Vietnam in ASEAN’s air-cargo hub race - Long Thanh, cross-border e-commerce, and the “trust in compliance” test

Air cargo is surging again: speed becomes a national advantage
IATA reported record-setting growth in global air cargo demand in 2024, with Asia-Pacific airlines showing the strongest regional expansion. Through 2025, IATA’s monthly market updates continued to show demand hitting new highs in several months - signaling that the “hot market” is not a short-lived anomaly.

Within ASEAN, established hubs continue to consolidate their transit role. Changi Airport publicly recorded 1.99 million tonnes of airfreight throughput in 2024. The message is straightforward: the hub race is not primarily about new buildings - it is about who controls time and reliability in cargo processing.

Long Thanh and the “air logistics hub” idea: what Vietnam already has
In Vietnam’s policy conversation, Long Thanh is increasingly framed as an air-logistics platform. VietnamPlus reported that ACV proposed developing an air logistics hub at Long Thanh, emphasizing that integrating logistics with a bonded zone is a key factor in turning Long Thanh into an ASEAN-level cargo hub.

On the “air capacity” layer, Vietnam News reported that Vietnam Airlines plans to convert several A321 aircraft for regional cargo routes from Q4/2025, laying the groundwork for a dedicated cargo airline expected to launch in 2026. In hub economics, this “soft capability” matters: airports provide static capacity, while fleets and networks create dynamic capacity through frequency, connectivity, and sales power.

On the “cargo demand” layer, cross-border e-commerce is becoming a structural driver. Vietnam News reported Vietnam’s ambition to boost cross-border e-commerce and position itself as a regional hub for e-commerce exports - an export model that demands fast, traceable, standardized physical logistics.

A three-layer strategy: operations, data infrastructure, and compliance credibility
If Ezhou teaches that a cargo hub must be paired with a bonded zone and large-scale sorting capacity, Vietnam’s context adds a hard constraint: compliance credibility, especially around origin and anti-fraud controls. That is why Vietnam’s hub strategy needs three layers.

Layer 1 is operational performance at international standards: fast handling, predictable freighter access, specialized capabilities (cold chain, pharma, electronics), and time-definite execution for e-commerce. Changi’s 1.99 million tonnes in 2024 is more than a number; it is a signal that operating performance attracts airlines, forwarders, and cargo communities.

Layer 2 is supply-chain data infrastructure: pre-arrival processing, data sharing, document standardization, and traceability. The AIIB-described Ezhou model explicitly frames the bonded zone as “smart” and logistics-enabled, reflecting a broader trend: modern cargo hubs are inseparable from digitalized, standardized processes.

Layer 3 is compliance credibility - particularly origin and anti-circumvention controls. When major markets treat “origin laundering” as a systemic risk, the faster a hub grows, the more it must demonstrate control. This is not the opposite of growth; it is the condition for sustainable growth.

Highlights a simple reality: building an air-cargo hub today means building an operating system for trade. Long Thanh should be viewed as a platform linking high-value cargo, cross-border e-commerce, and international air networks. But for that platform to work, Vietnam must do two things that appear contradictory yet are inseparable: accelerate cargo processing while strengthening compliance credibility. If Vietnam succeeds, Long Thanh becomes more than a new airport—it becomes a new competitive advantage.