To become a key national and regional logistics hub, the city is recommended to implement solutions applying science, technology, and digital technology in the sector.
It was stated that the city needed to specify planning for logistics centers and infrastructure to strengthen logistics services.
Efforts must be made to complete investment procedures, start construction, and put into operation important logistics service infrastructure projects such as two Inland Container Depots in Cổ Bi Commune, Gia Lâm District and Đức Thượng Commune, Hoài Đức District; an international container port in Cổ Bi Commune, Gia Lâm District; a postal and delivery center in Kim Hoa Commune, Mê Linh District; and a number of logistics center projects in the city during the period of 2021-25.
The city must enhance investment promotion in logistics service infrastructure projects; research and build logistics centers with appropriate scale on belt roads, connecting goods consolidation hubs, warehouses, and distribution areas in production, agricultural, and industrial zones.
The city was advised to concentrate on developing warehouse and specialized warehouse systems, building smart transportation systems transforming logistics infrastructure, and developing a digital platform connecting goods producers, shippers, and customers.
Additionally, it had to promote logistics linking the Capital Region to other provinces and cities; support professional associations related to logistics services; and attract major global and domestic logistics service providers and enterprises to set up facilities to make the capital a logistics operating center of the northern region.
It was recommended that the city strengthen the application of modern science, technology, and digital technology to overcome the shortcomings of urban traffic.
It is necessary to effectively deploy the Smart Traffic project, build a control mechanism for freight transport units and policies to encourage innovation and improve the quality of goods transport vehicles, and switch to environmentally-friendly transportation methods.
It also needs to form a common trading floor for transport modes, promote the development of logistics services, and help connect freight transport modes to optimize two-way freight transport.
Untapped Potential
The city holds the central position of the Northern Key Economic Region, with a synchronous transportation system including road, sea, river, aviation, and rail networks.
However, the city’s logistics service development has not yet risen to fulfill its potential.
Currently, there are about 25,000 logistics businesses, but they only meet 25 percent of domestic demand.
The system of warehouses and logistics centers in the city is still small, lacking connection and specialized goods storage (cool storage, cold storage, document warehouse).
The number of Inland Container Depots is low and only connected by road, lacking other transport links such as railways or waterways.
The plan on developing logistics services in the city sets the goal of «Developing logistics infrastructure synchronously with transport infrastructure, civilized and modern commercial infrastructure, making the city an important logistics hub of the country and the region».
However, it was stated that the implementation of the plan encountered a number of difficulties and challenges, including incomplete infrastructure and traffic jams, as well as an increasing number of transportation vehicles.
All of these affect the quality of delivery services and customer experience.
Bottlenecks in mechanisms, policies, infrastructure, human resources, technology, and especially problems of connection and linkage among logistics services in the city, have led to increasing logistics costs, affecting product prices, export, import, and circulation of goods.