Nguyen Hoai Chung, CEO of the Phaata International Logistics Exchange: Leveraging opportunities for Dong Nai to become an international-standard logistics hub

Dong Nai has been and is gradually becoming a strategic locality in the development of Vietnam’s logistics services. Regional linkages are being strengthened to form a complete logistics ecosystem, while the province is focusing on building mechanisms and policies, supporting businesses, and promoting digital transformation to enhance the sector’s competitiveness.

Nguyen Hoai Chung, CEO of the Phaata International Logistics Exchange

Reporters from Dong Nai Newspaper and Radio, Television conducted an interview with Nguyen Hoai Chung, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Phaata International Logistics Exchange, on solutions for Dong Nai to make breakthroughs in the logistics sector.

Forming an international-standard logistics hub

• Dong Nai is considered a convergence point for multiple modes of transport and a locality with strong potential for logistics development. What is your perspective on this?

- Dong Nai is not only a convergence point for various transport modes, but is also emerging as a leading multimodal transport “super hub” in ASEAN. The province possesses a full range of transport modes at a highly optimal level, including Long Thanh International Airport as an airport urban area and an aviation logistics hub; an interregional expressway network forming North-South and East-West connectivity axes; inland waterways and river-seaport systems linking to the Cai Mep - Thi Vai area and directly accessing international shipping routes; and major railway lines that significantly reduce transportation costs.

After the merger, Dong Nai has resolved a long-standing bottleneck in the North-South corridor through the former Binh Phuoc and the Central Highlands. New transport projects will also improve connectivity from the Central Highlands and the former Binh Phuoc to Long Thanh International Airport and Cai Mep Port. These new linkages, together with the Hoa Lu ICD, will help the province expand its logistics space and become a transshipment gateway for goods from Cambodia, Laos and Thailand to the East Sea.

Dong Nai is also developing a complete “Inland Port - Seaport - Aviation” logistics ecosystem, serving seamless cargo consolidation, transshipment and export. Once the aviation free trade zone (FTZ) associated with Long Thanh International Airport is planned and implemented, the province will strongly attract high-value supply chains.

• To fully capitalize on its unique advantages, what effective solutions does Dong Nai need to adopt?

- In my view, Dong Nai should focus on four key groups of solutions. First, it needs to complete the North-South logistics axis, especially critical projects such as the Ma Da Bridge - DT753, new expressways, and the railway network, to ensure seamless connectivity between northern raw material regions and Long Thanh International Airport as well as the Phuoc An / Cai Mep - Thi Vai port cluster.

The province needs to strongly develop the inland port system and multimodal transport, bringing logistics services closer to production areas. Inland container depots (ICDs) such as Hoa Lu, Chon Thanh and Dong Phu should become “extended ports,” integrated with the aviation logistics center at Long Thanh to support high-value industries.

Investment in human resources and technology, particularly in advanced training for aviation logistics and policies to attract high-quality experts, should also be emphasized. In addition, the province needs to accelerate digital transformation, apply artificial intelligence (AI), and develop smart industrial parks.

Priority should also be given to green and sustainable development, protecting ecosystems during infrastructure implementation and transforming industrial parks toward an ecological model, in line with the net-zero target by 2050.

Long Thanh Airport is a major driving force for the future development of logistics services in Dong Nai. Photo: Vuong The

• With Ho Chi Minh City neighboring Dong Nai, how important is the connectivity and cooperation between the two localities in developing logistics for regional and national growth?

- From my perspective, this is not merely a relationship between two neighboring localities, but the emergence of a “symbiotic logistics ecosystem” that is decisive for national competitiveness. This connectivity creates a rare, fully integrated multimodal logistics hub, combining maritime, aviation, road and rail transport within a radius of just 50 kilometers.

Such linkage also helps Vietnam enhance its competitiveness against major regional logistics hubs such as Singapore, Shanghai and Dubai, while avoiding overlapping investments through a clear division of roles: Ho Chi Minh City as a center for commerce, services, industry and seaports, and Dong Nai as a production, warehousing and aviation hub.

Both localities act as growth engines for surrounding regions, while strengthening resilience and sharing the burden when congestion or supply chain disruptions occur.

Business linkages determine logistics development

• How do you assess the current state of digital transformation in the logistics services sector?

- The Vietnam Logistics Report 2023 by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, with the theme “Digital Transformation in Logistics,” which I participated in editing, shows that 80% of enterprises consider digital transformation very important, yet the actual level of implementation remains very limited.

Therefore, enterprises need to step up the application of AI-driven operations, such as optimizing transport routes, automating warehousing, and forecasting demand. They should invest strongly in digital human resources and strengthen cooperation between educational institutions and businesses. At the same time, they should participate in digital ecosystems and platforms, leverage Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions and logistics exchange platforms to access modern solutions, connect with markets, and develop sales and marketing at a reasonable cost.

• The Dong Nai Logistics Association has just been established. What recommendations do you have for the association and its member enterprises in promoting linkage and joint development?

- From my point of view, linkage and cooperation among logistics enterprises are critically important. Such collaboration helps overcome fragmentation, optimize costs, and shift from providing single services to offering integrated, end-to-end logistics solutions, thereby increasing service value and competitiveness and enabling participation in global supply chains right at the local level.

The Dong Nai Logistics Association needs to play a strong role as a policy bridge with the province; lead training, digital transformation and green logistics initiatives for its members; and build a culture of transparent cooperation. For enterprises, the top priority is digital transformation to enable effective connectivity, identify suitable markets rather than directly compete with large corporations, and proactively prepare for green logistics standards in line with global trends.

• As a pioneering platform in the logistics exchange model in Vietnam, how do you position Phaata’s role in addressing the current challenge of connecting supply and demand?

- Phaata is not merely a technology platform; we position ourselves as a “comprehensive connectivity ecosystem” designed to address supply-demand challenges in logistics through three core roles.

For import-export enterprises, Phaata helps cargo owners quickly search, compare and select logistics services, optimize costs, enhance competitiveness for each shipment, and increase opportunities to bring more orders back to Vietnam.

For logistics companies, Phaata serves as an expanded sales and marketing channel, creating daily opportunities to reach new customers and partners, strengthen brand recognition, enhance competitiveness, and achieve sustainable revenue growth in line with the O2O (Online to Offline) trend.

At the industry level, Phaata contributes to promoting market transparency, creating pressure to improve service quality, and strengthening overall competitiveness.

• Thank you for your insights!

By Vuong The - Translated by Dang Huyen, Thu Ha