General Forwarding and Agency Corporation or GEMADEPT was a state owned company belonged to Vietnam Maritime Department, established in 1990. In line with the government’s reform policy, in 1993 Gemadept became the first company to be privatized in Vietnam. The corporation is now listed in the Stock Exchange of Vietnam. In order to meet customers’ demands as well as improve competitive advantage and expand production scale, company has constantly developed its business functions. Nowadays, with head office in Hochiminh city, four branches in Hanoi, Haiphong, Da nang, Qui Nhon: six agencies, three port offices, 2 enterprises, 1 joint venture and 6 technical service sections, and 3 overseas subsidiaries in Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Gemadept is able to provide a comprehensive coverage throughout the country and the surrounding region. Since the middle of 1999, company built the quality control system ISO 9002 and has been accredited by SGS, a Swiss organization on 22nd December 2000. Being formed since 1993 under the joint stock company form, Gemadept has experienced 9 years of operation and non stop developed in the field of international shipping and forwarding. Company’s revenue average growth rate is around 15% / year and gain over 340 billions VND in 2000. Scale expansion, stable financial status, wide relationship with many partners together with experienced and well trained, high skills staff are advantages that enhance Gemadept’s competitiveness. List of shareholders hold more than 5% share capital of company: Since establishing, company has individual shareholders holds more than 5% share capital, the only organization holds more than 5% is Vietnam Maritime Corporation (27.062.400 shares, equivalent to 15.75%).

To organize multimodal transport, to organize transportation of containers and other cargoes by domestic rivers from ships to ICD, to the warehouses and yard of customers and vice versa; project cargo handling, to organize loading, discharging, transshipping containers and other cargoes from ships to barges and vice versa in ports of Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong and other ports; sea and air freight forwarding, port operation and other services; trading, ship and container leasing, warehousing; mediating and calling for investment in transportation and communication infrastructure, to build wharf, yard, port, office building for multimodal transport, office leasing, real estate.

International maritime industry has a big opportunity to develop due to global commercial and economic development, that Asia is the most active area. Asian commerce accounts for a large proportion in total international import and export productions. Vietnamese Maritime fronts a developing opportunity as the intensive economic integration (accessing WTO) and growing economics of Vietnam. The biggest challenge for Vietnam maritime industry is to compete right in home yard with big transportation companies when official joining WTO. GMD advantage is to have close transport service system includes shipping agent, container shipping agent, sea port operation, warehousing, shipping and forwarding agent, frozen container maintenance…This is the basic for GMD to develop a Logistic Supply Chain in the future. GMD ranks number 2 in Vietnam in extra-long and extra-weight transport, has ability to transport a hundred ton weight machinery such as drilling platform, turbine, and super weight electric equipments. In the sea port operation field, GMD competitors are Sai Gon New Port Company and No. 1 Freight Loading and Discharging Company (FLDC). These two rivals have advantages of river port so ships can land directly in port, therefore, save cost of transport against ICD Phuoc Long of GMD. In shipping and forwarding agent, its major competitors are Vetfracht, Vinatrans, Safi, Sotrans, Inlaco. This is the key business and the main source of revenue of GMD, while GMD develops this service not to be the key service but aim to provide package services. In multimodal transport, GMD has advantage of close transport services system that reduces operating cost and creates high competitiveness.

In the period of 2006 – 2010, GMD will focus on 4 strategic groups: expand and develop markets; develop service and product; cooperate, joint venture and subdivide the organization to improve service quality. Base on that, GMD concentrates on maximize investment in specialized projects (fleet development, sea port system and satellites in foreign countries to promote brand name and call for investment), and expands to other activities. For transport service, GMD planned to continue developing container shipping fleet with GMD brand, and open new route in Asean region. For sea port operation, besides efficient exploiting the Phuoc Long ICD, GMD implements the Container port Cai Mep – Thi Vai project, and international port Gemadept - Dung Quat project (GMD holds 55% charter capital). These are ports held strategic location. While Dung Quat port is a gateway of Central Area, Cai Mep port promises a maritime route straight from Vietnam to other countries without transit in HongKong or Singapore. Gemadept will feasible research on establishing a financial investment company or financial investment center belonged to Gemadept in order to implement investment strategies and manage capital base on manufacturing corporation model. Gemadept increase charter capital to 500 billions in 2008 and increase legal capital of Singapore and Malaysia branches from 300.000 USD each branch to 950.000 USD.