network Council, it has replaced diesel with electricity for quay cranes and applied electronic delivery orders (EDO).
The result: truck waiting time at the port gate decreased by 50% (from 13 minutes to just 6 minutes), helping reduce tens of thousands of tons of CO2 emissions annually. More importantly, logistics costs are optimized, creating maximum convenience for import-export enterprises.
In the North, Lach Huyen International Port (Hai Phong), and in the South, Gemalink (Cai Mep – Thi Vai), are also operating under modern models capable of accommodating mega vessels over 200,000 DWT. These are the “locomotives” pulling the entire logistics industry forward.
Infrastructure bottlenecks and the mindset challenge
Long An International Port.
Despite owning modern seaports, the dream of becoming a regional transshipment hub is restrained by the lack of synchronized post-port connectivity infrastructure.
A paradox has persisted for years: “Big ports but small roads.” At the Cai Mep – Thi Vai port cluster, which handles most exports to the US and Europe, connectivity infrastructure remains inadequate. Roads are frequently congested, railway links are nearly nonexistent, and inland waterways remain underutilized.
The result is that Vietnam’s logistics costs remain high (around 16.8%–17% of GDP), reducing the competitiveness of Vietnamese goods compared to neighboring countries. Additionally, the “every province builds its own port” mindset leads to fragmented resources. The competition among localities to build ports has resulted in scattered development, lacking large-scale logistics centers capable of competing with Singapore or Shanghai.
Hard infrastructure can be built with capital, but “soft infrastructure,” meaning human resources, requires time. To operate smart ports using AI, Big Data, and Blockchain, Vietnam currently lacks high-quality personnel.
According to the Vietnam Logistics Business Association (VLA), the current workforce meets only about 40% of the market demand and lacks strong foreign language and technology skills. The country has an oversupply of unskilled labor but a shortage of engineers capable of operating automated port systems—an alarming gap for the goal of smart port development.
Ms. Đặng Minh Phương added that infrastructure capacity and traffic congestion remain major challenges. To develop a modern, green, competitive port and logistics system for 2030–2035, she proposed three pillars: world-class infrastructure and connectivity; green and sustainable development; and building a smart and digitalized ecosystem.
To transform potential into actual strength, Vietnam must implement three breakthrough solutions:
First, synchronize transportation infrastructure: Prioritize investments in completing ring roads and expressways connecting gateway seaports. Railway links to ports should be treated as urgent priorities to reduce road congestion and environmental emissions.
Second, establish genuine regional linkage mechanisms: Eliminate local protectionism. Port planning must reflect national-level strategy, clearly defining the roles of gateway ports and satellite ports to build a supporting logistics ecosystem instead of destructive competition.
Third, a breakthrough in training: Strong collaboration between the government, educational institutions, and enterprises is needed to develop a logistics workforce meeting international standards, emphasizing digital skills and green management.
The journey to becoming a regional logistics hub is not paved with roses. However, with strong determination for green and smart port transformation and a resolute approach to addressing infrastructure challenges, Vietnam has every reason to believe in a “dragon transformation” future for its maritime economy.