Hô Chi Minh City Targets 80% Direct Cargo Transit Through 2030

Hô Chi Minh-Ville is aggressively overhauling its trade architecture to capture higher-value links in the global supply chain. The southern economic metropolis aims to channel more than 80% of its imported and exported goods directly through its integrated network of seaports, airports, railway stations, and dry ports (ICDs) across the 2026–2030 period. This strategic pivot pairs multimodal transport upgrades with rigorous digitalization to slash logistics overhead and boost regional competitiveness.

Decision 4560 and the Establishment of Cai Mep Ha Free Trade Zone

The legal foundation for this expansion took a major leap forward when Nguyen Cong Vinh, vice president of the Hô Chi Minh-Ville People’s Committee, signed Decision n° 4560/QD-UBND on July 23, 2026. The decree officially establishes the Cai Mep Ha Free Trade Zone, spanning 4,174.35 hectares within the wards of Tan Phuoc and Tan Hai.

Situated roughly 50 kilometers northwest of central Hô Chi Minh-Ville and about 25 kilometers north of Long Thanh International Airport, the newly designated zone is structured into eight distinct spatial sub-zones. According to the 2026 administrative decision, the project implements special economic mechanisms authorized under Resolution n° 98/2023/QH15 and its subsequent amendment, Resolution n° 260/2025/QH15.

Global Ranking and Deep-Water Infrastructure Integration

The region’s heavy-hitting logistics credentials rest on the performance of the Cai Mep – Thi Vai deep-water terminal complex. In the Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) 2025, published by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence in June 2026, the port of Cai Mep secured 122 points to rank 11th globally. That performance outpaces major regional hubs including Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia and Kaohsiung in Taiwan.

The multimodal corridor links the Cai Mep Ha Free Trade Zone with the Cai Mep – Thi Vai deep-water complex, the Can Gio international transshipment port, and Long Thành International Airport.

Relocating Urban Ports and Decongesting City Traffic

While the outer estuaries scale up, the inner city is shedding industrial freight congestion. The Hô Chi Minh-Ville Department of Construction is executing an urban spatial restructuring plan to relocate the seaport system away from the city center. Heavy truck traffic along routes such as Nguyen Duy Trinh Street in the Phu Huu, Long Truong, and Truong Thanh wards has long strained urban roads, creating safety risks and particulate pollution.

Under Decision 407/QD-BXD issued by the Ministry of Construction, the city’s maritime framework spans functional port zones including Cat Lai – Phu Huu, the Saigon River, Hiep Phuoc, Nha Be, Long Binh, and Can Gio. As operations shift toward estuarial zones like Cai Mep – Thi Vai, former riverfront terminals along the Saigon River are slated for reorganization into riverine transshipment platforms or public parks, museums, and commercial spaces.

Economic Targets and Regional Logistics Growth

Municipal planners project that logistics service revenues will expand by 13% to 16% annually through 2030, accounting for 8% to 10% of the regional gross domestic product (GRDP). Over the same timeframe, the city intends to compress logistics costs down to 11% to 14% of GRDP. Export growth is targeted at 10% to 11% annually, while imports are projected to grow between 9% and 10%.

To achieve these metrics, the municipal action plan incorporates intelligent transport systems (ITS), digital port management, and specialized facilities for cross-border e-commerce logistics. By anchoring high-tech industrial zones and attracting multinational logistics companies to the new free trade zone, Hô Chi Minh-Ville is betting that seamless multimodal connectivity will cement its status as a primary international trade gateway.