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Asia Pacific

Shipping from China to Cai Mep

China → Cai Mep · via SGN air / Cai Mep sea · clearance by General Department of Vietnam Customs (Tổng cục Hải quan)

Freight forwarding from China to Cai Mep, Vietnam — container and air cargo handling
Cargo handling on the China–Cai Mep lane.

We move freight cargo from South China into Cai Mep through SGN air / Cai Mep sea. Cai Mep is the deep-water port serving southern Vietnam's export belt, which shapes the kind of cargo that moves on this lane and how it should be packed.

The clearing authority is General Department of Vietnam Customs (Tổng cục Hải quan). Historical dwell on this gateway is around 2–5 days, and it lengthens in Sep–Nov.

How this lane actually runs

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.

Air gateways usedSGN (Ho Chi Minh City), HAN (Hanoi), DAD (Da Nang)
Air transit, China to gateway2–4 business days
Sea gateways usedHai Phong, Cat Lai (Ho Chi Minh City), Cai Mep–Thi Vai
Sea transit, China to gateway3–7 calendar days
Gateway serving Cai MepSGN air / Cai Mep sea
Inland leg to Cai MepSame day from the gateway
Typical clearance / dwell2–5 days
Peak season to plan aroundSep–Nov

What you will pay on arrival in Vietnam

Imports into Vietnam are cleared by General Department of Vietnam Customs (Tổng cục Hải quan). The headline position is: VAT 8–10%; duty 0–35%, with 0% available on most tariff lines under ACFTA/RCEP with a valid Form E. The de-minimis threshold is 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.

Air cargo build-up used on the China to Cai Mep (Vietnam) freight lane
Handling on the SGN air / Cai Mep sea routing serving Cai Mep.

Air, sea or overland into Cai Mep?

ModeTransit to gatewayBest suited to
✈️ Air Freight2–4 business daystime-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo
🚢 Sea Freight3–7 calendar daysvolume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed

Transit shown is China departure to the Vietnam gateway and excludes the same-day inland leg to Cai Mep and 2–5 days of clearance.

Before you book: Cai Mep checklist

  • Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
  • Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
  • Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Vietnam duty rate against it yourself.
  • Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
  • 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.
  • Put the Cai Mep delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.

Mode guides for Cai Mep

Frequently asked questions

How long does shipping from China to Cai Mep take?

China to the Vietnam gateway is 2–4 business days by air, 3–7 calendar days by sea. 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 Cai Mep.

What duty and tax will I pay importing into Cai Mep?

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 Cai Mep.

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.

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.

Can you deliver door-to-door in Cai Mep?

Yes. Delivery to a Cai Mep 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.

How is the chargeable weight calculated for Cai Mep?

We compare actual gross weight against volumetric weight — length × width × height in centimeters divided by 6000 for air — and bill the greater of the two, rounded up to the next kilogram. Light, bulky cargo is almost always billed on volume.

Other delivery cities in Vietnam

All Vietnam freight information →

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.

Page data last reviewed: 10 月 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.

All 60 industry guides →

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 Cai Mep. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.

LCL vs FCL | Difference Between Full Container Load & Less than Container Load | Which is better ? — 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.

Get a rate for Cai Mep

This lane is quoted per shipment rather than from a rate card: the landed cost depends on the commodity, its density, the conformity requirements above and the delivery point. Send the cargo details and we price it properly.

Answer these and you get a real price, not a range. These are the exact figures a carrier needs before it will quote. Fill them in once and we can price your cargo the same day — leave them out and we have to come back and ask, which is what turns an hour into a week.

kg
ctn
Carton sizeoptional
× × cm
m³
ctr
Built-in battery?* Lithium cells are dangerous goods.
Someone else's brand?* Logos you are not authorised to ship.
Magnetic product?* Speakers, motors, magnets.
Why these three decide everything

They determine whether your cargo can fly, and on which service. A declared battery changes the price; an undeclared one grounds the shipment at the airport and you pay storage while it sits. Unauthorised brands are seized at customs and the freight is lost with them. Magnetic goods need a field test — routine, but it has to be booked ahead. Telling us now costs a click; telling us later costs the shipment.

Sea or air?*
Tick both and we quote both.
When should it move?optional
Photographs of the goodsoptional
    Your details are used to prepare this quotation and nothing else.

    See the Vietnam route page →

    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