On the afternoon of September 8, the Hai Phong Department of Industry and Trade, in collaboration with the Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden, organized the Hai Phong – Sweden Trade Connection Program with a delegation of Swedish enterprises visiting and working in the city.
This event was held on the sidelines of the Vietnam International Sourcing Fair (VIS 2025) and formed part of the Nordic business delegation’s trade promotion activities in Vietnam.
Strengthening Bilateral Cooperation between Hai Phong and Gothenburg Port
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Representatives from the Port of Gothenburg and the Vietnamese Business Association in Sweden attended the program.
The meeting marked an important step for Hai Phong and Gothenburg to implement their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on export-import and logistics cooperation signed on September 6, 2024.
This activity opens up multiple opportunities to promote trade and logistics collaboration between Hai Phong and Sweden, enhance export capabilities, and affirm Hai Phong’s position as a key international port city.
Hai Phong – The Northern Gateway for Trade and Logistics
During the session, Mr. Nguyen Cong Han, Deputy Director of the Hai Phong Department of Industry and Trade, highlighted that Hai Phong is the largest seaport city in northern Vietnam, hosting 52 international and domestic terminals (accounting for 17.5% of the country’s total), a 125 km coastline, and over 400 km of inland waterways.
The city is the economic, cultural, scientific, and logistics hub of the Northern Coastal Region, offering all five traditional transport modes and one specialized mode, facilitating seaport and logistics development.
Following the merger with Hai Duong Province under Resolution No. 202/2025/QH15, Hai Phong has become the third-largest economic center in Vietnam.
In the first eight months of 2025, Hai Phong achieved impressive growth indicators:
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GRDP increased by 14.51%,
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Total retail sales reached USD 9.3 billion (up 14.8%),
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Total trade value reached USD 60.15 billion, with exports at USD 31.8 billion, marking the eighth consecutive trade surplus year.
With strong potential from the European and Nordic markets, Hai Phong continues to promote trade activities, leverage EVFTA advantages, and affirm its role as a modern, globally integrated port city.
Deepening Cooperation and Sharing Experience
Deputy Director Nguyen Cong Han affirmed that Hai Phong highly values international partnerships and is committed to creating a transparent, equal, and favorable business environment for foreign investors.
Through this cooperation program, the Department of Industry and Trade expects to achieve tangible outcomes and open new prospects for business collaboration between the two sides.
At the meeting, representatives of the Port of Gothenburg shared insights into its operations and development strategies as Northern Europe’s largest port, and both sides discussed the next steps for implementing the MoU.
The Gothenburg side also exchanged valuable experiences on Digital Port Platforms, AI and IoT applications in supply chain management, and green-smart port initiatives, offering practical case studies for Hai Phong’s logistics research and training programs.
Site Visit and Logistics Cooperation Expansion
Earlier that day, the Swedish delegation visited Hateco Hai Phong International Container Terminal (Hateco Port), where both sides discussed cooperation opportunities in investment, trade, and logistics services with the Port of Gothenburg and Vietnamese enterprises in Sweden.
During the visit, the delegation toured the Hateco Port system, learning about its trade promotion initiatives and logistics service development.
Both Hateco Hai Phong International Container Terminal and the Port of Gothenburg agreed to sign a new MoU to strengthen cooperation in port operations, logistics, and international trade.
The two-day program (September 8–9, 2025) included five key collaboration events, focusing on sharing Gothenburg Port’s experiences with Hai Phong’s enterprises and Logistics Association — a step toward realizing the practical cooperation agreements signed by both sides.