Vietnam can become a global logistics hub: freight expert

Vietnam has significant potential to emerge as a global and regional logistics hub, said Turgut Erkeskin, president of the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA).

At a Tuesday meeting with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Hanoi, Erkeskin praised Vietnam's 2025-2035 (vision until 2045) draft national logistics development strategy, especially its focus on digital transformation, green transition and achieving its net-zero emission target by 2050.

Erkeskin suggested that Vietnam pools all social resources to develop its the logistics industry. He also asked Vietnamese agencies to support and ensure success of the FIATA World Congress to be held in Hanoi next year.

For his part, PM Chinh highlighted the national logistic sector’s average annual growth rate of 14-16%, saying it had played a big role in taking Vietnam's external trade to nearly $700 billion in 2023 and $370 billion in the first half of this year, up 15.7% year-on-year.

He acknowledged the FIATA's role in fostering collaboration between the Vietnam Logistics Business Association (VLA) and the global logistics community as well as the development of the country’s logistics industry.

Chinh also called on the FIATA to help finalize Vietnam’s logistics development strategy.

He proposed that the association shares information and provides assistance regarding solutions to developing logistics in agriculture and industry and in establishing a maritime fleet as well as economic-trade transport corridors.

Chinh said Vietnam was focusing on building strategic infrastructure for various sectors including logistics; and on skilled workforce training. He asked FIATA to assist Vietnam’s logistics sector with workforce training through capacity building programs and similar initiatives.

He went on to say that the Vietnamese government would consider establishing a national steering committee on logistics services with an apparatus capable of assisting the government in directing and accelerating the sector’s development.

The government will work closely with domestic and foreign partners to create favorable conditions for economic, investment, trade and service cooperation activities, with a particular emphasis on developing logistics services, he added.