Vietnam’s Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh has stressed that developing multimodal transport is essential to enhancing national competitiveness, ensuring economic security, and positioning Vietnam as a regional logistics hub.
Speaking at a conference on promoting connectivity for multimodal transport development on May 21, Minister Tran Hong Minh said Vietnam’s import-export turnover reached nearly USD 930 billion in 2025, while cargo transport volume surpassed 3 billion tonnes, up 14.1% year-on-year.
Minister Tran Hong Minh speaks at the conference on multimodal transport connectivity held on May 21.
Despite the strong growth, the minister acknowledged that Vietnam’s transport system still faces major imbalances. Road transport currently accounts for about 75% of freight volume, while rail transport remains underdeveloped, contributing only 0.18% of the market share.
He also noted that Vietnam’s shipping fleet remains limited, with most international cargo transportation still handled by foreign shipping lines. Inland waterway transport, although cost-effective and capable of carrying large cargo volumes, has yet to reach its full potential due to infrastructure constraints, including channel limitations and low bridge clearance heights.
According to Minister Tran Hong Minh, multimodal transport development is not only about improving infrastructure connectivity but also about strengthening Vietnam’s long-term economic competitiveness in the global supply chain.
He called on regulators, businesses, and experts to work together to remove bottlenecks, improve institutions and planning, accelerate digital transformation and green transition, and strengthen transport connectivity nationwide.
The minister emphasized that each transport mode should play its intended role within an integrated logistics network. Under this approach, road transport would support first-mile and last-mile connectivity, railways would focus on long-distance and high-volume cargo, maritime transport would serve import-export activities, inland waterways would handle bulk cargo at lower costs, and aviation would transport high-value and time-sensitive goods.
Minister Tran Hong Minh also expressed hope that ministries, local authorities, and businesses would strengthen coordination to improve the efficiency of multimodal transport operations across the country.