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On the afternoon of January 26, 2026, in Hanoi, the Vietnam National Chemical Group (VINACHEM), in coordination with the Vietnam Railways Corporation (VNR), held a conference to review the transportation of apatite, fertilizers, and chemicals in 2025 and to deploy tasks for 2026.

The conference was co-chaired by Mr. Nguyen Huu Tu, President and CEO of VINACHEM, and Mr. Hoang Gia Khanh, President and CEO of VNR. Participants included members of the Steering Committee for the coordination of apatite, fertilizer, and chemical transportation; representatives of Party Committees and Trade Unions; and leaders of specialized departments and member units of both VINACHEM and VNR.

In 2025, the Steering Committee and the Standing Working Group for the transportation of apatite, fertilizers, and chemicals received close guidance and direction from the leadership of both sides, along with active cooperation from relevant departments and units. Conclusions from the 2024 review conference, the mid-year review, and the 2025 plan were implemented in a timely and coordinated manner down to each unit and individual. Transportation management closely followed practical conditions, with plans flexibly adjusted to meet production and consumption needs of factories. Loading and unloading at key hubs were monitored and reported daily, helping to limit congestion and delays in unloading and wagon turnaround.

VNR and railway transport joint-stock companies prioritized rolling stock, ensuring sufficient train paths and concentrating wagon flows for apatite transportation. Proactive remote maintenance and upgrades improved wagon quality, particularly for concentrate ore wagons. The organization of dedicated through-trains and specialized routes—such as the Xuan Giao–Lam Thao line—as well as priority attachment of wagon blocks to North–South trains, helped shorten transit times and reduce costs for enterprises. Control of loading weights and wagon turnaround times in mining railways continued to be strengthened, while wagon cleaning was significantly improved, contributing to reduced operational time.

As a result, in 2025, the total volume transported by rail for VINACHEM units reached 1,087,747 tons, generating transportation revenue of VND 304.619 billion. Of this, apatite transportation accounted for 910,274 tons, while fertilizers, chemicals, and other goods reached 177,473 tons (126.8% of the plan). Several key sites, including Lam Thao, Van Dien, and DAP 2, exceeded targets and recorded strong growth. However, due to shortages of beneficiated ore and grade II ore at various times, as well as competitive pressure from road transport in terms of price and flexibility, apatite transport volumes did not fully meet expectations.

On this basis, both sides agreed to continue maintaining a close coordination mechanism and to proactively develop a transportation plan for 2026 with an estimated total volume of approximately 1.09 million tons. They will also review freight pricing policies, improve rolling stock quality, study the reconnection of the DAP 2 warehouse branch line, and explore options for transporting imported ore to enhance cooperation efficiency and better meet production and consumption needs in the coming period.

During discussions, delegates from both sides openly exchanged views on advantages, challenges, and proposed solutions to improve coordination efficiency. Representatives of VINACHEM member units—such as Vietnam Apatite One Member Co., Ltd.; Lam Thao Superphosphate and Chemicals JSC; Southern Fertilizer JSC; and DAP–Vinachem JSC—emphasized that railway transport continues to play a critical role in ensuring raw material supply and product distribution. They recommended that VNR continue prioritizing wagon allocation during peak production periods, shorten loading and unloading times, and strengthen direct connections from factories to warehouses and ports to reduce transshipment. Several opinions proposed studying more flexible freight pricing mechanisms based on volume and seasonality, as well as expanding transport for new products, imported ores, and export cargo.

On the VNR side, representatives of specialized departments and railway transport enterprises affirmed their commitment to continued partnership by allocating rolling stock appropriately, organizing dedicated and through-trains on key routes serving VINACHEM, and recommended that Group units provide early and comprehensive production volume plans to enable proactive long-term transport planning. Delegates also proposed enhancing digital transformation in transport operations, sharing real-time data on loading, unloading, and wagon movements, and jointly investing in and upgrading branch lines, warehouses, and handling equipment at key nodes to increase throughput capacity and reduce costs.

Speaking at the conference, Mr. Hoang Gia Khanh, President and CEO of VNR, expressed sincere appreciation to VINACHEM’s leadership and member units for their continued partnership, support, and cooperation, especially in 2025—a year marked by significant challenges due to natural disasters and floods that directly affected railway infrastructure and operations. He affirmed that although volumes remained modest, the results reflected great efforts from both sides, demonstrating responsibility and the close relationship between the two organizations. He highly valued the timely attention and encouragement from VINACHEM’s leadership whenever incidents occurred, which helped VNR overcome difficulties and maintain uninterrupted transport serving the economy and the chemical industry’s needs.

Regarding future directions, the President and CEO of VNR emphasized the need for even closer coordination to improve transport service quality, ensure priority wagon allocation, and organize stable and synchronized transportation, while gradually adjusting freight rates reasonably to harmonize the interests of both sides. He proposed that functional units promptly develop specific plans to increase rail transport volumes, reduce transshipment, and fully utilize existing infrastructure, aiming to raise the rail transport share to around 50% in the coming period. In addition, he called for more comprehensive cooperation in using each other’s products, promoting the spirit of “Vietnamese people using Vietnamese products,” and incorporating this into periodic evaluation and review criteria.

He also expressed the desire for both sides to jointly strive to achieve the Government’s directive of 10% growth, considering it an important political task for each organization. He affirmed that any issues arising during cooperation should be discussed openly and promptly resolved in a spirit of partnership and shared development, expressing confidence that cooperation between the two sides would become increasingly close, comprehensive, and effective.

In concluding remarks, Mr. Nguyen Huu Tu, President and CEO of VINACHEM, thanked the participants and reaffirmed that cooperation between VINACHEM and VNR has continued to be strengthened and developed in a substantive and effective manner, making an important contribution to ensuring supply chains and stabilizing the Group’s production and business operations—particularly for strategic products such as apatite, fertilizers, and basic chemicals.

Looking ahead, the President and CEO of VINACHEM highlighted several key tasks: member units should continue reviewing overall transportation demand, especially for apatite, fertilizers, and chemicals; assess actual capacity and develop market-aligned volume scenarios as a basis for long-term planning; assign the Group’s Business Division as the focal point to coordinate data, standardize reporting, update progress, and promptly report major changes; proactively work with major customers to encourage priority use of railway transport while studying preferential and flexible mechanisms in freight rates, delivery methods, and transit times to ensure balanced benefits for enterprises, customers, and the railway sector; continue close coordination in management and operations, strengthen accountability, and resolve bottlenecks to successfully fulfill production and business tasks in line with green and sustainable transport development orientations set by the Government; and expand cooperation to other product groups, review and evaluate the effectiveness of cross-use of products and services, and clarify remaining technical, technological, and service quality criteria to develop upgrade solutions.

The President and CEO of VINACHEM emphasized that 2026 is of critical significance in the development roadmap of both the Group and the railway sector. He expressed confidence that, with strong political commitment and a spirit of partnership, both sides would achieve more positive results in railway transportation, contributing to enhanced competitiveness, reduced logistics costs, and sustainable development, while extending sincere appreciation for the cooperation of the Vietnam Railways Corporation.