Japan–Vietnam Alliance establishes Mekong Logistics Hub in Tay Ninh, aiming to become ASEAN’s cold chain transshipment center and put Vietnamese agricultural products on the global export map.

A strategic alliance between Toan Phat Irradiation Co., Ltd. (TPI), Kawanishi Warehouse Group, and MOL Logistics (a member of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines) has officially been established, laying the foundation for the Mekong Logistics Hub – an integrated cold logistics center aimed at upgrading the entire supply chain of Vietnam’s agricultural and aquatic products. The official signing ceremony for this alliance took place in Ho Chi Minh City on the evening of September 18, just days after the Tay Ninh Investment Promotion Conference 2025, where logistics was identified as a key sector and the future development site for the Mekong Logistics Hub.

Japanese business delegates visit the cold storage system of Toan Phat (Photo: Huong Giang)

From Irradiation to Integrated Logistics

Mr. Vuong Hieu – Chairman and General Director of Toan Phat Irradiation Co., Ltd. – stated that Toan Phat is one of the very few companies in Vietnam licensed to operate an irradiation plant for fruits, agricultural products, and food. This advantage helps the company shorten the path to meeting the stringent standards of demanding markets such as the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand.

According to Mr. Vuong Hieu, the collaboration with Japanese partners will create a closed-loop ecosystem covering treatment, packaging, cold storage, container booking, shipping lines, and both origin and destination ports worldwide. “This will significantly reduce export businesses’ time, transportation costs, storage expenses, and booking procedures,” Mr. Hieu shared on the sidelines of the event.

“In addition, thanks to the global scale of these Japanese corporations, Vietnamese goods will receive priority in shipping schedules and loading/unloading at strategic ports under their partnerships. As a result, businesses will no longer face shortages of empty containers or skyrocketing freight rates as in previous years,” he added.

Kawanishi Warehouse – a century-old Japanese logistics company – brings expertise in cold storage operations and dual Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) certification experience in Japan.

Mr. Jiro Kawanishi – Chairman and General Director of Kawanishi Warehouse – shared that over its 100+ year journey, the company has established offices at key gateways in the global trade network such as Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, San Francisco, and Jakarta. The company has also been involved in cold storage business since 1931.

“Our cooperation with Toan Phat is entirely aligned with our development orientation and core strengths. It will strengthen the connectivity between Vietnamese goods and the global market, expanding the Mekong Logistics Hub alliance to the world,” said Mr. Jiro Kawanishi.

Workers operating inside the Toan Phat irradiation plant in Tay Ninh

Unlocking Bottlenecks in Agricultural Exports

Meanwhile, Mr. Osamu Sakurada, Chairman and General Director of MOL Logistics, stated that MOL Logistics – a member of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines – currently operates 138 offices in 26 countries. MOL will connect Toan Phat’s system with its global transport network, leveraging port assets co-invested by the group such as TCIT (Cai Mep) and HICT (Hai Phong).

“Integrating Vietnam’s irradiation and cold storage systems into the global cold chain infrastructure will upgrade the entire logistics foundation, delivering peace of mind and optimal service quality to both domestic and international clients.”

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Mekong Delta currently accounts for about 50% of Vietnam’s cold storage capacity. However, the cold logistics system remains fragmented, leading to high logistics costs and reduced competitiveness of agricultural exports.

As Vietnam sets its sights on reaching 65 billion USD in agro-forestry-aquatic export turnover by 2025, the Mekong Logistics Hub is expected to untangle long-standing bottlenecks in the sector. The integration of irradiation, cold storage, and global transport will shorten export lead times, reduce post-harvest losses, meet strict standards, and elevate the brand of Vietnamese goods on the world map.

ASEAN’s Cold Chain Transshipment CenterMr. Vuong Hieu shared that the goal of this partnership is to establish the Mekong Logistics Hub as a key cold chain transshipment center for ASEAN.This M&A deal not only brings Japanese capital into Vietnam but also facilitates technology transfer, international standards, and access to global logistics networks.Amid growing urgency for cold logistics development, the Mekong Logistics Hub alliance is expected to serve as a strategic catalyst, propelling Vietnam’s agricultural and aquatic exports further into deep integration with global supply chains.Recently, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade also held a conference to listen to businesses and experts on solutions to reduce logistics costs, which currently account for up to 17% of production costs in HCMC — a major burden for businesses and the competitiveness of Vietnamese goods.

Source: Dan tri