Nguyễn Tuấn, deputy director of the Investment and Trade Promotion of HCM City, speaks at the seminar in HCM City on July 4. — Photo courtesy of ITPC

HCM CITY — HCM City needs to invest more in logistics to become a regional transshipment hub for goods, a seminar heard in HCM City on July 4.

Speaking at “Improving capacity of HCM City’s logistics and port systems towards promoting economic growth and regional connectivity,” Nguyễn Tuấn, deputy director of the Investment and Trade Promotion of HCM City (ITPC), said logistics contributes enormously to the city’s economy.

Recognising its importance, the city has approved a scheme for its development from now through 2025 with a vision to 2030, he said.

It aims to develop logistics into a spearhead services sector, reduce logistics costs and develop the city into a regional transshipment port.

Eight logistics centres will be built on a total area of over 750ha in Thủ Đức City and Củ Chi, Bình Chánh, Nhà Bè, and Hóc Môn districts to facilitate better cargo transportation to and from other localities.

Businesses are building more facilities "similar to logistics centres" such as a cold storage at the Vĩnh Lộc Industrial Park and an e-commerce warehouse in Củ Chi District, Tuấn said.

Assoc. Prof Dr. Nguyễn Đức Minh, rector of the College of Foreign Economic Relations, said the city aims to have a comprehensive, modern and high-quality port system by 2030, and the ports are expected to be modern and on a par with others in the region and elsewhere, meeting green criteria and contributing to improving the competitiveness of the city's economy.

The logistics industry needs to have human resources and technology in place to build and run ports efficiently, he said.

The Vietnamese logistics sector has been at a cost disadvantage compared to its counterparts in other countries because of inefficient ports, according to speakers.

Trương Nguyên Linh of the HCM City Logistics Association said the biggest obstacles faced by the sector are packed roads and general lack of connectivity.

The city needs to make zoning plans for logistics infrastructure and invest more in its transport system, especially inland waterways, he said.

In addition, dredging rivers to make it easier for vessels to enter ports in the city is needed, he said.

Along with the development of e-commerce and the digital economy, e-logistics plays an increasingly important role, and so investment in logistics and IT infrastructure for e-logistics is an urgent need, delegates said.

The sector needs to enhance digital transformation to optimize processes, end-to-end communication, supply chain management, improve customer experience, and control costs, they said.

The seminar also discussed development of human resources for the sector and solutions for green logistics development.

It called on logistics firms and schools to enhance links for training human resources.

The seminar was held by ITPC and the College of Foreign Economic Relations, and Vietnam Association for Logistics Manpower Development. — VNS