Gemadept, CJ Logistics restructure partnership to sharpen focus on core segments

Vietnam’s leading port and logistics operator Gemadept (HoSE: GMD) and South Korea’s CJ Logistics have agreed to restructure their long-standing partnership, splitting operational focus between shipping and third-party logistics (3PL) to better align with evolving market dynamics.

The move, announced on Monday, reflects a strategic recalibration after eight years of collaboration since the two companies first established their joint venture in 2018.

Under the new structure, Gemadept will take full control of shipping operations, while CJ Logistics will lead 3PL logistics services.

Gemadept will directly invest in and manage shipping activities, including holding a 49% stake in Mekong Logistics JSC. The company will also oversee fleet development and operations as part of its broader maritime expansion strategy.

Meanwhile, CJ Logistics will focus on 3PL services, leveraging its strengths in integrating information technology into logistics solutions and developing distribution center networks to serve end customers more efficiently.

The restructuring comes as both companies respond to changing market conditions and seek to optimize resource allocation.

CJ Logistics is doubling down on a distribution center-centric model, aiming to enhance end-to-end logistics solutions and meet increasingly complex customer requirements.

For Gemadept, the strategy centers on a “container-centric” model, integrating port and logistics services into a unified ecosystem to improve efficiency and competitiveness.

Gemadept said its port system handled more than five million TEUs of cargo in 2025, underscoring its growing scale in Vietnam’s logistics sector.

The company is targeting further capacity expansion across key economic regions, while strengthening inland waterway shipping to improve connectivity and reduce national logistics costs. Fleet expansion and greater control over shipping operations are expected to play a central role in linking its port and logistics ecosystem.

The restructuring also reinforces plans to expand cold chain logistics. Increasing ownership and operational control of Mekong Logistics’s cold storage facilities is seen as a strategic foundation for developing temperature-controlled supply chains in the Mekong Delta and other high-potential regions.

Despite the operational split, the two companies will maintain their broader partnership under a new strategic cooperation agreement signed on March 4. The agreement aims to enhance service quality and create synergies across their respective platforms, allowing both sides to capitalize on their core strengths while continuing to serve shared customers.