APM Terminals has moved from development partner to shareholder at the Hateco Hai Phong International Container Terminal (HHIT), taking a 49% stake and stepping in as operating partner alongside Vietnam’s Hateco Group.

The deal follows three years of joint work bringing the greenfield project to life. The terminal is now up and running and handling ships of up to 18,000 teu, marking a step change in capacity for northern Vietnam.

Located at Lach Huyen in Haiphong, HHIT is billed as the largest and most advanced deepwater facility in the region. The site has two deepwater berths and is positioned to handle direct services linking northern Vietnam with Europe and the US, cutting reliance on transhipment hubs.

For APM Terminals, the move locks in a long-term position in a market where volumes have been climbing steadily.

“It underlines our long-term commitment to Vietnam,” said Jon Goldner, chief executive for Asia and the Middle East at APM Terminals, pointing to a focus on faster, greener and more efficient logistics.

Hateco chairman Tran Van Ky said the terminal has already posted strong early numbers, including high berth productivity and record automated gate performance since start-up.

APM has been involved in rolling out operating systems, automation and digital tools at the terminal, including the use of artificial intelligence and decarbonisation measures. HHIT has also been selected for the Gemini Cooperation network run by Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, giving it a place on a new East–West service structure.

Vietnam has become a key battleground for terminal operators, with cargo growth, shifting supply chains and ongoing infrastructure upgrades driving demand for modern deepwater capacity.

The Hai Phong deal comes hot on the heels of APM Terminals securing a foothold further south in Danang, signalling a broader push into Vietnam’s port sector. Taken together, the moves give the Maersk-controlled operator exposure to both northern and central gateways as the country continues to attract manufacturing and export flows.