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What makes Vietnam an attractive destination for European investment in sustainable port development?

Vietnam is rapidly modernising its infrastructure, positioning itself as a strategic logistics hub in Southeast Asia. The country’s investment in deepwater ports, expressways, and intermodal connectivity reflects a clear ambition to become a gateway for regional trade. Projects like the Lien Chieu Port in Danang and the expansion of Lach Huyen terminals in Haiphong and Cai Mep terminals in Ho Chi Minh are designed to handle ultra-large vessels and integrate with global shipping routes.

Photo: EuroCham

For European investors, Vietnam offers a compelling mix of strategic location, political stability, and a young, hard-working and tech-savvy workforce. The government’s commitment to green port development and its alignment with international standards related to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principals make it an attractive destination for sustainable investment. Vietnam’s EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement further enhances its appeal by reducing trade barriers and promoting regulatory alignment.

How can sustainable port operations drive economic growth while helping Vietnam meet its net-zero goals?

Ports are the backbone of Vietnam’s export-driven economy, contributing significantly to GDP and employment. Sustainable port operations – such as electrified cargo handling, shore power systems, and smart traffic management – enhance efficiency while reducing environmental impact.

By adopting green port models, Vietnam can increase throughput capacity, reduce operational costs, and attract high-value international cargo. Such improvements support economic growth while aligning with Vietnam’s net-zero commitment. The shift towards sustainability also opens doors to climate finance, green bonds, and technology transfer from European partners such as Maersk.

Photo: EuroCham

What practical steps can Vietnamese businesses take to make their supply chains more sustainable and ethical?

Vietnamese businesses, regardless of size, can make their supply chains greener by investing in green energy generation, such as installing solar panels on buildings and plants where possible, and improving energy efficiency through upgrades to LED lighting and the use of electric vehicles in warehouses and fleets.

They can also engage suppliers by encouraging upstream partners to adopt ESG standards, supported by training or incentives, while advancing circular logistics by reducing packaging waste and promoting reuse whenever feasible.

Ethical supply chains also require transparency, fair labour practices, and community engagement. European buyers such as Ikea and Zara increasingly demand ESG compliance, making sustainability not just a moral imperative but a competitive advantage.

How can European best practices in green logistics be effectively implemented in Vietnam?

APM Terminals, as part of Maersk, has pioneered green transformation globally in our portfolio of over 60 ports – through electrified equipment, data-driven operations, and carbon-neutral targets. In Vietnam, these practices are being adapted through a series of targeted initiatives.

First, pilot projects are introducing electric cranes and automated gate systems at key terminals, such as the Hateco Haiphong International Container Terminal strategic partnership.

Second, local partnerships allow close collaboration with Vietnamese authorities and suppliers to tailor solutions to local conditions.

Finally, dedicated training initiatives are helping upskill Vietnamese port workers in green operations and digital tools. Measurable progress includes reduced fuel consumption, shorter vessel turnaround times, shorter truck turnaround times and lower carbon intensity per container. These results demonstrate that global standards can be localised effectively, with strong operator commitment and local stakeholder engagement.

How are logistics companies using digitalisation to drive both efficiency and environmental sustainability?

Digitalisation is a powerful enabler of sustainability, especially for resource-constrained logistics firms.

AI and predictive analytics can optimise routes, reduce idle time, and forecast demand more accurately. Automation allows robots to plan operations with optimal energy consumption, and the extensive use of sensors enables automated facilities to save on lighting costs due to the much-reduced need for human eye recognition in operations.

Digital twins support the simulation of port operations to test energy-saving scenarios before implementation. Meanwhile, cloud-based platforms enhance collaboration across supply chains and reduce paper-based processes. By combining digital and green strategies, companies can cut costs, improve resilience, and meet ESG targets. Government incentives for digital adoption – such as tax breaks and training subsidies – can further accelerate this twin transition.

APM Terminals’ fully automated and zero-carbon terminal in the Netherlands. Photo: EuroCham

What impact will upcoming regulations and green standards have on the operations of logistics businesses?

Sustainability is becoming a regulatory and market access requirement, instead of a voluntary choice. In Vietnam and globally, upcoming standards are set to reshape the logistics and export landscape. Carbon reporting mandates will require the disclosure of Scope 1, 2, and eventually Scope 3 emissions.

ESG compliance for exporters, particularly alignment with EU regulations such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, will help strengthen brand reputation and improve access to global markets. Additionally, green port certifications will benchmark environmental performance and unlock opportunities for green finance. These regulations will reshape logistics operations – from procurement to delivery.

Stronger public–private partnerships are essential to navigate this shift. Government can provide policy clarity, infrastructure funding, and regulatory alignment, while foreign investors bring capital, technology, and global networks. Local enterprises contribute market knowledge and execution capability. Together, they can build a resilient, green logistics ecosystem. At APM terminals, we have seen two proven examples in our Cai Mep and Haiphong partnerships in the last two decades.

How does APM Terminals see its role in advancing sustainable logistics in Vietnam, and what opportunities do platforms like Green Economy Forum (GEF) 2025 offer to support this vision?

At GEF 2025, APM Terminals aims to convey a clear message: green logistics is not just possible – it is profitable, scalable, and urgent. We will showcase our commitment below for our existing businesses and future initiatives in Vietnam by investing in sustainable infrastructure, such as low-emission terminals and smart port technologies; fostering inclusive growth by creating jobs, empowering local communities, and supporting small- and medium-sized enterprises; and driving collaborative innovation by partnering with Vietnamese stakeholders to co-develop solutions.

GEF is a vital platform to bridge European investors and Vietnamese policymakers. It fosters dialogue, trust, and actionable partnerships. By aligning on shared goals – economic growth, environmental stewardship, and regional connectivity – we can turn ambition into impact.

GEF 2025, co-hosted by EuroCham and VIETRADE under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, took place on November 27 in Hanoi. The event featured one high-level plenary session, nine thematic conferences, three technical workshops, and one exclusive networking evening, fostering constructive dialogues between policymakers, business leaders, and innovators to advance Vietnam’s green transition across sectors.

EuroCham to host green economy forum The European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) will host the Green Economy Forum (GEF) 2025 in Hanoi on November 27.

EuroCham honours pioneers of sustainable growth in Vietnam The European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) gathered government partners, international investors, and business leaders to celebrate business excellence and sustainable innovation at its annual Gala Dinner & Business Awards.

Financing the future: how EU–Vietnam cooperation can power green transformation As Vietnam and the EU navigate climate pressures and shifting global trade, the central challenge is how to mobilise capital, innovate, and collaborate for a green and resilient economy. Erick Contreras, vice-chair of EuroCham Vietnam, talked to VIR’s Bich Thuy about how European businesses are helping fuel Vietnam’s green transformation, and how platforms such as the Green Economy Forum 2025 are key to deepening cooperation.

On November 30 in Hanoi, local authorities convened a conference to assess the achievements of Project 939 – which backed female-led startups from 2017 to 2025 – and to introduce Project 2415, a new scheme aimed at supporting women entrepreneurs from 2026 to 2035. The event connected virtually with 34 locations across Vietnam and featured a ceremony honouring standout women-led cooperatives of 2025.

Project 939 has delivered strong results over its eight-year implementation. Nearly $16.8 million was mobilised from the state budget, including just under $3 million at the central level and about $13.8 million from provincial and municipal sources. This was supplemented by $8 million in socialised funding, with close to $1.4 million contributed centrally and more than $6.3 million at local level. All targets were met, with several surpassed, demonstrating the effectiveness of the programme in supporting female-led entrepreneurship.

“The scheme has raised women’s awareness and ignited their aspirations, thereby sparking the growing female entrepreneurial movement. It has provided practical support in capital, knowledge, and skills, facilitating hundreds of thousands of women confidently starting up their businesses,” said Nguyen Thi Tuyen, president of the Vietnam Women’s Union.

Speaking at the conference, Caroline T. Nyamayemombe, the United Nations Women country representative in Vietnam, stated, “UN Women is proud to work alongside the Vietnam Women’s Union, providing technical support, advocacy tools, gender-responsive budgeting, and global knowledge sharing. We have witnessed Vietnamese women turning ideas into businesses, villages into thriving cooperatives, and challenges into opportunities.”

Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, chairwoman of Sovico Group, noted that entrepreneurship has never been easy, especially for women, saying, “Many women still have to juggle work and family, social expectations, and the pressure to make a living, especially disadvantaged women, ethnic minority women, and women in remote areas.”

Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, chairwoman of Sovico Group

Comprehending the challenges, Thao said, “Enterprises such as Sovico, Vietjet, HDBank, and Vikki Digital Bank are committed to supporting the Vietnam Women’s Union – to increase women’s access to capital, enhance digital capabilities, build startup ecosystems, and offer training, networking, and leadership programmes for women in business across the country.”

“We have seen women starting businesses from small home kitchens, women selling goods on digital platforms from remote villages, and mothers caring for children while building business models. Women are truly the ‘silent warriors’ of the private economy–quiet yet resilient contributors to growth, innovation, and national prosperity. And society’s mission today is to give women the opportunity to shine,” she said.

“Project 939 has been a source of motivation for Vietnamese women. When women rise, families thrive, communities grow stronger, and the nation becomes more prosperous,” added Thao.

Addressing the conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said, “This event is significant in celebrating effective models and honouring outstanding women. At the same time, it sets out the direction, tasks, and solutions for implementing Project 2415 in the period ahead, with a progressive spirit and long-term strategic vision. The goal is to meet new demands and build a dynamic, connected, and sustainable ecosystem to support women’s entrepreneurship.”

PM Chinh commended distinguished female entrepreneurs, including Thao, and congratulated women-led enterprises such as Vietjet and Vinamilk for extending their reach to international markets and participating in global value chains.

“Women play a central role as an essential component of society,” said the prime minister. “Women are also a revolutionary force that has made a significant contribution to Vietnam’s glorious victories throughout its heroic history of nation-building and defence. No matter where they are, in any circumstances, or in any position, Vietnamese women always strive to overcome all adversities, prejudices, and obstacles, strongly promoting traditions and good qualities.”

The PM added that women are the keepers of the warmth in every family and pioneers in creating sustainable social values, directly contributing to national development.

Vietjet inspires and empowers women to soar in aviation Vietjet demonstrated its unwavering commitment to sustainable development and gender equality at the 2025 Women in Aviation International-Singapore Chapter (WAI-SG) Gala Dinner held on October 16.

Vietnamese women taking flight in aviation industry Ahead of Vietnamese Women’s Day, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam and Boeing co-hosted a seminar on sustainable human resource development in aviation, focusing on gender diversity and long-term workforce growth.

Vietjet completes Airbus A320/A321 updates ahead of deadline Vietjet has completed urgent software and hardware updates on its A320/A321 fleet, finishing ahead of schedule and reinforcing its safety standards.

During the Sustainable Development 2025 conference in Hanoi on November 27, Tien Phong Plastic was honoured for its contributions in this area.

Tien Phong Plastic has received accolades for its efforts towards a greener industry

“Throughout its development journey, we have consistently updated and adopted the world’s latest technologies, machinery, and equipment. This has significantly improved labour productivity and achieved effective energy savings,” said Chu Van Phuong, general director of Tien Phong Plastic.

The company is proud to be one of the first enterprises in Vietnam to pioneer the use of environmentally friendly chemicals and raw materials that are safe for health, Phuong added.

“We reuse 100 per cent of the waste generated during production and are committed to zero solid waste discharge into the external environment. The treatment of solid waste and other types of waste strictly complies with state regulations,” Phuong said at the conference.

Along with improving production processes, Tien Phong Plastic has also acquired technology transfers from international corporations to develop products that meet global standards. Products such as double-wall corrugated PP pipes, spiral-core uPVC pipes, and specialised products for drainage systems have been exported to numerous international construction projects.

Thanks to a comprehensive implementation of solutions, from technology and raw materials to the working environment, its product lines were awarded 4-Tick certification by the Singapore Green Building Council in August, deemed the highest level for green building materials.

The international certification confirms that the company’s products meet the strictest standards in energy efficiency, use of renewable resources, water management, green space development, improvement of living environment quality, and minimisation of ecological impact. It also reflects the company’s strategic vision of creating sustainable green value alongside safe, modern, and environmentally friendly construction projects.

The certification serves as a powerful lever for Tien Phong Plastic to expand its market share in green projects, smart cities, and modern infrastructure. It aims to become a billion-dollar enterprise by 2035 and further establish its position on the global green industry map.

In October, the company was honoured to again receive the 2025 Asia-Pacific International Quality Award at the World Class level – the highest recognition for quality and corporate governance. In the 25 years since the award’s inception, only two Vietnamese enterprises have received this award twice.

“This achievement opens wider doors for the company to reach further on the international stage, strongly affirming that Vietnamese brands possess the capability and potential to compete globally, lead trends in green, sustainable, and integrated development in the construction sector, and spread value across multiple industries.” Phuong said.

Tien Phong Plastic has innovated technology, modernised production lines, used 100 per cent safe and environmentally friendly raw materials, and applied advanced management systems such as ISOs. It has also implemented waste treatment solutions, recycling up to 80 per cent of used water back into production. All factories uniformly apply 5S, Lean Six Sigma, and OEE practices to save energy, reduce emissions, increase productivity, and create a safe and employee-friendly working environment.

“The company has also integrated environmental, social, and governance criteria throughout its production and business activities, a crucial step to meet increasingly stringent global requirements while demonstrating its commitment to sustainable development, where economic benefits are inseparable from environmental and social responsibility,” Phuong explained.

The company’s pioneering efforts in applying green solutions and moving towards carbon-neutral production have been recognised through the trust of domestic and international partners. It is currently a strategic partnership with major global and local corporations. In addition, top investors and developers such as Vingroup, Sun Group, Coteccons, and Newtecons consistently trust and prioritise the brand’s products.

Tien Phong Plastic’s products are exported to markets such as Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Germany, alongside trademark protection in China, Myanmar, and Thailand.

At VIR’s digital economy development conference held on November 25, policymakers, businesses, and experts discussed the solutions to unlock AI and 5G prospects to support the country’s digital economy development.

The event heard that 5G is bringing a clear competitive advantage to pioneering countries such as India and Malaysia, and expect this to happen to Vietnam as the government encourages network operators to speed up 5G deployment.

Seck Yee Chung, vice president of the Singapore Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam said 5G and AI together presents an extraordinary, time-sensitive opportunity for the region to leapfrog into a future shaped by intelligent connectivity, digital sovereignty, and inclusive growth.

“When integrated with AI, 5G becomes the infrastructure of innovation, enabling smart factories, precision agriculture, immersive education, AI-powered healthcare, and climate-resilient infrastructure,” Chung said.

5G is providing a competitive edge to countries like India and Malaysia, with governments creating the enablers. India has rolled out the fastest 5G networks, achieving 90 per cent 5G coverage in just 21 months. Today, India has 394 million 5G subscriptions and the highest data consumption globally, at 36 GB per month per active smartphone user. Government recognition of the need for digital infrastructure, effective spectrum allocation and management, and strong support for simplified deployment rules has enabled India to carry this out.

In Malaysia, the DNB network has become a global showcase for 5G. Based on the government’s commitment to leverage 5G to drive Malaysia’s leadership in the region, the country is enjoying more than 80 per cent coverage, one year ahead of schedule. As in the case of India, full 5G coverage is expected to create a GDP uplift of up to RM150 billion ($36.3 billion) by 2030 in Malaysia.

In Vietnam, since the first commercial 5G network was launched in October 2024, all major operators have provided the service, aiming to cover almost the entire population in the coming years.

Nguyen Phong Nha, deputy general director of the Authority of Telecommunications under the Ministry of Science and Technology, said that Vietnam’s telecommunications network currently has advanced technology equivalent to that of developed countries. Currently, the 5G network is widely covered and the fiber optic cable system reaches every village.

“Network operators are ready to cooperate with enterprises to deploy telecommunications application services on 5G networks through virtual network models. This is an opportunity for technology enterprises, and startups to deploy applications for all industries such as smart seaports, smart transportation, and online public services,” Nha said.

Hoang Van Ngoc, director of Strategy at Viettel, said that there are four major trends: AI use, the cloud, data mining and analysis, and innovation on digital platforms and data ecosystems. Ngoc noted that the government’s target is 30 per cent of GDP contribution from the digital economy, while the digital economic growth rate in Vietnam is already among the highest in the region, about 25-30 per cent per year.

“We have a dynamic and open government that promotes institutional change and a desire for transformation,” Ngoc said. “We have a large digital subscriber base and modern telecommunications infrastructure, and we have a high-quality workforce in the IT sector compared to the regional average.”

More importantly, Vietnam has transformed itself from a consumer of digital products to a producer of digital products, and can move towards exporting because of the advantages, Ngoc added.

However, Dong Manh Cuong, head of the Business School at British University Vietnam, said that as new technology platforms develop rapidly, the shortage of hybrid human resources becomes more evident. They must be able to operate blockchain-based financial models, optimise supply chains based on real-time data from 5G, or develop new fintech services.

“Vietnam’s biggest challenge today is not a lack of personnel, but a lack of the right people at the intersection of business and technology – people who are capable of turning technology into productivity, efficiency, and real economic value for businesses and the digital economy,” Cuong explained.