ICD Tan Cang Song Than at 25: A Steadfast Logistics “Rear Base” for Southern Vietnam’s Economic Engine

As modern logistics accelerates and standards grow ever more demanding, not every company chooses the long road - patient investment, rigorous process standardization, and a disciplined operating culture. Marking 25 years since December 21, 2000, ICD Tan Cang Song Than Joint Stock Company (ICDST) has evolved from an inland clearance depot model into an integrated logistics complex, becoming a key pillar for import - export activities in Binh Duong and the Southern Key Economic Region within the Tan Cang Sai Gon Corporation ecosystem.

Milestones and momentum built on infrastructure

ICDST’s journey began as a container “rear base.” In 1995, the establishment of the Saigon Military Port’s container yard laid the foundation for the region’s container logistics capacity. On December 21, 2000, ICD Tan Cang Song Than was officially established. Subsequent organizational milestones were recorded: in 2007, it was upgraded to a one-member limited liability company; in 2015, an equitization decision was issued; from June 1, 2016, it operated under the joint stock company model; and in 2017, it made its first transaction on UPCOM.

Alongside this organizational maturation was ICDST’s infrastructure-led growth into a complex model serving both cargo and container flows. The company introduces a total operating area of about 500,000 m², including approximately 228,000 m² of warehouse space and around 105,000 m² of depot yard. At a deeper level, the story is not merely “expansion,” but the design of infrastructure so operational chains are not fragmented - from receiving, storage, sorting/packing, dispatch, and transshipment to transport connectivity and customs procedures. On this “rear base” foundation, ICDST has gradually shifted from simple “bare warehouse leasing” to end-to-end service warehouse operations, expanding value-added services and positioning itself as a professional 3PL logistics provider.

Integrated 3PL services: warehousing - yards - transport - customs

The strength of a 3PL center lies in its ability to pull links in the chain closer together - reducing waiting time and unplanned costs. At ICDST, the warehouse and distribution-center cluster is introduced in flexible modules (from 5,000 to 50,000 m²), comprising domestic warehouses, bonded warehouses, CFS warehouses, and distribution centers. The company notes operations on a WMS platform, 24/7 security camera coverage, regular inspection and maintenance, and fire-prevention and firefighting drills to ensure safe operations.

As an extended arm of its warehousing and yard platform, ICDST develops multimodal transport (road, rail and sea) and emphasizes its strengths in container transport for Southeast Vietnam, the Central region and the Central Highlands. In parallel is the procedural piece: customs brokerage services are introduced with the goal of supporting faster declarations and shortening time and costs. Notably, at the Vietnam Warehousing & Automation Show 2025 (VWAS 2025), ICDST said it participated in signing a memorandum of understanding related to a pilot program supporting enterprises’ compliance with customs law - an approach that both improves service quality and enhances compliance across the chain.

People as the root of growth

If infrastructure is the “body” and technology the “nervous system,” people are the “heart” of operations. At ICDST, the military-style discipline of its workforce is translated into process discipline: punctuality, standards compliance, accountability and commitment. The figures the company summarized for 2020–2025 depict growth tied to efficiency: revenue rose from VND 321 billion to VND 517 billion; profit after tax increased from VND 41 billion to VND 82 billion; labor productivity grew by an average of more than 11.4% per year; and average monthly income in 2025 exceeded VND 35.5 million per employee. Behind those numbers is a people-centered management philosophy - training, standardization, timely recognition and a stable working environment that helps retain skilled teams with peace of mind.

Digital transformation into the “core”: transparency and control

In logistics, deviations in time, documents and tariffs can create significant “invisible costs.” Digital transformation therefore matters only when it goes into the true operating core - reducing errors, increasing processing speed and improving transparency. For ICDST, a concrete and highly visible step is the official deployment of the Billing Module - an automated fee-calculation system deeply integrated into the WMS, presented by the company as an important leap in its digital-transformation journey toward its 25th anniversary.'

According to ICDST, the Billing Module eliminates manual calculations, automatically updates and accurately computes fees arising from warehousing operations and value-added services; at the same time, it “standardizes and makes transparent” costs down to each customer and each order to support reconciliation and faster, more accurate payments. With clear, real-time controllable tariff data, customers can be more proactive in logistics budgeting, while the operator reduces the pressure of end-of-period reconciliations - often a source of disputes.

The 25th anniversary (December 21, 2000 - December 21, 2025) is not only a milestone, but also a test of an integrated logistics center’s adaptability amid competition and volatility. Looking back from an early ICD site to a modern logistics complex, ICD Tan Cang Song Than demonstrates a coherent development direction: build infrastructure to create capability, integrate services to add value, and place technology where it matters most to increase transparency and reduce errors.

On the foundation of a disciplined culture and a spirit of partnership, ICDST enters the next phase with a depth-oriented mindset: continuing to invest in infrastructure, upgrade technology, cultivate its identity, and make practical contributions to socio-economic development aligned with national defense and security tasks.

By Minh Tam