‘Green passport’ for new growth

Practical requirements

In January 2026, the Hai Phong Party Committee issued Resolution No. 08-NQ/TU on green transition for the 2026 – 2030 period, with a vision to 2050, aiming to establish a common and unified framework to coordinate and focus resources on green transition across the entire city following administrative merger, thereby helping to meet increasingly stringent environmental, social and governance (ESG) requirements in trade agreements and attract green investment flows, address inter-regional environmental challenges, improve people's quality of life and promote sustainable development.

The resolution sets out eight groups of specific targets for the 2026 – 2030 period. Among them, the city aims for 100% of seaports to meet green port criteria and successful transformation of Nam Cau Kien and Dinh Vu industrial parks into ecological models…

According to Nguyen Thi Bich Dung, Deputy Head of the Hai Phong Economic Zone Authority, industrial parks in the new period must not only provide production land but also deliver the “green quality” of infrastructure; creating a “green passport” to make it easier for investors' products to access markets with increasingly stringent Net Zero, ESG and environmental data requirements.

For exporters, these factors are shifting from voluntary advantages to conditions for market access. A product with a low price but without proof of its carbon footprint or the environmental responsibility of its supply chain may lose its advantage amid new trade requirements.

Spreading value through green standards

The Department of Science and Technology has recently announced a research project to develop a set of criteria for assessment and solutions for developing circular economy. This is the first time Hai Phong has had a tool to accurately quantify the economy’s degree of “greening”.

The research results highlighted several bright spots in green transition. Nam Cau Kien Industrial Park has developed three symbiotic chains related to steel, plastics and supporting industries. Meanwhile, DEEP C complex has deployed renewable energy and piloted water circularity using RO technology.

With the development of green ports identified as a strategic breakthrough, the city's port system is undergoing a clear transformation. In late May 2026, Tan Cang Lach Huyen Logistics Center – the first green logistics model in Lach Huyen deep-water port area – officially began operation.

At Hateco Hai Phong International Container Terminal, an operating management system, a dedicated 5G network, automated gates and an optical recognition system are being integrated into the operating process. As a result, all trucks use automated gates, reducing truck turnaround time to less than 14 minutes and cutting emissions at this stage by about 50%.

At the “Northern industrial investment trends – opportunities and challenges 2026” forum, Chairman of the Hai Phong Business Association Tran Van Thang said the city was shifting from a purely geographical advantage to an ecosystem and institutional advantage. It was moving from a mindset of attracting investment at all costs to selecting projects with high technology, green standards and the ability to create spillover value. Global supply chains today are no longer simply looking for the location with the lowest costs, but are prioritizing safer, more transparent and better-connected locations that can adapt more quickly to fluctuations.

Although there is still much work to be done in the green transition process, with breakthrough industrial infrastructure, an open management mindset and a well-structured green transition strategy, Hai Phong is facing a major opportunity to demonstrate its ability to seize new opportunities.

BAO CHAU