Vice State President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân (middle), Vietnamese Ambassador to Sweden Trần Văn Tuấn (far left) meet Swedish Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Andeas Carlson (third from right) and Erricson Group Vice President Jacob Wallenberg (third from left) in Stockholm on Tuesday. — VNA/VNS Photo

STOCKHOLM — The world’s leading container shipping company MSC announced the expansion of its Swan service starting in 2025, which will establish the first direct route between the Sweden’s Port of Gothenburg and Việt Nam’s southeastern province of Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu.

The announcement was made at a roundtable discussion and Việt Nam–Sweden business forum in Stockholm on Tuesday, with the participation of Việt Nam's Vice State President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân and representatives from nine major Swedish companies.

The service is expected to increase trade flows between the two regions, offering an efficient transportation solution that shortens transit times and reinforces bilateral economic ties.

The initiative follows the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) recently signed between the Port of Gothenburg and the SP-SSA International Terminal (SSIT) of Vũng Tàu. This agreement reflects a mutual commitment to deepening cooperation in the logistics and maritime sectors, positioning both ports as strategic trade hubs in their respective regions.

Vice President Xuân said Việt Nam is transitioning toward a digital economy, green growth, and sustainable development in response to climate change. In this process driven by science, technology and innovation, Việt Nam looks forward to receiving support and cooperation from global partners, including Sweden, with whom Việt Nam shares a strong and positive relationship, particularly in economy, trade, and investment.

According to her, Việt Nam is undertaking institutional reform to improve the business environment, and create favourable conditions for both global and domestic companies, particularly those with long-standing cooperation like Sweden, to invest in Việt Nam.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hoàng Long expressed his hope for support from Swedish companies to strengthen capacity building and share expertise in the power market, particularly in integrating renewable energy sources into power systems.

Jacob Wallenberg, vice president of Ericsson Group, underscored the transformative potential of 5G technology and Việt Nam's growing interest in it. He expressed his confidence in the prospects for continued partnership in this area, stressing that adopting 5G technology is crucial for Việt Nam to become a more attractive investment destination.

With a legacy spanning 150 years, Ericsson is proud of its leadership and strategic vision, and the cutting-edge technology it has delivered to partners, he added. — VNS