Logistics on the cutting edge

Logistics currently accounts for about 16 - 18% of Vietnam's total domestic budget (GDP).

Major export markets such as the European Union (EU), the United States, and Japan are tightening carbon standards, forcing businesses to demonstrate green supply chains from transportation to storage.

Meanwhile, the domestic infrastructure system is still lacking in synchronization, transportation costs are high, and the large proportion of roads causes emissions to increase sharply. The problem of reducing emissions has therefore become a boundary that forces logistics enterprises to transform, if they do not want to lose market share and opportunities to rise in the global supply chain.

According to Mr. Truong Tan Loc, Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Logistics Association (HLA), although Vietnam ranked 43/139 in the Logistics Performance Index (LPI), it still faces inherent weaknesses in the quality of infrastructure and services, leading to unnecessary waste and carbon emissions.

Notably, Europe is setting up new technical barriers through the carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), which will come into full effect from 2026. This mechanism acts as a kind of “carbon tax” on imported goods, requiring exporting businesses to purchase and submit CBAM certificates corresponding to the emissions in their products.

At the same time, the Corporate Sustainability Assessment Directive (CSDDD) forces companies to take responsibility for environmental impacts throughout the entire supply chain and strictly applies ESG (environmental, social, and governance) standards. These regulations revalue global carbon, making green logistics no longer a socially responsible activity but a condition for Vietnamese goods to access the market.

According to Mr. Loc, compliance with international standards is both a challenge and an opportunity. Because, businesses that meet carbon standards will enhance brand value and increase their negotiating capacity with international buyers. Low emission data will become a trade passport.

According to experts, logistics currently accounts for about 16-18% of Vietnam's total domestic budget (GDP), higher than many countries in the region. This is also one of the largest sources of carbon emissions. Therefore, shifting from roads to railways and inland waterways will bring about clear environmental effects. At the same time, it is necessary to improve the delivery process and apply technology to optimize and reduce emissions.

Realizing this, Tan Cang Cat Lai applies 100% ePort electronic transactions, reducing delivery time to 15 - 20 minutes, saving 1.5 - 2 million USD in fuel costs each year and significantly reducing emissions thanks to the electric shore and yard crane system.

Similarly, Vietnam Post Corporation (Vietnam Post) is also an enterprise making efforts to switch to green development. Specifically, Vietnam Post is the first postal enterprise in Vietnam to cooperate with Honda Vietnam to put electric motorbikes into use in delivery activities, helping to reduce emissions in the market.

A representative of Interlog International Logistics Joint Stock Company shared: To develop green and sustainably, Interlog focuses on three main pillars: employee awareness, energy conversion and optimal solutions to cut costs.

At the same time, Interlog focuses on internal training from leaders to employees to increase awareness of green transformation; at the same time, promoting the application of technology and digital transformation to reduce paperwork in management and operation. The company also proposes solutions to help reduce carbon emissions for customers through consulting on delivery routes, helping to reduce fuel and transportation costs.

According to Mr. Dao Trong Khoa - Chairman of the Vietnam Logistics Services Association (VLA), the journey towards green logistics and rapid adaptation will contribute to the process of reducing carbon emissions in the Vietnamese logistics industry in particular and the world in general. Vietnamese logistics enterprises need to take advantage, turn the urgent need for greening into a driving force, improve competitiveness, brand image, and aim for sustainable and comprehensive development.

However, to do this, businesses must update new trends and standards of the world , aiming at energy conversion with means of using energy-saving, renewable energy, and green energy. At the same time, optimize operating costs, digitize operations, improve performance and efficiency in providing logistics services.

Currently, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is urgently completing the draft and submitting to the Prime Minister the "Vietnam Logistics Services Development Strategy for the period 2025 - 2035, with a vision to 2050"; in which, there are many orientations to encourage the development of the logistics services industry, especially green logistics.

Mr. Tran Thanh Hai, Deputy Director of the Import-Export Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade) commented: When issued, the Strategy will set out the goal of developing Vietnam's logistics service industry sustainably, effectively, with high quality and added value, and competitiveness in the region and the world, promoting Vietnam's advantages in the global value chain.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade will coordinate with the Ministry of Construction, ministries, localities, and associations to deploy a master plan to bring logistics into life, helping businesses access it more easily.

Referring to the requirements and trends of green transformation in logistics, Mr. Tran Thanh Hai said: The Draft Strategy has set a target of logistics services developing effectively by 2030 in the direction of reducing emissions and switching to green energy sources. The target by 2035 is for logistics services to continue to develop effectively in the direction of reducing emissions, contributing to bringing the country's net emissions to 0.

In addition to policy improvements, international connectivity is also being promoted. Hai Phong is cooperating with the port of Gothenburg (Sweden) to expand its maritime transport network to Europe and build a multimodal logistics center, aiming for a green logistics model. New generation trade agreements all require carbon footprint reduction, making green transformation a key to integration.

According to Mr. Nguyen Huu Tuan, Director of the Center for E-commerce and Digital Technology Development - eComDX (Ministry of Industry and Trade), developing modern, smart and green logistics will help Vietnamese enterprises reduce costs, improve productivity, increase competitiveness and expand the market.

“With strategic vision, synchronous policies and the initiative of the business community, Vietnam can completely rise to the position of regional logistics center, becoming an important link in the global supply chain,” Mr. Nguyen Huu Tuan affirmed.

bnews.vn

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/logistics-truoc-lan-ranh-giam-thai-post883639.html