Vietnam could become a bright spot in the global logistics picture.

Global logistics costs are slowing, investment transactions are picking up again and demand for logistics space continues to rise. In Vietnam, businesses are not only looking at rental costs but also considering total operating costs, multi-point distribution strategies and the long-term benefits of green buildings.

Global logistics costs are slowing, investment transactions are picking up again and demand for logistics space continues to rise. In Vietnam, businesses are not only looking at rental costs but also considering total operating costs, multi-point distribution strategies and the long-term benefits of green buildings.

Vietnam has great potential in logistics. (Photo: HNV)

According to Mr. John Campbell, Director of Industrial Services at Savills Vietnam, prioritizing flexibility and strategic access has become an important criterion when choosing warehouse locations. Many businesses are expanding to secondary provinces such as Tay Ninh, Quang Ninh and Hung Yen, instead of focusing only on Binh Duong (old) or Bac Ninh.

At the same time, demand for short-term and flexible leases is growing significantly in sectors such as e-commerce, last-mile delivery and third-party logistics (3PL). New businesses from China, Korea and Europe also favor these contracts to test the market. However, large multinational corporations or manufacturers still prefer long-term contracts or build-to-suit models to secure space and control costs.

While base rents in Vietnam remain competitive, many tenants are increasingly looking at total cost of operation (TCO) – from service fees, utilities, maintenance to delivery costs in the context of traffic congestion, especially with energy-intensive cold storage.

In addition to cost factors, ESG (environmental-social-governance) and green building standards such as LEED (US green building rating system), EDGE (international green building standard system) are also gradually becoming a part of warehouse leasing decisions.

Repairing the overpass span from Pham Hung to Khuat Duy Tien, Hanoi . (Photo: HNV)

As the global market shows recovery and stability, Vietnam is becoming an attractive destination for international investors thanks to its cost advantage and strategic location. However, success in Vietnam does not only come from cost advantage. Modern, efficient facilities will help control costs better in the long run. This is also an inevitable trend that both Vietnam and the world are moving towards. Therefore, businesses are increasingly interested in operational efficiency, scalability and sustainability.

In addition, global demand for logistics space absorption remains high. In the first half of 2025 alone, absorption reached 34 million sq ft, up 24.5% compared to the same period in 2024. This shows that the logistics industry has maintained a steady growth momentum, despite macroeconomic fluctuations. Compared to Vietnam, the scarcity of high-quality logistics warehouse supply in key provinces further highlights the importance of early planning to anticipate demand.

It can be seen that the Vietnamese logistics and warehousing market is following the international trend: more stable costs but increasing operational pressure, higher demand for flexibility, ESG (environmental-social and governance) becoming mandatory criteria and strong return of international capital flows. The combination of these factors promises to make Vietnam a bright spot in the global logistics picture, provided that businesses know how to balance costs, quality and long-term vision.

According to Ha Anh/nhandan/vn

Source: https://baovinhlong.com.vn/kinh-te/202509/viet-nam-co-the-tro-thanh-diem-sang-trong-buc-tranh-logistics-toan-cau-d7b1d3d/