Established when the country embarked on Doi Moi, the Saigon Newport Corporation is now proud to take the lead in sea-port operation services and maritime economic sectors in Vietnam, gaining a foothold in the international market, and serving as a bright spot in the combination of economy and national defense.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the Grand Opening of Hai Phong International Container Terminal

The Saigon Newport Corporation, the Navy’s defense-security enterprise, operates on the model “parent company-affiliated company”, comprised of tens of subsidiaries across the country. Its strength is sea-port operation services. During its 30 years of establishment and development (March 15^th 1989 - March 15^th 2019), the Saigon Newport Corporation has witnessed tireless efforts by its staff to defy all the odds and to successfully fulfil their assigned tasks. In addition to military and defense tasks, cargo transport to sea and island areas, maritime search and rescue, and defense diplomacy, the Saigon Newport Corporation has always successfully fulfilled its tasks of production and business, achieving high growth rates in accordance with laws and regulations by the State and the Ministry of National Defense respectively. Notably, in recent years, the Saigon Newport Corporation has made tremendous progress via its strategic orientations of “3 pillars” (port operations; logistics services; sea transport & offshore services) built on “3 standards” (customer-oriented top-quality services; advanced management, professional manpower& modern technologies; military discipline, corporate culture & community responsibilities). Currently, the Saigon Newport Corporation is among Vietnam’s leading container port operators and logistics service providers and the world’s top 22 largest container ports, ranked first among Vietnam’s top 20 leading logistics enterprises. Its import-export container throughput accounts for over 92 % of the market share in North Vietnam and 50 % nationwide. Thanks to its outstanding achievements, the Saigon Newport Corporation was awarded the title of “Labour Hero in the Renovation Period”   and many other noble prizes.

Amidst extensive and intensive integration, national construction and protection as well as the build-up of the military and the Navy set out stricter requirements for the implementation of military, production and business tasks. Apart from its advantages, the Saigon Newport Corporation faces disadvantages such as  large areas of activity;  insufficient manpower and technical infrastructure; stiffer competition for sea -port operation services and logistics services. Against this backdrop, its Party Committee and Directorate have adopted drastic and synchronous measures for making the Saigon Newport Corporation “revolutionary, regular, modern, civilized and sentimentally attached”.

First, the Saigon Newport Corporation has focused on strengthening itself politically. Its Party Committee and Directorate have directed affiliates to promote political and ideological education as well as to popularize for its staff the Party’s line on combining national defense with economy and vice versa, resolutions and directives on the military’s participation in economic activities.  Notably, the Saigon Newport Corporation has put great store by strengthening the organizational structure, leadership capacity and combativeness of its Party organizations so that they are capable of their leadership over military, production and business tasks. At the same time, Party and political work has been promoted with emphasis being placed on the quality of cadres in charge of this work. Drastic reforms in education have been put in place, especially on legal affairs, corporate culture and the Navy’s venerable traditions, kindling pride in and sense of responsibility for preserving “the dominant culture of the Saigon Newport Corporation as a family” among its staff.

A conference on Saigon Newport Corporation’s business culture

Party committees and commanders throughout the Saigon Newport Corporation are requested to keep track of their subordinates’ thoughts as well as to effectively implement “3 buildings” (building political zeal, building strong determination, building great responsibility) and “3 counterings” (countering manifestations of “self-evolution”, countering manifestations of mediocrity, countering illegal letters of complaints and phone messages), thereby making its subsidiaries safe politically and ideologically. The Saigon Newport Corporation has fully implemented the Politburo’s Directive 05-CT/TW and the Campaign “Promote traditions and devote talent to deserve to be Uncle Ho’s soldiers and naval forces” while regularly renovating emulation and reward work in order to help multiply role models in production and business activities. At the same time, emphasis has been placed on guaranteeing internal political security, guarding military and economic secrets, preventing infiltration and information leakage, identifying and countering negative practices and manifestations of degradation in political ideology, morality and lifestyle, “self-evolution” and “self-transformation” from within. Furthermore, attention has been paid to mass mobilization, “repaying debts of gratitude”, regulations on grassroots democracy and the roles played by mass organizations to make the Saigon Newport Corporation’s subsidiaries comprehensively strong and clean. As a result, 100% of its staff is fully aware of their assigned tasks and devote themselves single-mindedly to the Saigon Newport Corporation.

In order to meet stricter requirements, the Saigon Newport Corporation has put great store by consolidating the organizational structure and building high-quality manpower. Importance has been attached to the effective implementation of its restructuring till 2020 with a vision towards 2025, standardized corporate governance systems, ISO quality management systems, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, the  modernization of training and education and the quality of human resources under the motto of being “specialized, substantive and highly professional”. Amidst tough competition in logistics services, the Saigon Newport Corporation has hired foreign consultants and fostered teamwork throughout its subsidiaries. In order to encourage proactiveness and creativity among its employees, the Saigon Newport Corporation has actively carried out salary policy reforms and attached importance to productivity.

Captain Ngo Minh Thuan at the signing of the cooperation agreement on developing the information technology integrated products between the Saigon Newport Corporation and the Military Bank

In addition, its Party Committee and Directorate are determined to increase professionalism when it comes to corporate governance. To this end, the Saigon Newport Corporation has focused on administrative reforms on a scientific and practical basis as well as the application of information technology to its operations. At the same time, it has actively mobilized resources to upgrade its infrastructure and equipment in the interest of its development. Emphasis has been placed on key national projects; the Maritime service and Ship Chandler Section in Cam Ranh (2016); Cai Mep ODA Terminal; Lach Huyen International Port in Hai Phong (2018); the construction of the 27-storey office building at the headquarters; the expansion and upgrading of Inland Container Depots (ICD), namely Song Than, Long Binh and Nhon Trach; as well as other ICDs in key economic zones in Northern, Central and Southern Vietnam.

The Saigon Newport Corporation has paid due attention to the application of science and technology. Over the past years, it has increasingly automated its production and business activities, developed its high-quality manpower, improved governance capability and sharpened up the mastership of modern technical equipment. In order to expand its markets as well as to develop multi-modal transportation services and  technological products at the service of military tasks and production-business activities, the Saigon Newport Corporation has stepped up the application of information technology, effectively operated loading and unloading equipment and advanced management technology (TOPX and TOPOVN), multiplied warehouse management systems among ICDs, and heavily invested in logistics, customer, financial and salary service management software and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.

The achievements and experiences that the Saigon Newport Corporation has gained for the last 30 years are essential prerequisites for it to make continued strides in military, production and business tasks in the time to come to be worthy of its status as one of the military’s leading economic-defense enterprises.

Captain Ngo Minh Thuan, Director -General of the Saigon Newport Corporation