Vietnam has the opportunity to shift the global supply chain

Leveraging the global supply chain

According to the Savills Global Occupier Insight - Industrial Focus 2025 report, in 2024, global cargo volume will reach more than 504 million TEUs, up 7.3% year-on-year. This is a clear sign of the recovery of international trade, and reflects the trend of global businesses reshaping supply chains, diversifying production and seeking logistics centers with strong connections. In that picture, the Asia- Pacific region, especially Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia, are emerging as new destinations.

HP transformer — Exploiting the advantages of seaports. Source: TL

With more than 3,200km of coastline, Vietnam owns a seaport system stretching from North to South. This is a rare natural advantage, helping import and export goods easily connect with international shipping routes. Deep-water ports such as Lach Huyen (Hai Phong) in the North or Cai Mep - Thi Vai ( Ba Ria - Vung Tau ) in the South have become important gateways in the global supply chain.

According to the Vietnam Seaports Association, in 2024, Vietnamese seaports will handle more than 22 million TEUs, an impressive figure that is expected to continue to grow steadily in the coming years. Not only in scale, the remarkable point is the increasingly close connection between seaports and industrial park systems, helping goods circulate quickly and save costs. Large ports such as Cai Mep - Thi Vai are surrounded by a complete logistics ecosystem, from bonded warehouses, cold storage to international standard logistics parks.

In parallel, many key infrastructure projects are also being implemented. In early 2025, the Prime Minister approved the investment policy for Can Gio international transit port ( Ho Chi Minh City) with a minimum capital of VND 50,000 billion. In the Central region, Lien Chieu port (Da Nang) is expected to be completed this year, opening a new transport route for goods from the Central Highlands, Laos and Northeast Thailand to the sea, creating a multimodal logistics corridor.

However, according to Mr. Thomas Rooney, Deputy Director of Savills Hanoi, the lack of synchronous infrastructure is still a big challenge. Some localities have abundant industrial land funds but limited logistics, especially lacking high-quality warehouses, standard cold storage and multi-modal connection systems. “This is a bottleneck that needs to be resolved if Vietnam wants to turn its seaport advantage into sustainable competitive strength,” he emphasized.

Prioritizing logistics - a new trend of international investors

In the context of changing global supply chains, international manufacturing corporations are increasingly prioritizing locations near deep-water ports with efficient logistics corridors. Vietnam is witnessing this trend clearly.

In the North, Hai Phong and its surrounding areas are increasingly preferred over Hanoi, thanks to its modern seaport system and fast customs clearance procedures. In the South, Ho Chi Minh City attracts large-scale tenants thanks to its advantage of access to Cai Mep port. Meanwhile, Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa and Da Nang have emerged as new localities, with competitive costs and highly appreciated for their expanding logistics services.

A new impetus comes from the administrative reorganization in the 2024-2025 period, when some inland provinces merge with coastal localities. Deputy Director of Savills Hanoi Industrial Real Estate Services said that this helps shorten transportation distances, reduce logistics costs, and simplify export procedures. Factories that depend on road transport can now connect directly to seaports, forming new industrial corridors, attracting more high-quality FDI capital flows.

Experts say that in the long term, to maintain its advantage, Vietnam needs to promote synchronous investment: expanding highways, upgrading railways, effectively exploiting inland waterways and developing logistics human resources. Digital transformation in customs, smart warehouses and digital logistics must also be promoted to shorten circulation time, reduce costs and improve competitiveness.

In particular, sustainable development needs to be a focus. The trend of green ports, using renewable energy, and applying ESG (Environment - Social - Governance) standards is becoming a mandatory requirement from international investors. This is not only an environmental commitment, but also a decisive factor in Vietnam's long-term competitiveness in the global supply chain.

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/viet-nam-truoc-co-hoi-dich-chuyen-chuoi-cung-ung-toan-cau-10387421.html