Vietnam’s port industry is growing rapidly.
In 2024, the country’s seaport system handled around 864 million tonnes of cargo, while container throughput reached almost 30 million TEU. By the first five months of 2026, port throughput continued to grow, reaching around 546 million tonnes of port throughput continued to grow, reaching around 546 million tonnes of cargo and more than 15 million TEU.
For port and terminal operators, this growth is undeniably a positive market indicator, but at the same time, it creates an operational challenge. When cargo volumes grow, terminals need to coordinate more vessel calls, handle more container flows, allocate more cargo across the yard, process more trucks at the gate, exchange more documents and provide better visibility to carriers, shippers, warehouses, inland transport providers and other supply chain partners.
At a certain point, infrastructure alone is not enough to keep terminal operations scalable. Strictly speaking, real scalability depends on how well daily operations are planned, executed and monitored.
This is where digital terminal operations become critical.
Vietnam is becoming a global supply chain node
Vietnam is no longer only a fast-growing logistics market. It is becoming an important operational node in global supply chains.
According to industry data, the country’s seaport system includes 34 port zones and 320 terminals, with a designed capacity of around 950 million tonnes per year. Modern deep-water ports such as Cai Mep – Thi Vai and Lach Huyen can handle large container vessels and connect Vietnam directly with trans-Pacific and European routes.
This makes Vietnam’s ports strategically important not only for domestic trade, but also for international manufacturing, export logistics and regional supply chain connectivity.
The country’s export economy is highly diverse. Electronics, computers and components, phones and components, machinery and equipment, textiles, footwear, wood products, seafood and agricultural goods all depend on reliable logistics operations.
For terminals, this means handling different cargo categories and, moreover, working with different service requirements, different cargo flows, different documentation scenarios, different partners and different levels of time sensitivity.
Growth is changing the operational load
Vietnam’s port growth is shifting. Container flows are growing strongly. High-value industrial exports require reliable schedules and better visibility. Imports of production materials, machinery and components support the country’s manufacturing sector. At the same time, agricultural goods, seafood, wood products and other export flows create additional requirements for storage, handling, documentation and coordination.
This creates a more complex logistics picture.
Ports and terminals need to handle:
- more high-value containerized flows;
- more production-linked import cargo;
- more time-sensitive export shipments;
- more connections between factories, warehouses, ports and inland transport;
- more pressure on gateway ports and deep-water terminals;
- more variation between different port regions and cargo flows.
Some port clusters are accelerating faster than others. Gateway and deep-water terminals such as Cai Mep – Thi Vai, Lach Huyen, Ho Chi Minh City and Hai Phong are becoming critical nodes in Vietnam’s logistics network, but their growth patterns are not identical.
For terminal operators, this means that operational flexibility becomes just as important as capacity. When cargo flows change, terminal processes must adapt quickly.
Why infrastructure alone is not enough
Port infrastructure is essential. Berths, yards, cranes, gates, roads, warehouses and inland connections create the physical basis for cargo movement. But physical capacity does not automatically guarantee operational scalability.
A terminal can have enough space and equipment, but still face bottlenecks if daily operations are managed through disconnected tools, manual coordination or delayed information exchange. When vessel calls, truck flows, yard pressure and cargo mix change at the same time, isolated operational processes quickly become a constraint.
Terminal teams need to see what is happening in real time. They need to understand where cargo is located, which equipment is available, what tasks are planned, which trucks are expected, which vessels are being processed, which documents are missing and where operational delays may occur.
A growing terminal needs a shared operational environment where teams can plan, execute, monitor and improve daily processes based on accurate data.
What a modern Terminal Operating System connects
A modern Terminal Operating System helps connect the key operational layers of a terminal in one digital environment.
These layers may include:
- vessel planning and berth operations;
- yard management and cargo allocation;
- gate operations and truck processing;
- rail and truck workflows;
- cargo handling and equipment dispatching;
- documentation and status control;
- billing and service calculation;
- reporting, analytics and KPI control;
- integration with external systems, partners and equipment.
For fast-growing logistics markets, this is not only an automation matter but also a guarantee of operational scalability:
- When cargo volumes increase, terminal teams need real-time control.
- When cargo mix changes, planning rules must adapt.
- When more partners become involved, data exchange must become faster and more reliable.
- When customers need better visibility, terminal events must be captured, structured and shared.
A TOS helps make these processes connected rather than fragmented.
Digital operations create scalability
Vietnam’s logistics growth shows a broader trend that is relevant for many fast-growing port markets. While growth itself creates complexity, digital operations ensure scalability.
The more connected a port system becomes, the more important it is to manage operations as an integrated process rather than a set of isolated tasks.
For terminal operators, this means moving from manual coordination to structured digital workflows. where vessel, yard, gate, rail, truck, cargo handling, documentation, billing and performance data. are interconnected and synchronized. It also means building an operational foundation that can adapt when volumes, cargo mix, trade routes and service requirements change.
In this context, a Terminal Operating System becomes part of the growth strategy which helps terminal operators keep control when operations become more intensive, more connected and more data-driven.
Let’s discuss terminal operations at VILOG 2026
Vietnam is an important market to watch — not only because of its fast-growing port throughput, but also because of the operational transformation behind this growth.
At VILOG 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City, Solvo will be glad to discuss how digital terminal operations can support port and terminal operators in building more transparent, scalable and resilient operations.
Visit Solvo at booth B130 to discuss Terminal Operating Systems, Warehouse Management Systems, Yard Management Systems, Supply Chain Execution and digital solutions for logistics operations.
Event: VILOG 2026
Date: 30 July – 1 August 2026
Venue: SECC, Ho Chi Minh City
Booth: B130
