Business News

The Vietnamese transport sector has witnessed significant divergence in performance during the first half of 2025, with leading companies reporting robust growth while others, particularly those with ageing fleets, facing declining profits. This trend reflects the broader dynamics of Việt Nam's trade landscape, which has seen a substantial increase in export and import activity.

Việt Nam’s shipping industry is making waves, with three of its major ports docking firmly in the world’s top 50 busiest container ports, according to Dutch maritime consultancy DynaLiners — a sign of the country’s rising tide in global trade. HCM City Port led the Vietnamese trio, ranking 22nd with a throughput of 9.1 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in 2024. 

Cooperation between Việt Nam and China in building 'smart border gates' has become an important highlight in recent years, helping to remove bottlenecks in the flow of goods, especially agricultural products. This is not only a practical step to promote bilateral trade but also demonstrates the determination of both countries to modernise border management, in line with the trend of comprehensive and extensive development.

Vietnam’s outlook for imports, exports, and cargo throughput via seaports is considered favourable in the forthcoming months, as the country faces a 20 per cent reciprocal tariff rate from the United States, significantly lower than China’s 55 per cent and India’s 25 per cent, and on par with Bangladesh. At the same time, Vietnamese exporters are effectively leveraging preferential tariffs through the country’s extensive network of free trade agreements, allowing for more flexible and efficient operations.

According to the World Bank (WB), transport activities in Vietnam emit an average of more than 50 million metric tons of CO2 annually, with road transport accounting for 85%. Green logistics is becoming an essential trend as businesses must optimize efficiency and reduce their environmental impact in the context of globalization and climate change.

The real estate market across Việt Nam witnessed a notable surge in activity in July 2025, driven by investor psychology ahead of the Ghost Month and the positive effects from a series of major infrastructure projects launched in celebration of the 80th anniversary of National Day (September 2). In Việt Nam and several other Asian countries, the 'Ghost Month', the seventh lunar month, is believed to be a period of bad luck and inauspicious for buying major items such as cars and houses.

While major logistics hubs like London, Sydney and Dubai face soaring costs and slowing rental growth, Việt Nam is emerging as a standout market for warehouse investment. Offering reasonable rental rates and strong long-term potential, the country is carving out a crucial role in regional supply chains. A recent global report from real estate consultancy Savills reveals that prime warehouse rents worldwide rose by only 1.1 per cent in the first half of 2025 - the slowest growth in three years.

Following the recent provincial mergers, Việt Nam now has 21 coastal provinces and cities. At the same time, new inter-regional waterways stretching hundreds of kilometres have been established. Experts consider this a golden opportunity for the country to unlock its untapped potential in waterway transport.