Oct 20, 2026 - A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S, the second-largest container shipping company in the world, has made a deal with Vietnamese company Hateco to build a railway freight terminal network in Vietnam during President To Lam’s visit to Denmark.
APM Terminals, which is the port operations arm of A.P. Moller-Maersk, signed a memorandum of understanding with Hateco in Copenhagen on Tuesday. The total investment for the container terminal system is expected to be around $3.5 billion, according to a statement from Hateco.
The proposed network will feature a rail freight terminal in Haiphong and three container facilities in northern provinces. Its goal is to connect industrial parks, logistics hubs, and production zones with major transport hubs.
President Lam also met with leaders from various companies in Denmark, including Lego Group, Carlsberg, and Pandora. This is part of Vietnam's efforts to attract more investment, technology, and expertise. After this, Lam will go to Brussels for discussions with European Union officials on topics like trade, energy, and education.
The container project is part of Vietnam's push to improve its infrastructure in support of its long-standing economic growth goals. The country plans to invest heavily to draw in private capital and stimulate development, with a significant focus on upgrading transport and logistics networks, particularly railways.
Maersk has already collaborated with Hateco on a $400 million container port project in Haiphong. The Danish shipping giant is also looking to invest further in joint initiatives, including the Lien Chieu container terminal port in Danang.
The planned rail freight facilities will incorporate digital technology to improve cargo handling and storage, as well as connect to seaports and rail infrastructure. This is expected to help reduce road congestion and widen options for cross-border shipping.