Vietnam Towards the Sea: Cai Mep – Thi Vai – Opportunities & Actions

7:54:44 PM | 12/26/2025

On December 26, 2025, at Tan Cang – Cai Mep International Terminal (TCIT), Saigon Newport Corporation (SNP) coordinated with the Ho Chi Minh City Logistics and Port Association (HLA) to organize the seminar “Vietnam Towards the Sea: Cai Mep – Thi Vai – Opportunities & Actions.” The event attracted representatives from government authorities, industry associations, shipping lines, logistics service providers, and domestic and international import–export enterprises,

Cai Mep – Thi Vai: A Strategic Gateway and New Growth Engine for Vietnam’s Port System

The Cai Mep – Thi Vai (CM-TV) port cluster is widely recognized as Vietnam’s key deep-water port area, playing a critical role in the national gateway and international transshipment port network. With natural advantages in channel depth, the ability to accommodate large mother vessels, and direct shipping connections to Europe, the United States, South America, Africa, and the Middle East, CM-TV has been steadily consolidating its position as an emerging international cargo transshipment hub in Southeast Asia.

In the context of the integration and expansion of development space between Ho Chi Minh City and the provinces of Binh Duong and Ba Ria – Vung Tau, CM-TV is entering a pivotal phase, increasingly becoming a key connective pillar within the new maritime logistics landscape of the expanded Ho Chi Minh City. This orientation is aligned with the City’s marine economic development strategy, which identifies three core pillars: maritime economy and logistics; oil, gas, energy and renewable energy; and marine tourism and coastal urban development.

Alongside new national and government planning orientations for the development of seaports, logistics systems, and hinterland transport infrastructure, CM-TV is presented with significant opportunities for breakthrough growth. According to Resolution No. 24-NQ/TW of the Politburo on socio-economic development and national defense and security in the Southeast Region, CM-TV is designated as a special-class international gateway, serving as a central driving force for regional development and progressively expanding its international transshipment function, attracting cargo flows from neighboring countries such as Cambodia, Thailand, and the Philippines.

Mr. Nguyễn Hữu Hùng Trường – Head of the Inland Waterway Management Division, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction – presented and updated key information on the post-merger master planning and development orientation of Ho Chi Minh City’s seaport system at the Seminar.

Shifting Logistics Supply Chains Toward Cai Mep – Thi Vai

Recent operational realities indicate that shipping lines and import - export enterprises are increasingly seeking optimized logistics solutions to reduce costs, shorten transit times, and enhance supply chain stability. In this context, strengthening direct cargo delivery and pickup at CM-TV ports is viewed as a key solution to easing pressure on inner-city areas while improving the overall efficiency of Southern Vietnam’s logistics operations.

This trend is further reinforced by the strong potential for the development of industrial zones and new trade areas surrounding the CM-TV region. In particular, the planned Cai Mep Ha Free Trade Zone (FTZ), with a projected area of approximately 3,800 hectares and closely linked to the deep-water port cluster, is expected to create a more flexible institutional framework for logistics, industrial production, and international trade. This provides a foundation for developing integrated industrial–service–logistics models in line with international standards, encouraging enterprises to increase the proportion of direct port delivery and fully leverage the region’s locational, infrastructural, and policy advantages.

At the same time, the synchronized development of transport and logistics infrastructure around CM-TV has become a decisive driver of this shift. Strategic projects such as the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau Expressway, Ho Chi Minh City Ring Roads 3 and 4, together with a growing network of ICDs, logistics centers, and satellite warehouses, are gradually being completed, significantly reducing transportation time and costs from factories to ports. The formation of a large hinterland logistics space directly connecting key industrial zones in the Southeast region with CM-TV creates favorable conditions for import–export enterprises to increase direct port delivery, optimize supply chain efficiency, and reduce reliance on traditional intermediary stages.

The Significance of the Seminar for the Logistics and Port Community

The seminar “Vietnam Towards the Sea: Cai Mep – Thi Vai – Opportunities & Actions” was highly regarded as a specialized dialogue forum, effectively connecting government authorities, industry associations, and the logistics and port business community. Discussions focused on assessing operational realities, market demand, and solutions to promote the shift of logistics supply chains toward CM-TV. Participants shared a consensus that increasing the proportion of direct cargo delivery in the area not only benefits enterprises and shipping lines but also enhances the overall competitiveness of Vietnam’s logistics system in the context of deeper regional and global integration.

Through the seminar, Saigon Newport Corporation reaffirmed its pioneering role in accompanying the State and the business community, proactively creating platforms for dialogue, sharing planning information and development orientations, and proposing practical action solutions for Vietnam’s logistics and port sector.

Experts and representatives from relevant authorities directly addressed questions and engaged in discussions with participating enterprises.

In the Cai Mep – Thi Vai area, SNP is currently developing an integrated port and logistics ecosystem anchored by three key terminals: Tan Cang – Cai Mep International Terminal (TCIT), Tan Cang – Cai Mep Thi Vai Terminal (TCTT), and Tan Cang – Cai Mep Terminal (TCCT). This ecosystem plays a vital role in enhancing capacity for large vessel operations, optimizing logistics service chains, and meeting the increasingly diverse needs of domestic and international shipping lines and customers.

Mr. Trương Tấn Lộc – Director of Marketing of Saigon Newport Corporation and concurrently Chairman of the Members’ Council of Tan Cang – Cai Mep International Terminal (TCIT) – delivering his presentation at the Seminar

Beyond providing valuable information, connectivity, and strategic orientation for the business community, the seminar contributes meaningfully to advancing the realization of the goal of transforming Cai Mep – Thi Vai into a modern, sustainable port and logistics hub, closely integrated into regional and global supply chains.

Tan Cang – Cai Mep International Terminal (TCIT) is a leading partner of major shipping lines and global shipping alliances. TCIT currently operates international services connecting key ports across Asia, Europe, North America, and South America, handling Cambodian transshipment cargo via feeder services as well as domestic cargo through an integrated network of barges and trucks linking destination ports and industrial zones.
Tan Cang – Cai Mep Thi Vai Terminal (TCTT) continues to strengthen cooperation, enhance service quality, expand connectivity, and coordinate with relevant authorities to simplify procedures in order to better meet the needs of customers and shipping lines. These efforts contribute to positioning the Cai Mep deep-water port cluster not only as a critical gateway for Vietnam’s import–export cargo but also as an attractive international transshipment hub for the region.
Tan Cang – Cai Mep Terminal (TCCT) has demonstrated outstanding capabilities in handling bulk carriers, passenger vessels, and wind power project cargo. As Vietnam’s first deep-water port, TCCT has become a pioneer in providing specialized logistics services for oversized and heavy cargo in the Southern region and across neighboring countries.

Saigon Newport Corporation terminals at Cai Mep – Thi Vai have been, are, and will continue to develop flexible and distinctive connectivity solutions, delivering integrated port and logistics services to shipping lines and customers in response to evolving market conditions and emerging challenges.

Source: Vietnam Business Forum