Long Thanh Aviation Logistics Center Format

The project to build an air logistics center combined with a free trade zone at Long Thanh Airport is receiving positive feedback from management agencies, opening up opportunities to form a free trade zone and making Long Thanh a major international cargo transit hub in the region.

Long Thanh International Airport is being urgently constructed to become operational.

Forward signal

Initial guidance has been provided by state management agencies in the fields of construction and aviation regarding the proposal to establish an aviation logistics center combined with a duty-free zone towards a free trade zone at Long Thanh International Airport, as proposed by the Vietnam Airports Corporation (ACV).

Specifically, last week, the Ministry of Construction issued Official Letter No. 10327/BXD-KGTC to ACV, clearly stating the objective of making Long Thanh International Airport one of the major international air transit hubs in the Asia-Pacific region.

In Official Letter No. 10327, Mr. Le Anh Tuan, Deputy Minister of Construction, stated that, according to the approved Long Thanh International Airport Master Plan, a Cargo City area of ​​approximately 136 hectares has been allocated in the southwestern part of the airport, with the aim of forming an aviation logistics zone for Long Thanh International Airport.

"Thus, with the goal of becoming one of the region's international air transit hubs, Long Thanh International Airport has been planned and allocated space for the development of an air cargo logistics center," a leader from the Ministry of Construction stated.

Regarding the orientation for the formation of Free Trade Zones, the leaders of the Ministry of Construction assessed that Free Trade Zones are a new model, being developed by many countries to apply superior mechanisms and policies within a defined spatial scope, in order to verify effectiveness and assess the impact of policies before considering their application on a larger scale.

According to the Ministry of Construction, free trade zones have been established and developed with various models worldwide , but to date, Vietnam has only implemented pilot programs in a few localities. The National Assembly has issued Resolution No. 136/2024/QH15 and Resolution No. 226/2025/QH15 stipulating the authority, procedures, and processes for establishing and forming functional zones within the Da Nang Free Trade Zone and the Hai Phong Free Trade Zone.

In implementing the resolutions of the National Assembly, the Ministry of Finance is finalizing the Free Trade Zone Project, submitting it to the Politburo for approval, as a basis for guiding the development of related legal regulations for implementation.

In addition, the People's Committee of Dong Nai province is also researching and proposing the formation of a free trade zone near Long Thanh International Airport, which is expected to connect Long Thanh International Airport and Phuoc An port.

“ACV needs to work with the People's Committee of Dong Nai province on the scope, scale, and roadmap for the formation of a free trade zone according to the province's research plan to propose the role and function of the 136-hectare area at Long Thanh International Airport. At the same time, it should work with the Ministry of Finance on the conditions, procedures, and authority to decide on the establishment of a duty-free zone and a free trade zone to finalize the project,” the Ministry of Construction leader recommended.

Major logistics hub

Previously, in mid-August 2025, ACV submitted a proposal to the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Construction regarding the establishment of an aviation logistics center combined with a duty-free zone, aiming towards a free trade zone, at Long Thanh International Airport.

Accordingly, the Aviation Logistics Center combined with the Free Trade Zone, aiming towards a Free Trade Zone, will be implemented on an area of ​​136 hectares, within the 5,000-hectare planned for the construction of Long Thanh International Airport, which has already been cleared and planned for aviation logistics functions.

Regarding the investment model, as the airport operator, ACV will be the investor in the Aviation Logistics Center combined with the Free Trade Zone at Long Thanh International Airport. This includes investing in a comprehensive, professional, and modern infrastructure, as well as developing a common development mechanism and policies, which will be submitted to the competent authorities for approval. The estimated investment cost for the Aviation Logistics Center combined with the Free Trade Zone at Long Thanh International Airport is approximately VND 11,800 billion, equivalent to USD 450 million.

The integrated air logistics center and free trade zone at Long Thanh International Airport is expected to attract airlines, cargo carriers; cross-border e-commerce businesses (requiring fast delivery within 24-72 hours globally); pharmaceuticals and biotechnology (high-value goods requiring cold storage, fast and accurate delivery); express delivery companies; temporary import-re-export businesses, and transshipment businesses.

“In addition to contributing to making Long Thanh one of the major international air transit hubs in the region, the center also connects the Cai Mep - Thi Vai deep-water port cluster, forming a professional and synchronized multimodal maritime-air transport model in the Southeast region and Ho Chi Minh City,” assessed Mr. Nguyen Cao Cuong, Deputy General Director of ACV.

The Master Plan for the Development of the National Airport and Airfield System for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, identifies the following:

Establish logistics centers at airports with a transport demand exceeding 250,000 tons per year.

Establish logistics centers that ensure warehousing conditions and connect appropriate modes of transport for cargo transportation at airports including: Noi Bai, Tan Son Nhat, Van Don, Cat Bi, Da Nang, Chu Lai, Long Thanh, Can Tho, and other airports when there is a need for cargo transportation meeting the above criteria.

Establishing an international cargo transshipment logistics center at Chu Lai Airport.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/dinh-dang-trung-tam-logistics-hang-khong-long-thanh-d395187.html