MARITIME FINANCE AND INLAND WATERWAY LOGISTICS: NEW DRIVERS FOR HO CHI MINH CITY IN THE JOURNEY TO DEVELOP AN INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CENTER

On the morning of May 26th, at the business consultation workshop on the Draft Special Urban Law, chaired by Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, numerous perspectives from the business community were acknowledged with the aim of perfecting new mechanisms for the City.

Within the framework of the workshop, Mr. Pham Quoc Long, Deputy General Director of Gemadept Corporation, proposed the addition of mechanisms for the development of international maritime finance. Simultaneously, he advocated for the expansion of the legal framework and inland waterway logistics infrastructure, aiming to generate further development momentum for Ho Chi Minh City—the economic locomotive of the nation.

Drawing on the experience of a leading port and logistics operator, the Gemadept representative proposed that Ho Chi Minh City strengthen the planning of inland waterway terminals, dry ports, and logistics centers, with a priority on upgrading the vertical clearance of major bridges. Notably, Mr. Pham Quoc Long also underscored the necessity of developing an international maritime financial ecosystem (IMFC) within the framework of the Viet Nam International Financial Center in Ho Chi Minh City (VIFC-HCMC). This model is anticipated to connect seaport infrastructure, logistics, insurance, credit, and more, thereby helping to retain maritime service cash flows domestically and attracting global financial institutions.

These recommendations highlight the increasingly pivotal role of Maritime Finance and Logistics in the development strategy of VIFC-HCMC, unlocking opportunities for Ho Chi Minh City to enhance its competitiveness, optimize costs, and solidify its standing on the regional financial and commercial map.