Sea Freight from China to Hai Phong
China → Hai Phong · via HAN air / Hai Phong sea · clearance by General Department of Vietnam Customs (Tổng cục Hải quan)
Hai Phong is the north's main port city and industrial zone, and it is served through HAN air / Hai Phong sea. That combination is what actually sets your delivery date on this lane — the inland leg is same-day, so the clearance date is effectively the delivery date.
Clearance itself is handled by General Department of Vietnam Customs (Tổng cục Hải quan), and typical dwell at the gateway runs 2–5 days.
Routing and transit on this lane
Vietnam is the shortest deep-sea lane out of South China — Shekou to Hai Phong is often 3–5 days. Northern Vietnam is also served overland through the Youyi Guan (Pingxiang) and Mong Cai crossings, which suits LCL and urgent replenishment for the Bac Ninh and Bac Giang electronics cluster.
| Sea gateways used | Hai Phong, Cat Lai (Ho Chi Minh City), Cai Mep–Thi Vai |
|---|---|
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 3–7 calendar days |
| Gateway serving Hai Phong | HAN air / Hai Phong sea |
| Inland leg to Hai Phong | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 2–5 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Duty, tax and clearance into Hai Phong
General Department of Vietnam Customs (Tổng cục Hải quan) assesses duty and tax on cargo arriving for Hai Phong consignees. Current regime: VAT 8–10%; duty 0–35%, with 0% available on most tariff lines under ACFTA/RCEP with a valid Form E, with a de-minimis position of VND 1,000,000 (roughly USD 40) on express parcels.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: Form E certificate of origin to claim ACFTA duty relief; MIC/Circular 04 type approval for radio equipment; energy-efficiency labeling for appliances. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Vietnam: Used machinery is subject to Decision 18/2019 age limits. Cosmetics need a product announcement filed by the consignee. Duty relief under Form E is only granted if the origin document matches the invoice exactly — a very common cause of held shipments.
Before you book: Hai Phong checklist
- Plan around the China-side windows too: Chinese New Year and Golden Week both compress capacity on the Vietnam lane.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front — retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.
- Check the de-minimis position (VND 1,000,000 (roughly USD 40) on express parcels) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
- Get the conformity paperwork moving early: Form E certificate of origin to claim ACFTA duty relief; MIC/Circular 04 type approval for radio equipment; energy-efficiency labeling for appliances.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Hai Phong take?
China to the Vietnam gateway is 3–7 calendar days. On top of that, allow 2–5 days of clearance with General Department of Vietnam Customs (Tổng cục Hải quan) and a same-day inland leg to Hai Phong.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Hai Phong?
General Department of Vietnam Customs (Tổng cục Hải quan) applies: VAT 8–10%; duty 0–35%, with 0% available on most tariff lines under ACFTA/RCEP with a valid Form E. The de-minimis position is VND 1,000,000 (roughly USD 40) on express parcels. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Hai Phong.
Can you deliver door-to-door in Hai Phong?
Yes. Delivery to a Hai Phong address is quoted as one figure covering freight, duty and tax owed to General Department of Vietnam Customs (Tổng cục Hải quan), and the same-day inland leg. Confirm whether your consignee wants the goods at a warehouse, a marketplace fulfillment center or a shop front, because the last-mile requirement differs.
When is the busiest time on the China–Vietnam lane?
Space and rates tighten around Sep–Nov, plus the China-side windows of Chinese New Year in January or February and Golden Week in early October. Book one to two weeks earlier in those periods.
What certification do I need for Vietnam?
For regulated goods, plan for: Form E certificate of origin to claim ACFTA duty relief; MIC/Circular 04 type approval for radio equipment; energy-efficiency labeling for appliances. Missing conformity paperwork is the single most common cause of a hold, and in most cases it cannot be remedied once the cargo has arrived.
Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into Hai Phong?
Per kilo, yes — usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: 3–7 calendar days by sea versus 2–4 business days by air to the Vietnam gateway, before clearance and the same-day inland leg. The crossover point is normally somewhere between 100 and 300 kg depending on the density of your cargo.
Other delivery cities in Vietnam
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Vietnam change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling — confirm the current position for your own HS code with General Department of Vietnam Customs (Tổng cục Hải quan) or your broker before you ship.
- General Department of Vietnam Customs
- Ministry of Industry and Trade
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IPPC — ISPM 15 wood packaging standard
- WCO — Harmonized System nomenclature
- IMO — IMDG Code for dangerous goods by sea
Page data last reviewed: November 2026.
Shipping by industry
This page covers the route and clearance picture for the destination. Packing, classification and the compliance step that actually holds a shipment depend on what you are sending — these guides cover that by commodity.
- Kitchenware Furniture & Home Products
- Home Textiles Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Inflatable Products Toys, Sports, Outdoor & Leisure
- Bolts Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Industrial Boilers General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Building Materials Building Materials & Construction Products
- Plumbing Products Building Materials & Construction Products
- Engineering Plastics Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Home Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Garden Products Furniture & Home Products
- Illuminated Signs Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Metal Products Metal Products & Industrial Components
Checking the Vietnam duty position yourself
Every duty and tax figure quoted on this page is our working estimate for planning, not a ruling. The binding rate for your consignment is whatever General Department of Vietnam Customs applies against your declared HS code on the day of entry, and their published guidance is the source to check before you commit stock.
Most landed-cost surprises trace back to classification rather than freight. the WCO Harmonized System defines the heading structure every customs administration builds on, and ITC Market Access Map will show you the duty a given heading attracts in this destination.
For ocean cargo, restricted commodities move under the IMO's IMDG Code, and the container has to be declared and stowed accordingly. Batteries, flammables and corrosives all have a compliant ocean path; what causes rolled bookings is finding out about them after the container is packed.
If this is your first shipment into Vietnam, the Vietnam Country Commercial Guide covers the practical import environment in more depth than a rate page reasonably can, and it is written by a party with no stake in your booking.
Watch: the process behind this route
This guide covers routing and clearance for Hai Phong. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
How to Ship Internationally via Ocean Freight | Step-by-Step Process, Documents & Cost Explained — 10 Min For Supply Chain. Published on YouTube by a third party; we link it because it explains the process well, not because we produced it or endorse the provider.
Customs clearance in Vietnam
Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border — plus who files the entry.
Vietnam clearance requirements →Priced routes to Vietnam
- Shekou to Qui Nhon FCL Ocean Freight Rates | 20GP & 40HQ
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- Ship Shekou to Hai Phong — FCL Container Cost from China
- Ship Yantian to Cai Mep — FCL Container Cost from China
- Shipping a Container from Nansha to Cai Mep: Cost & Transit