Vietnam’s steel giant Hoa Phat to deliver thousands of containers to domestic shipping lines  

Vietnam’s largest steelmaker, Hoa Phat Group, will supply thousands of containers to VIMC Container Transport JSC (VIMC Lines) and Vinafco Shipping JSC under recently signed contracts.

Hoa Phat recently signed a contract to supply 1,000 container shells to VIMC Lines, a subsidiary of state-controlled Vietnam Maritime Corporation (VIMC), the country's top maritime services provider.

This is the first contract between Hoa Phat and VIMC Lines, and the third between Hoa Phat and VIMC, Hoa Phat said in a release.

The shipment is intended to support VIMC Lines in expanding its fleet as it works toward becoming Vietnam’s leading container transport operator.

The delivery of 1,000 containers, comprising 500 units of 20-foot dry containers (DC) and 500 of 40-foot high-cube (HC) containers, is expected to begin in June to meet VIMC Lines’s peak-season demand.

Meanwhile, another contract signed between Hoa Phat and Vinafco (UPCoM: VFC) last Thursday covers 750 TEUs, with delivery expected to commence in August 2025. This marks the second order from Vinafco, a provider of logistics services and solutions, to Hoa Phat.

These new containers will be swiftly integrated into Vinafco’s existing fleet and deployed on domestic shipping routes currently operated by the company. This large-scale order is part of Vinafco’s broader plan to enhance its maritime transportation capacity.

Vinafco general director Dinh Xuan Hung said the company is operating two container vessels and plans to add another this year. Previously, Vinafco had purchased 200 containers from Hoat Phat.

Hoa Phat’s container production facility has a total capacity of 500,000 TEUs per year, focusing on the production of common 20-40-foot containers. Phase 1 has a capacity of 200,000 TEUs annually.

With this scale, Hoa Phat is the largest container manufacturer in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, according to the company.

Hoa Phat’s key advantage lies in its self-sufficient supply of SPA-H grade weather-resistant hot-rolled coil (HRC) steel, produced at the Dung Quat Iron and Steel Complex in the central province of Quang Ngai.

The company aims to localize 90-95% of input materials by the end of 2025, thereby reducing costs and ensuring production stability. In parallel, research and development efforts have been strengthened to optimize container components and align with global trends.