The delegation was received by the Italian Consul General, Enrico Padula who, for the occasion, convened a meeting with senior management from companies operating in the area and representatives from the local Italian community. The event provided the Ports of Genoa with the opportunity to showcase the strategic role played by the Ligurian Capital as leading maritime centre of cargo handling excellence in terms of trade between Italy and Vietnam, in excess of a total of 40,000 TEUs per annum, with over half of container throughput handled by the Port of Saigon. Vietnam is a remarkable development success story, with a comparatively young population (a median age of 32 years) and fast economic growth projected to have reached 7% in 2024. The Asian country is consolidating its position as an alternative to China in the production of consumer goods, whilst Italian brands continue to have great appeal amongst the local population, with a surge of 40% in exports from Italy reported last year.
During the talks, areas of possible mutual cooperation in trade and supply chain management were explored, with a focus on the strategic role of the Ports of Genoa and City Airport as an alternative to the North European hubs, which can be subject to severe congestion and disruptions. In fact, first steps towards boosting connections with Genoa’s air freight hub were discussed with Saigon Cargo Service Corporation (SCSC) and VietJet.
Italy not only ranks as a major tourist destination, but is also acclaimed by the Vietnamese as a top choice for study abroad opportunities and Genoa, with its rich heritage and artistic legacy, is highly appreciated by the local population. Innovative educational projects, organised in collaboration with the University of Genoa, and training programmes, offered in the maritime-port sector, were pinpointed as fields of possible further cooperation.
The trade mission continued to the City-Port of Da Nang, where the delegation attended the City Partnership Forum 2025 which brought together over 50 cities worldwide to exchange know-how in sustainable development, tourism and culture. The visit included an illustration of the major infrastructure plans underway, including the new Technological Park, and a range of projects in the Port of Da Nang, namely, a 2.5-km breakwater, a container terminal with a 2700 metre quayline and an inland logistics area with Free Trade Zone. The port offers direct liner services to the Ports of Genoa, with a current annual throughput of 6,000 TEUs, projected to increase once the new infrastructure has been put into place.
Whilst the management of the Port Authority and Spediporto, Alberto Pozzobon, Andrea Giachero and Giampaolo Botta, met with the Vietnam Logistics Association (VLA), the acting Mayor of Genoa, Pietro Piciocchi, was received by the high-ranking local political authorities.
