“Vietnam is a rapidly growing market in Southeast Asia with a lot of potential, and this deal underpins our ambition here. We are pleased to announce we are assisting HHIT to build a sustainable and efficient terminal for the future,” said Jonathan Goldner, chief executive of Asia and Middle East at APM Terminals.

“APM Terminals operates a comprehensive global network of 62 container terminals, so HHIT is delighted that it will support us as we develop the largest and most modern environmentally sustainable container port in north Vietnam,” said Nguyen Van Tien, CEO, HHIT.

The MoU was signed at a ceremony in Hanoi on March 19, the first day of a Dutch trade mission to Vietnam that is focussing on logistics, renewable energy, and waste management, among other things. Representatives from 44 Dutch companies and organisations are in Vietnam to showcase innovative solutions for logistical, environmental, and energy supply challenges.

Last year, APM Terminals announced a partnership with HATECO Group to develop two new deep-water berths at Lach Huyen port in Haiphong city. The project will be able to handle 'mega vessels' and significantly reduce the cost of importing and exporting once it is operational from the first quarter of 2025. As part of the project, APM Terminals will share best practices on safety, port automation, AI, and decarbonisation, which are mutually shared priorities as public-private partners.

"The planned development of more terminals represents a clear opportunity to support the growing business activities in Haiphong city and the region," said Jian Dan, principal for Investments, Regional Growth, Asia and Middle East, APM Terminals.

Since 2007, APM Terminals has been active in Cai Mep International Terminal (CMIT), which supports Ho Chi Minh City. CMIT is also one of the few terminals in Southeast Asia capable of accommodating the largest container vessels in the world.