International trade between China and Vietnam has been booming in recent years. As two neighboring countries with rapidly growing economies, the demand for goods, raw materials, and components has fueled a thriving trade relationship. A crucial aspect of this trade involves the logistics of shipping goods from China to Vietnam. In this article, we will explore the key considerations, logistics, and processes involved in shipping from China to Vietnam.
Shipping from China to Vietnam
Port Selection: The First Mile
The journey begins at Chinese ports, and selecting the right port of origin is crucial. China boasts a vast network of ports, with Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong being among the most prominent choices for exporters. Your choice of port will depend on factors like proximity to your manufacturing source, transportation infrastructure, and shipping costs.
Destination Ports in Vietnam: The Final Destination
Vietnam has several international ports, including Hai Phong in the north, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in the south, and Da Nang in central Vietnam. The choice of port depends largely on the location of your final destination within Vietnam. Consider factors like transportation networks and proximity to markets.
Container Selection: Safeguarding Your Cargo
The type and size of containers play a vital role in the safety and security of your cargo. Standard container sizes include 20-foot and 40-foot containers, but specialized containers are available for goods with unique requirements, such as refrigerated or hazardous cargo.
Transit Time: Planning for Delays
Transit times can vary based on factors like the specific ports of origin and destination, the shipping route, and the carrier’s schedule. While it typically takes around 1 to 2 weeks for goods to reach Vietnamese ports from major Chinese ports, it’s important to plan for potential delays due to weather, customs, or other unforeseen circumstances.
Documentation and Customs Clearance: Navigating Regulations
Proper documentation is the backbone of international shipping. Ensure you have essential documents like the bill of lading, packing list, commercial invoice, certificate of origin, and any other documents required for customs clearance in both China and Vietnam. Working with experienced customs brokers can streamline this process.
Incoterms: Defining Responsibilities
Clearly define the Incoterms (International Commercial Terms) with your supplier or buyer. Incoterms specify responsibilities and costs associated with the shipment, including transportation, insurance, and customs clearance.
Insurance: Protecting Your Cargo
Cargo insurance is a prudent choice to safeguard your goods during transit. Ocean freight shipments are exposed to various risks, including theft, damage, or loss.
Regulations and Restrictions: Know Before You Ship
Be aware of specific regulations, import restrictions, or licensing requirements that may apply to your goods in Vietnam. Understanding and adhering to these regulations is crucial to avoid customs issues and delays.
Finding a China carrier that is competitively priced and capable of shipping from China to Vietnam efficiently will ensure your needs are met, whether it’s in terms of maximizing your company’s profits or maintaining inventory integrity. While you won’t be handling the process yourself, it’s important to understand a little bit about how it works so you can work with your freight forwarder to troubleshoot logistical issues and potential pitfalls.
Shipping method from China to Vietnam
International trade between China and Vietnam has been booming in recent years. As two neighboring countries with rapidly growing economies, the demand for goods, raw materials, and components has fueled a thriving trade relationship. A crucial aspect of this trade involves the logistics of shipping goods from China to Vietnam. In this article, we will explore the key considerations, logistics, and processes involved in shipping from China to Vietnam.
Sea Freight shipping service from China to Vietnam:
Container Shipping: This is one of the most common and cost-effective methods for shipping large quantities of goods. You can choose between Full Container Load (FCL) or Less than Container Load (LCL) options depending on the volume of your cargo. It’s important to consider transit times and select the appropriate port of entry in Vietnam, such as Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City, or Da Nang.
Bulk Shipping: Bulk shipping is suitable for commodities like minerals, grains, or liquids that do not require packaging in containers. Bulk carriers transport these goods directly in their holds.
Top Chinese seaports for exports to Vietnam:
Shanghai
Shenzhen
Ningbo-Zhoushan
Guangzhou
Qingdao
Tianjin
Main Vietnamese seaports:
Hai Phong port
Vung Tau Port
Van Phong Port
Quy Nhon Port
Quang Ninh Port
Saigon Port
Cua Lo Port
Dung Quat Port
Chan Ma Port
Upsides to sea freight: Inexpensive, lower carbon footprint than airfreight, can handle all items, FCL and LCL system lets you adapt to your business’s needs.
Downsides to sea freight: Slow
Air freight from China to Vietnam:
The biggest advantage of airfreight is its speed. Items leaving China can arrive in Vietnam within 1–2 days. This is optimal for high-value items since they spend less time in transit. However, there are a few trade-offs for that speed.
Airfreight is generally more expensive than sea. It’s also better for small items because airlines have weight and volume restrictions. Airfreight also uses more fuel than alternatives, so if carbon footprint is a concern for you and your company ethic, you’ll want to opt for sea freight.
Keep in mind that airfreight normally only involves delivering goods to an airport in Vietnam, not to the inventory’s ultimate destination. Additional transportation accommodations must be made to get your shipment to its final destination. The exception, of course, is if you’ve arranged for door-to-door transportation. As discussed above, door-to-door delivery allows arrangements to be made to transport the goods from the airport to their end destination, as well as clearance through Vietnamese customs.
Top Chinese airports for exports to Vietnam:
Beijing Capital International Airport
Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport
Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport
Shanghai Pudong International Airport
Xi’an Xianyang International Airport
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
Hong Kong International Airport
Kunming Changshui International Airport
Shenzhen Baoan International Airport
Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport
Vietnam international airports for imports:
Hanoi Airport (HAN)
Hai Phong Airport (HPH)
Danang Airport (DAD)
Hue Airport (HUI)
Nha Trang Airport (CXR)
Dalat Airport (DLI)
Vinh Airport (VII)
Ho Chi Minh City Airport (SGN)
Phu Quoc Airport (PQC)
Upsides to airfreight: Fast
Downsides to airfreight: Expensive, high carbon footprint, constraints on what type of items can be shipped via air
Which is the best way to ship from China to Vietnam
Sea freight is one of the most preferred way, that many people choose sea freight for shipping from China. One of the most important reason is that the cost of this way is very reasonable compared to other modes of transportation. Some conditions are specific for sea freight that they are as the following:
Goods are super large
Goods are very heavy
Goods are more than 200 kg
Goods are in bad shape
shipping from China to Vietnam, the best shipping method depends on your specific needs and priorities. Basenton can help evaluate options and recommend the most appropriate solution for your unique situation.
Shipping Cost from China to Vietnam
shipping from China to Vietnam, Typically, you will hear that shipping by ocean is cheaper than shipping by air when shipping by road isn’t an option. This is usually true, however, this is not necessarily in all instances. Airlines bill you by what is called a chargeable weight when utilising this as a shipping method. Chargeable weight is calculated from a combination of both the size and the weight of a shipment. As a shipment gets smaller, the increments between the prices is and sometimes air will even end up being cheaper than sea freight.
Benefits of ocean freight:
Suitable for a wide range of products
Large volume shipping
Most environmentally friendly within all modes of transport
Economical and cost effective.
Extensive worldwide coverage
Multiple carrier options
Sea shipping is different in that sea carriers charge per container rates for shipping in standard containers. While weight can factor into the price for sea freight, their charge tends to be primarily based on the size of a shipment. If you are shipping less than a container load, your price will likely be determined by cubic meter. With larger and heavier shipments, shipping by sea tends to be the more cost-effective route.
Benefits of air freight:
Quick transit
Reliable arrival and departures
Enhanced level of security for your cargo
Speed
When it comes to speed it is without a doubt that air freight is usually much faster than ocean, and train is faster than road. When it comes to business time is money, this factor alone could make a huge difference when determining what freight method is best for you. Many sea shipments can take roughly a month to arrive at their destination while an air shipment often takes only a couple days. For most import and export businesses, faster is better. It should be noted that technology keeps moving forward in the world of international shipping. Ships are constantly getting faster, and canals have created shorter shipping routes. There are many ocean freight shipments that are crossing oceans with delivery times as short as eight days.
Documents required when shipping from China to Vietnam
Bill of Lading (A sea bill of lading is a document issued by a shipping company or its representative in exchange for receiving goods for shipment. If the bill of lading has been given as a receipt for RECEIVED FOR SHIPMENT, it indicates the goods’ receipt by the relevant shipping company, but it does not show the goods’ definite shipment. The bill of lading is called ON BOARD. And the bill of lading, called “AIR WAYBILL or AIR CONSIGNMENT NOTE” or “AIR FREIGHT NOTE,” is usually issued in 12 copies, 3 of which are commercially important and the rest copies are for the airline interior.)
Invoice (It is a document containing information about the goods or goods sold that the seller issues in the name of the buyer.)
Certificate of Origin (it is a document issued by the Chamber of Commerce of each country for export goods and issued for each export item. This document certifies the place (country) of manufacture of the goods, and it is part of the documents that the buyer needs to clear the goods through customs so that it will be sent to the buyer along with other documents in due time)
Packing List (the list of all items to be shipped)
Test or Inspection Certificate (it is issued by international investigation companies)
Insurance ( all items must be insured)
Not all of these are necessary in every case, and document requirements vary based on the shipping method. Staying well-informed about current regulations and consulting with your freight forwarder will help ensure you always have the proper documentation prepared for your shipment.
If you’re not sure what documents you need or feel lost when preparing your documents, contact us. We offer help preparing commercial invoices as well as import and export customs clearances for each shipment.
Shipping from China to Vietnam Experts
Shipping from China to Vietnam, Basenton Logistics is large enough to handle any shipping job but small enough to care about your needs. Our goal is to tailor shipping solutions for all kinds of clients. Whether it’s express freight, railway freight, or air freight from China. No matter how large your shipment is, we can help to handle, no matter how small your shipment is, we can help to arrange. We are working 24/7 for your shipments. We’re here to help you get started today.
