(VEN) - Vietnam is a potential market for foreign logistics investors, said Narin Phol, director of Damco Vietnam, a subsidiary of the A.P Moller - Maersk Group (one of the world's largest logistics firms) while talking with Vietnam Economic News' Hung Nhung.
What is your assessment of operations of the logistics sector in general and Damco in particular?
Last year Maersk Logistics and Damco merged to create a bigger business named Damco. Internationally we are a global top-ten logistics business.
Beginning operations in Vietnam in 1991, Damco has representative offices in Hanoi, Hai Phong, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City. We currently have 400 employees, of which half work in offices, with the remainder in warehousing and holding yard facilities. Like many other businesses, we faced many difficulties in 2009 due to the global financial crisis and economic recession. The economy has begun recovering and we hope that this recovery will make 2010 a potentially good year for our business and create new opportunities to develop the logistics industry.
What are difficulties for logistics development here in Vietnam?
I think that attention needs to be paid to the following three matters. The first one is infrastructure. We need to find an answer to the question 'why a product's price is not high but its transport cost is not low?' Infrastructure is the answer for this question. Infrastructure is a key matter for the logistics industry and the Government plans to improve infrastructure.
The second matter is law. Laws and policies need to be appropriate, clear and explicit. The other matter is the logistics workforce. Improvement in this workforce is important and also a challenge for many businesses in the field. Privately owned businesses and state enterprises that have transformed into joint stock companies need to cooperate more closely to develop the logistics workforce.
Combining development of e-commerce in the logistics sector and safe and friendly supply chain administration has become a common trend. What has Damco done to respond to this trend?
Logistics firms worldwide have specialized in terms of supply chain administration, logistics, forwarding and domestic exchange. Damco has put into use the 3PL technology that helps simplify forwarding and transport processes. Pursuing sustainable development, Damco attaches much importance to environmental protection, workforce improvement and social contributions./.
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