A.P. Moller-Maersk’s APM Terminals and Vietnamese conglomerate Hateco Group have signed a non-binding agreement to develop plans for a four-terminal rail freight network in northern Vietnam, according to Vietnam’s Government News.
The agreement covers a proposed rail freight terminal in Hai Phong, including a cargo-handling centre and container storage yards, as well as studies for three additional locations in northern Vietnam.
The planned network is intended to connect industrial zones and manufacturing centres with logistics hubs and seaports, integrating rail freight more closely with the country’s port infrastructure.
The projects are expected to use digital systems for cargo management, receiving, storage and transshipment. Improved rail connections are also intended to reduce pressure on road transport and increase logistics efficiency.
Vietnam’s government put preliminary investment in projects planned by the two sides at about $3.5bn. Maersk later clarified that the $2.5bn to $3.5bn figure represents the companies’ total investments in Vietnam rather than the cost of the rail freight network alone.
The agreement extends an existing infrastructure partnership between APM Terminals and Hateco.
The companies opened Hateco Hai Phong International Container Terminal, or HHIT, in 2025. The deep-water facility at Lach Huyen has two berths and can handle containerships of up to 18,000 TEU. APM Terminals holds a 49% minority stake and operates the facility alongside Hateco.
Their partnership has also expanded to Da Nang, where a consortium involving Hateco and APM Terminals secured a project in 2026 to develop Lien Chieu container port. Plans cover eight deep-water berths and eventual annual capacity of more than 5.7m TEU.
A.P. Moller-Maersk is a Danish transport and logistics group whose activities include ocean shipping, terminal operations, logistics services and related infrastructure.
APM Terminals is the group’s port and terminal business and operates more than 60 container terminals worldwide.
Hateco Group is a Vietnamese corporate group founded in 2004, with activities spanning logistics, seaports, real estate and e-commerce.
