The opportunity to turn the logistics industry into a spearhead

Through many workshops, city leaders have also identified bottlenecks and have implemented some solutions, but it seems that the effectiveness is still not as expected.

I think that the direction of planning for the transportation system, dry ports, and logistics centers is mostly correct, but the implementation is too slow to keep up with the development needs of the logistics industry.

As I mentioned above, the solutions that the City is implementing have had some effect, but due to slow investment and lack of synchronization, the desired effectiveness has not been achieved.

Ho Chi Minh City aims to make logistics a key industry with a service revenue growth rate of 15% by 2025 and 20% by 2030. To achieve this goal, what do you think Ho Chi Minh City needs to do?

I believe that to unclog the bottlenecks of Ho Chi Minh City's logistics, the first thing is to accelerate the construction of transportation infrastructure. National highways such as National Highway 13 connecting to Binh Duong, National Highway 22 connecting to Tay Ninh, National Highway 50 connecting to Long An, and expressways like Ho Chi Minh City - Moc Bai, Ho Chi Minh City - Thu Dau Mot - Chon Thanh need faster investment. A positive sign in 2023 is that the city has started the construction of the Ring Road 3, expanding National Highway 50 connecting Ho Chi Minh City to Long An.

Building infrastructure connectivity with the region is very important, requiring localities in the region to collaborate. Recently, a positive sign is the simultaneous commencement of the Ring Road 3, the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway by localities, with each locality implementing the section that passes through its area. In my opinion, this approach should continue to be promoted for regional infrastructure construction projects to boost logistics activities.

For logistics centers and distribution centers, Ho Chi Minh City should study the planning in conjunction with transport hubs such as airports, seaports, industrial zones to optimize connectivity between transport routes and warehouse systems, ensuring smooth goods circulation.

To quickly establish logistics centers, the city should invite private enterprises to invest, just need to create a transparent mechanism and approve procedures quickly, then I think, businesses will participate. If it is possible to develop centralized logistics centers, expanding the scale to serve full-package services, it will maximize the potential of Ho Chi Minh City's logistics industry.

Regarding human resources, the city can open a university specializing in logistics to supply manpower for the city and the southern region.

Ho Chi Minh City needs to play a leading role, connecting with the logistics areas of provinces and cities; synchronously developing supporting industries, especially the information technology industry to solve logistics time and cost problems. The city needs to act faster and stronger in developing logistics, not just stopping at making plans and then not implementing them for many years.

From the business perspective, do you have any suggestions for Ho Chi Minh City to develop the logistics industry?

On the business side, we suggest that logistics infrastructure planning must be specialized and detailed, in line with planning for trade and industry to help logistics businesses, retailers have a basis to go in the right direction, gather collective strength.

Moreover, the policy framework is something that needs to be discussed. Logistics is a very broad industry, if broken down, there are many tasks, so it is very necessary for the Government to issue specific policies and bring them under a unified management agency, instead of issuing general regulations related to many ministries and sectors, making it very difficult for businesses to implement.

Regarding the Ho Chi Minh City government, it needs to create a transparent mechanism in investment procedures for logistics enterprises. Infrastructure items that businesses want and are capable of investing in should be allowed for businesses to undertake.

I hope that Ho Chi Minh City will take advantage of Resolution 98/2023/QH15 to make the logistics sector a key economic sector of the city, avoiding missing the opportunity.

Vietnam Investment Review