Ho Chi Minh City and Oregon push up business collaboration

At the Ho Chi Minh City-Oregon Economic Cooperation Forum 2026, held in Ho Chi Minh City on April 2, Bui Van Quy, general director of Saigon Newport Corporation, noted that bilateral trade between Vietnam and the United States has exceeded $150 billion.

In addition, alongside increasingly modern logistics capacity, Ho Chi Minh City and Oregon are well positioned to jointly develop an efficient and stable trans-Pacific logistics corridor.

"Ho Chi Minh City has strong maritime development potential as Vietnam’s largest economic and logistics hub, anchored by key port clusters," Quy said. "The city plays a strategic role in connecting to the Cai Mep-Thi Vai deep-water port complex, which operates direct shipping routes to the US and can accommodate vessels of up to 250,000 DWT,”

The city is also home to Tan Cang Cat Lai Terminal, operated by Saigon Newport Corporation, Vietnam’s largest container port and one of the world’s top 30, with direct inland waterway and road links to Cai Mep-Thi Vai.

“Ho Chi Minh City is expected to strengthen its regional transshipment role through future projects such as Can Gio Port and Cai Mep Ha, both designed to handle ultra-large vessels,” Quy added.

Meanwhile, Oregon records annual exports of approximately $34 billion, with Vietnam currently accounting for around 4 per cent of the state’s total export turnover.

Oregon’s competitive strengths lie in high technology, semiconductors, and green logistics, supported by efficient inland connectivity across the US Pacific Northwest. The state also operates an active seaport system, notably Portland port, which is regarded as one of the 10 most active ports in the US.

In particular, cargo routed through transshipment gateways such as the Port of Seattle can reach Oregon via combined inland waterway and road transport in one to three days.

“At present, container shipping time from Ho Chi Minh City to the US West Coast ranges from 20 to 25 days, and could be shortened by around 20 days with direct routes,” Quy said.

From Tan Cang-Cai Mep International Terminal and Tan Cang-Cai Mep Thi Vai Terminal, six direct services currently operate to the US West Coast, with average ocean freight rates of about $2,500 per 40-foot container.

“This means total door-to-door transit time can be kept within 22-30 days, creating the necessary conditions for a stable, high-frequency, and cost-competitive supply chain,” he said.

Gregory Harris, chief of the commercial section at the Consulate General of the US in Ho Chi Minh City, described Vietnam as a dynamic and high-potential economy.

“As bilateral trade continues to expand, the US expects to see more opportunities for businesses from Oregon, a state with a strong reliance on trade, to bring internationally standardised products and services to Vietnamese consumers,” Harris said.

He also welcomed the approval of the revised Power Development Plan VIII, expressing hope that energy projects involving US enterprises would soon move forward in practice, thereby creating a stronger foundation for trade and investment expansion in the coming period.

Colin Sears, global trade and business manager at Business Oregon, said that the state benefits from a strategic location on the US West Coast, among the lowest energy costs in the country, and a highly educated workforce, with 43.6 per cent of its population holding a university degree.

“Oregon is prioritising foreign direct investment in key sectors such as high technology, life sciences, metallurgy, and agriculture and forestry,” Sears said. “To further support investors, the state is expected to launch a global trade desk in May, together with a comprehensive incentive framework covering more than 90 programmes, including tax exemptions of 10 to 15 years for eligible investors.”

Sharing details on logistics infrastructure capacity, Andy Reed, head of Global Trade Economic Development at the Port of Portland, said the port contributes $9.7 billion annually to regional GDP.

“In this port, Terminal 6, the only container terminal in Oregon, is equipped with modern multimodal infrastructure and fully automated gate systems,” said Reed. “The port serves as a strategic distribution gateway for the US West Coast and western Canada, while also expanding transport links with high-potential Asian markets, particularly Vietnam.”

Luong Quang Thi, vice chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Logistics Association, highlighted the city's competitive edge, noting that logistics costs are 25-30 per cent lower than those of Singapore.

He proposed several pillars for cooperation, including the establishment of a direct maritime route linking Portland with Cai Mep-Thi Vai Port, the development of a "cold corridor” under a farm-to-shelf model for premium agricultural products, and stronger collaboration in AI applications and green logistics to support the goal of reducing carbon emissions by 30 per cent by 2030.

“We expect both sides to move towards signing an MoU to position Ho Chi Minh City as a strategic distribution gateway for Oregon goods into the 650-million-consumer ASEAN market,” Thi said.

According to Ho Chi Minh City Investment and Trade Promotion Centre, the US remains one of Vietnam’s most important economic partners and currently its largest export market. In terms of investment, the US so far has more than 1,500 valid projects in Vietnam with total registered capital exceeding $12.5 billion.

In Ho Chi Minh City alone, US investors are operating 915 projects with total capital of more than $7.6 billion, ranking seventh among 136 countries and territories by investment value.

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