HCMC, Netherlands seek to collaborate on seaport, airport development

Vietnam’s southern metropolis Ho Chi Minh City and the Netherlands are looking for cooperation on developing green seaports, smart airports, and sustainable logistics systems.

HCMC is entering a phase of seaport and airport infrastructure expansion at an unprecedented scale and pace, the city's Vice Chairman Bui Xuan Cuong told a Wednesday seminar on "Sustainable development of seaports and airports".

In July, HCMC was merged with industrial centers Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau to form the new HCMC. Binh Duong accommodates warehouse zones, logistics clusters, and industrial parks under the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) model. Meanwhile, Ba Ria-Vung Tau possesses the Cai Mep-Thi Vai deep-water port system, which offers direct access to international shipping routes.

The Cai Mep-Thi Vai complex currently hosts seven container terminals with a combined design capacity of 7.66 million TEUs per year. However, throughput has consistently outpaced that figure, averaging more than eight million TEUs annually in recent years and reaching a record 10.98 million TEUs in 2024, mostly from Cai Mep terminals.

According to Cuong, following the merger, the new HCMC has 98 ports handling more than 330 million tons of cargo a year. The Cai Mep-Thi Vai cluster was named among the world’s 10 most efficient container ports in the 2023 Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) released by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence.

HCMC is pushing ahead with the modernization of the Cai Mep-Thi Vai port system and the Can Gio international transshipment hub, aiming to build the country’s largest maritime transshipment center with regional and global reach, he said.

The city's Vice Chairman called on the Netherlands to share expertise in planning and operations, and transfer technology to develop seaports that meet international standards for environmental sustainability and operational efficiency.

Participating Vietnamese firms expressed interest in electric ship and barge technology being implemented by the Netherlands. A representative from Damen - an international shipyard group – shared that electric vessels, with capabilities for on-site energy generation and reuse, are now ready to operate at major ports worldwide.

With this support, HCMC could develop green seaports that minimize environmental impact while boosting operational capacity to meet international trade demands.

Participants also discussed establishing green transport corridors linking major ports such as Cai Mep and Rotterdam. A representative from the Port of Rotterdam said to establish a green shipping route between Cai Mep and Rotterdam, both sides need to share data and agree on international standards applicable to both ports.

In aviation, Cuong said Tan Son Nhat and Con Dao airports, together with the upcoming Long Thanh International Airport in the neighboring province of Dong Nai, will form a comprehensive transport network linking air, roads, and waterways, positioning HCMC as a leading air and logistics hub in Southeast Asia.

Aukje de Vries, Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, said Dutch companies are known for extensive experience in logistics, seaports, and aviation. In particular, in aviation, they are global pioneers of the “Airport City” model, first developed at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

Therefore, Dutch companies are seeking to partner with HCMC to develop green seaports, smart airports, advanced logistics systems, and more sustainable supply chains, she stressed. These align with Cuong’s proposals, which include studying Amsterdam Schiphol’s “Airport City” model for application at Tan Son Nhat and Long Thanh airports.

Cuong also suggested collaboration on flood management, renewable energy, and circular economy. Partnering with Dutch companies would help HCMC overcome challenges in infrastructure, climate change, and green transition, he added.

After the merger with Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Binh Duong, the new HCMC now spans more than 6,722 square kilometers and has a population of over 14 million. It comprises 168 commune-level administrative units, including 113 wards, 54 communes, and one special zone - Con Dao.

HCMC has proposed establishing four FTZs tied to ports and logistics in the city.

At a meeting on the Vietnam Private Economic Landscape (ViPEL) initiative in September, private companies proposed building a $10 billion international maritime hub in HCMC. Of which, $5 billion will be used to develop seaport infrastructure, $4 billion for supporting infrastructure, and $1 billion for soft infrastructure.

Vietnam will build one international financial center located in both HCMC and Danang, central Vietnam. The international financial center component in HCMC will house capital markets, banks, currency markets, testing mechanisms (sandboxes) on fintech, innovation in the financial sector, specialized trading floors, and new trading platforms.

The Danang section will develop green finance, apply financial technology, and promote digital services. The city will also test digital assets and digital currencies under control; promote payments; and attract investment funds, remittance funds, and small and medium-sized fund management companies.