Southern Vietnam port establishes strategic partnership with Japan’s Port of Kobe

Long An International Port in Vietnam’s southern province of Tay Ninh and Japan’s Port of Kobe on Monday signed an MoU establishing a strategic port partnership which is expected to boost trade flows, cut logistics costs, and deliver greater benefits to businesses across the region.

The MoU was reached within a labor, trade and investment promotion event carried out by Tay Ninh province authorities in Japan from November 16-22.

“This cooperation affirms the commitment of both local governments and the business communities of the two provinces to promote trade, strengthen connectivity, and enhance domestic industrial capacity toward a modern, sustainable direction aligned with global integration,” Long An International Port stated on its website.

As a new entrant to the seaport market, Long An International Port has been expanding its network, enabling it to learn from international best practices, exchange technical expertise, and collaborate on value-added projects.

Its key partners include the Port of Oakland, Port of Long Beach, and Port of Portland in the U.S.; the Port of Gothenburg in Sweden; the Bohaiwan-SPG port cluster in China; and Oriental Port and Allied Services Corporation (Opascor) in the Philippines.

The MoU signing capped nearly a year of discussions, with the partnership aimed at boosting maritime transport capacity; expanding cargo throughput at both ports; sharing best practices in port governance and operations, and modern terminal management; and strengthening connections with global partners and clients.

The two sides will also collaborate on developing green and smart port models, implement advanced management technologies to cut carbon emissions, and train and exchange high-quality logistics professionals in line with international standards and best practices.

On November 16, prior to the signing, the Vietnamese delegation made a field trip to the Port of Kobe, one of Japan’s oldest seaports and a leading hub for large-scale container and general cargo infrastructure.

Long An International Port, located in Tan Tap commune, Tay Ninh province, about 30 km south of Ho Chi Minh City, is steadily working to establish itself as a recognized and preferred partner port in Asia, contributing to Vietnam’s Logistics Development Strategy for 2025-2035, with a vision to 2050.

Built in 2015, the port has rapidly affirmed its role as a key cargo consolidation and transshipment hub in the region. It helps ease congestion at HCMC port clusters, reducing urban traffic pressure, and significantly optimizing logistics costs for enterprises throughout the Mekong Delta.

In July, Long An International Port signed a cooperation agreement with SPG Bohaiwan Port and Bohwa Shipping Pte Ltd of China to expand its logistics network.

Under the deal, the three parties agreed to establish a new maritime shipping corridor, named “Two Ports, One Route,” directly linking northern China with southern Vietnam, aiming to boost two-way cargo capacity and promote bilateral trade.

The partnership will form an integrated logistics ecosystem, encompassing port operations, maritime transport, and logistics services. It aims at optimizing business costs, enhancing operational efficiency, and promoting a sustainable, green supply chain between Vietnam and China.

Tay Ninh was recently merged with the neighboring province of Long An to form the new Tay Ninh province which borders Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Ho Chi Minh City, and Cambodia.

Its master plan toward 2030, with a vision to 2050, includes over 59 industrial parks and 82 industrial clusters, positioning logistics as a spearhead economic sector.

Long An was an industrial center in southern Vietnam, together with HCMC, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Dong Nai.