Connecting business development in Dong Nai logistics industry

Dong Nai is among the leading localities nationwide in terms of economic development and business community strength. Within that, logistics enterprises are playing an increasingly important role and position in the supply chain, spanning production and consumption, as well as import and export.

Signing ceremony of the cooperation agreement between the Dong Nai Logistics Association and Vietcombank Bien Hoa branch. Photo: Vuong The

The Dong Nai Logistics Association was officially established and launched on December 1. This occasion is a significant event designed to connect, link, and support the development of members and businesses in the sector, contributing to the elevation of Dong Nai’s logistics service industry.

Much potential for developing the logistics service industry

According to experts, with its new role and position following the merger, the new Dong Nai province is expected to become a key area in Vietnam's logistics development in the future.

As someone who has spent many years researching and accompanying the development of Vietnam’s logistics sector, Tran Thanh Hai, Deputy Director of the Agency of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, remarked that Dong Nai is one of the localities with significant advantages for logistics development. In addition to its road and waterway networks, the area’s air logistics is expected to be a distinctive strength, closely linked to Long Thanh International Airport, which is soon to become operational. This airport holds a strategic position for the entire region; hence, the province should aim to develop it into a key cargo transshipment hub for both the region and the country, thereby enhancing the country's economic competitiveness.

Dong Nai aims to become a central hub for transportation and logistics, as well as a key center for the economy, culture, education, training, and science and technology. According to Dong Nai Provincial Planning for the 2021–2030 period, with a vision extending to 2050, the province will develop four large logistics centers, along with warehousing hubs, across multiple localities.

Sharing the same view, Nguyen Hoai Chung, CEO of Phaata International Logistics Exchange, said that in addition to the areas surrounding Long Thanh Airport and industrial parks, the expansion of administrative boundaries will create space for further development. New transportation projects will also facilitate more convenient connections between the Central Highlands and Binh Phuoc (old) and both Long Thanh Airport and Cai Mep Port. These new connection routes, along with the Hoa Lu ICD, will help expand Dong Nai’s logistics footprint, positioning the province as a transshipment gateway for goods from Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand to the East Sea.

Similarly, Vu Ngoc Long, Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, also commented: "Dong Nai is one of the country's major industrial and export centers, closely connected with Ho Chi Minh City and the Central Highlands." Currently, Dong Nai's import-export turnover reaches dozens of billions of USD each year. In the current economic context, logistics is no longer merely a supporting service industry, as it has become one of the key driving forces promoting growth and enhancing the competitiveness of the local economy.

To unlock the potential of the logistics sector, businesses in the industry also hope the locality will continue to accelerate administrative procedure reform, creating more favorable conditions for investors to develop logistics centers that apply modern technology and automation in warehouse and transportation management. In addition, expanding industrial parks, enhancing the application of information technology and artificial intelligence in supply chain management, and promoting green logistics are also key priorities.

Connecting businesses, elevating services

To develop the province’s logistics service industry as expected, Director of the Department of Industry and Trade Vu Ngoc Long proposed that the Dong Nai Logistics Association strengthen its role as a representative body and a bridge between businesses and the government; actively engage in policy consultation and critique in the fields of logistics, transportation, and import-export; and promptly propose solutions to difficulties and obstacles faced by enterprises. At the same time, the association should also enhance regional and international linkages, establish connections with associations and businesses both domestically and internationally, and promote digital transformation, green logistics, and smart logistics to meet the requirements of sustainable development and international integration.

Phuoc An Port - one of the important components in Dong Nai's logistics service system. Photo: Vuong The

From the business community, Phan Dinh Canh, Chairman of the Dong Nai Logistics Association, shared that the association aims to promote connectivity, enhance competitiveness, and support enterprises in their development amid deep international integration and rapid digital transformation. The Dong Nai Logistics Association will fully leverage the potential and advantages of Long Thanh Airport and the seaports located in the province to drive logistics growth. The association strives to become a reliable bridge between businesses and the government, promptly reflecting the concerns and recommendations of its members, and fostering connectivity, cooperation, and knowledge sharing to build a synchronized, efficient, and highly competitive Dong Nai logistics network both regionally and nationwide. At the same time, it will actively participate in planning logistics infrastructure connectivity, contribute solutions to improve logistics performance indicators, and help enhance the province’s business environment.

Beyond linking individual enterprises, Vu Thang Loi, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Institute for Research and Development of Logistics, emphasized that the development of Dong Nai’s logistics industry must be viewed within the broader context of regional integration. Accordingly, the province should aim to develop a province-wide logistics data platform that is interconnected with the national platform, while also promoting the role of the Coordinating Council for the Southeastern Region through concrete initiatives such as schemes, studies, projects, and practical regional logistics policies. The Dong Nai Logistics Association should also maintain close ties with the Vietnam Logistics Business Association (VLA) in proposing development policies for both the province and the industry.

By Vuong The – Translated by Mai Nga, Minho