Ho Chi Minh City, September 18, 2025 – The strategic signing ceremony between Toan Phat Irradiation Co., Ltd. (TPI), Kawanishi Warehouse Co., Ltd., and MOL Logistics Co., Ltd. (a member of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines) officially took place in Ho Chi Minh City, laying the foundation for a world-class strategic alliance. This partnership promises to enhance the entire cold supply chain for Vietnam’s agricultural and aquaculture sectors.

Under this agreement, two leading Japanese corporations – Kawanishi Warehouse Co., Ltd. and MOL Logistics Co., Ltd. (a subsidiary of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines) – have become strategic shareholders of Toan Phat Logistics Joint Stock Company (TPL), alongside founding shareholder Toan Phat Irradiation Co., Ltd. (TPI). This collaboration will establish a Mekong Logistics Hub at the gateway to the Mekong Delta, pioneering Vietnam’s first fully integrated cold-chain logistics ecosystem. More than opening a new path, the alliance is committed to upgrading Vietnam’s export routes with superior capabilities, ensuring product quality, safety, and strict compliance with the highest international standards.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Mekong Delta (ĐBSCL) currently accounts for about 30% of the cold storage capacity in Southern Vietnam and 50% nationwide, with facilities concentrated in Tay Ninh (formerly part of Long An). This area is one of the country’s largest industrial zones – not only serving as Ho Chi Minh City’s “buffer zone” but also as a national hub for manufacturing, logistics, and spiritual tourism, with vast industrial and logistics development potential. Experts from Can Tho University emphasize that cold-chain development is not just a technical requirement but also a strategic factor in enhancing competitiveness, bridging production and markets to international standards.

Demand for cold supply chains serving production and exports continues to rise, yet the distribution network remains underdeveloped. This gap increases logistics costs for businesses and reduces export competitiveness. In the Mekong Delta, however, cold-chain logistics is advancing rapidly thanks to significant investments by enterprises, creating closed-loop supply chains that meet international quality standards, reduce post-harvest losses, and lower overall costs.

Since 2018, Toan Phat Irradiation Co., Ltd. (TPI) has operated in Tay Ninh (formerly Long An) – the strategic gateway of the Mekong Delta’s agri–aqua production. TPI has pioneered the application of advanced irradiation technologies recognized by demanding markets such as the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand, achieving international certifications including ISO 9001, ISO 22000, HACCP (certified by Bureau Veritas), and Halal. These enable Vietnamese agri–aqua exporters to meet stringent global quality standards more quickly. By 2023, Toan Phat Cold Storage (TPL) was launched with a capacity of nearly 11,000 tons, completing a closed-loop “irradiation–cold storage” supply chain that boosts Vietnam’s export competitiveness.

Mr. Vuong Hieu, President & CEO of Toan Phat Irradiation Co., Ltd., spoke at the signing ceremony.

Mr. Vuong Hieu, Chairman & CEO of Toan Phat Irradiation Co., Ltd., stated:

“Our greatest differentiator lies in an efficient integrated model that creates a closed-loop value chain right at the gateway to the Mekong Delta. Instead of transporting goods through multiple locations, businesses can save time and logistics costs by accessing irradiation and cold storage services in one place, reducing risks of supply chain disruption. At the same time, eliminating one transit stage helps reduce carbon emissions, in line with green logistics trends. This commitment is proven through our compliance with international standards such as ISO 14001 on environmental management, alongside ISO 9001, ISO 22000, HACCP, and Halal, ensuring quality, reliability, and responsibility for import–export goods.”

This strong foundation in microbial/pest control technology and preservation, combined with the potential for an integrated logistics ecosystem, has attracted strategic capital from the two Japanese corporations. Their participation brings two core values to elevate the supply chain: quality depth and scale breadth.

Kawanishi Warehouse, a century-old logistics company, contributes reliability and operational expertise. With its double Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) certification in Japan, Kawanishi will guide TPL in building and refining security management systems that meet the strictest international standards, significantly increasing the trustworthiness of Vietnamese exports at destination ports.

MOL Logistics, a subsidiary of global shipping giant Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, brings global scale through its 138 offices across 26 countries. With its “Blue Action 2035” strategy focusing on investment and M&A, MOL opens international gateways through multimodal transport networks, leveraging strategic seaports in Vietnam such as TCIT (Cai Mep) and HICT (Hai Phong), where the group has investment partnerships.

The Mekong Logistics Hub, formed by this Vietnam–Japan alliance, will transform Toan Phat Cold Storage (TPL) from a standalone cold warehouse into the nucleus of an integrated logistics ecosystem. Here, the cold value chain is closed: irradiation at TPI, cold storage at TPL, standardized processes with international expertise from Kawanishi, and global connections through MOL Logistics’ worldwide transport network.

Mr. Jiro Kawanishi, President & CEO of Kawanishi Warehouse Co., Ltd., spoke at the signing ceremony.

At the signing ceremony, Mr. Jiro Kawanishi, Chairman & CEO of Kawanishi Warehouse Co., Ltd., shared:

“Over the past 100 years, we have continuously expanded operations and sustained growth, establishing offices at key gateways in global trade: Hong Kong (1987), Thailand (1989), Singapore (1990), San Francisco (1996), and Jakarta (2012). This has strengthened our presence in ASEAN and North America. We have operated cold storage since 1931, developed a cold chain in Indonesia in 2017, and strongly expanded food transport and freight forwarding services, which are our strengths. In our strategy to expand the cold chain in ASEAN, our partnership with Toan Phat Logistics perfectly aligns with our company’s direction and expertise.”

Mr. Osamu Sakurada, Chairman & CEO of MOL Logistics, added:

“We highly value the efficient cold storage operations of Toan Phat Logistics (TPL). This is crucial for agricultural and aquaculture exports, industries that require strict temperature control and are expected to grow strongly in the future. Combined with the adjacent irradiation system of TPI – one of the few licensed fruit irradiation facilities in Vietnam – this integrated ‘irradiation–cold storage’ model creates significant market differentiation by offering one-stop services at a single location. We believe this is a key competitive advantage for TPL. With shareholder synergies, TPL will not only manage cold storage but also help elevate Vietnam’s entire logistics infrastructure. For our part, we will connect TPL’s cold storage system with MOL Logistics Vietnam’s domestic transport network and our global network, building a reliable cold chain that ensures peace of mind and optimal service quality for both Vietnamese and international customers.”

Mr. Osamu Sakurada, President & CEO of MOL Logistics, spoke at the signing ceremony.

Meanwhile, Mr. Vuong Hieu, Chairman & CEO of Toan Phat Irradiation Co., Ltd., emphasized:

“The participation of Japanese partners brings a vital highlight to the Mekong Logistics Hub: a synergy that elevates international linkages toward sustainability. From Kawanishi Warehouse, we inherit over 100 years of operational experience, strengths in food transport and forwarding, and expertise in achieving AEO certification in Japan – enhancing security, compliance, and efficiency in cold storage operations. From MOL Logistics, we gain direct access to 138 global offices and modern operating philosophies that optimize routes and gradually adopt green transport solutions. Thanks to this combination, the Mekong Logistics Hub not only expands in scale but also aligns with sustainable logistics models, ready to serve domestic and the most demanding international markets.”

The Mekong Logistics Hub will continue to expand its services, providing end-to-end supply chain solutions from irradiation, cold storage, and domestic transportation to port connectivity – helping agri–aqua exporters shorten export routes, reduce costs, and increase competitiveness.

As Vietnam targets USD 65 billion in agri–forestry–fishery exports by 2025, this investment not only reflects international investors’ confidence in the sector’s potential but also lays the foundation for Vietnam to assert its role as a regional cold-chain logistics hub.

The long-term vision of this alliance is to position the Mekong Logistics Hub as a major cold-chain transshipment center in ASEAN, ushering in a new era where Vietnamese agricultural and aquaculture products are not only exported but also branded and recognized globally for quality.