Vietnam Seizes Unprecedented Opportunity to Realize Bold Ambitions in Air Logistics

Kicking off the event, Mr. Nguyen Duc Trung, an independent economic expert and advisor at Minh Triết Capital, painted a comprehensive picture of Vietnam’s new economic growth drivers in 2024. Vietnam achieved an impressive 7.1% growth rate, outpacing many regional peers. This robust growth was primarily fueled by foreign direct investment (FDI) and exports.

According to Mr. Trung, “Achieving double-digit growth by 2026 is an ambitious goal that demands fresh catalysts. Vietnam stands at an unprecedented crossroads with strategic initiatives like the development of an International Financial Center in Ho Chi Minh City and the Long Thanh Airport City—a global aviation hub integrated with a Free Trade Zone. These projects are poised to create new growth poles. In this landscape, logistics connectivity emerges as the vital ‘lifeline,’ essential for unlocking Vietnam’s potential to solidify its position in the global supply chain and realize its grand ambitions.”

Speaking at the event, Mr. Mai Xuan Hung, CEO and Board Member of SGMI, highlighted Vietnam’s golden era as it evolves into a global manufacturing and export hub. The shift in supply chains has created an urgent demand for fast, efficient, and reliable air logistics services.

Currently, Vietnam faces a severe shortage of domestic logistics enterprises meeting international standards. This gap weakens the competitiveness of Vietnam’s logistics sector in the global supply chain and diminishes the appeal of Vietnamese exports. SGMI views this as a golden investment opportunity, Mr. Hung emphasized.

SGMI’s strategic partnership with CT Strategies and Minh Triết Capital aims to enter the air logistics sector with a long-term vision: to build an air logistics enterprise capable of competing regionally. This initiative seeks to facilitate faster, cheaper, and safer global trade for Vietnamese goods.

Mr. Mai Xuan Hung underscored that the strategic alliance between SGMI, CT Strategies, and Minh Triết Capital maximizes the strengths of all three parties—a recipe for success.

In this collaboration, SGMI provides capital for critical physical infrastructure development. CT-Strategies offers expertise in managing extended air cargo facilities and free trade zones, helping SGMI attain international logistics certifications (AEO, C-TPAT, etc.). Minh Triết Capital serves as the financial and public relations advisor, connecting SGMI with potential clients and strategic investors.

According to Mr. Thoang Tran, Director of CT Strategies Vietnam, integrating free trade zones with extended air cargo facilities, CFS warehouses, and bonded warehouses is a proven model in many countries. In Vietnam’s economic context, this model will deepen its integration into the global economy.

Citing Costa Rica’s example, a Central American nation with 50 active free trade zones, Mr. Thoang Tran noted that every dollar invested in these zones yields eight dollars in return. With a 2024 GDP per capita of over $17,500, Costa Rica’s success offers valuable lessons. Vietnam, with a GDP per capita of around $5,000, can draw inspiration from such models to unlock growth drivers, Mr. Tran suggested.

Humbly addressing the event, Mr. Andrew Farrelly, CEO and Co-founder of CT Strategies, acknowledged that while CT Strategies is a “small enterprise,” it has implemented hundreds of free trade zones globally, including managing nearly 200 of the 294 zones in the United States.

“There’s no better location than the Southeast region, with its International Financial Center, Cai Mep deep-sea port, and Long Thanh International Airport, to build a successful free trade zone. This project, alongside our new partners SGMI and Minh Triết Capital, marks the realization of our commitment made years ago. Choosing Vietnam as our first expansion destination holds immense significance for us,” Mr. Farrelly affirmed.

As part of this strategic alliance, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hai, Chairman of Minh Triết Capital, shared his perspective. Vietnam’s economy is experiencing remarkable growth, with an 8% GDP increase and over $900 billion in trade, ranking it among the top 20 global economies in trade volume. Amid this, air logistics demand is more critical than ever. Minh Triết Capital positions itself as the “Financial Core – Investment Connector” in fostering international trade relations.

“We pledge to deploy our best resources to fulfill today’s memorandum and accompany Vietnam’s development in this era of ascent,” Mr. Hai committed.

He expressed confidence that, with support from both governments, CT Strategies’ global expertise, and SGMI’s execution capabilities, the Long Thanh International Airport’s extended air cargo facility will soon become operational—a beacon for Vietnam’s logistics sector.

The leaders of CT Strategies, SGMI, and Minh Triết Capital jointly reaffirmed their long-term vision: to establish an air logistics foundation and develop an ecosystem alongside new infrastructure. This initiative aims to propel goods and investments, driving Vietnam’s prosperous growth in this transformative era.