Hub · Shipping line tariffs · Vietnam

Local Charges in Vietnam by Shipping Line (2026)

Export and import local charges for 24 container lines at Vietnamese ports, side by side, with the OOG rates most tables leave out.

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Numbers taken from each carrier’s published Vietnam tariff and checked on 11 October 2026. · Jump to the export table

Local charges in Vietnam are the fees a shipping line collects at the Vietnamese port on top of ocean freight. They look small next to the freight rate, but on a single 40′ box they often add up to more than 7 million VND, and on flat racks or open tops they are higher again.

This page puts the published numbers for 24 lines in one place, explains each line item, and shows who normally pays it.

Every figure below comes from the carrier’s own Vietnam tariff, collected and cross-checked by our pricing team. Each carrier name links to its full tariff page in Vietnamese, with all surcharges, DEM/DET scales and container deposits.

What local charges in Vietnam include, line by line

Names differ between carriers, but the same eight or nine items appear on almost every invoice. The table explains them in plain terms.

Real examples from the carrier pages: ONE charges 450,000 VND per B/L for telex release, 950,000 VND for advance manifest filing and 550,000 VND for each B/L amendment after cut-off. KMTC bills a CIC of USD 100 per 20′ and USD 200 per 40′ on import.

These extras are where most invoice disputes start, so read the full tariff for the line you book.

Export local charges in Vietnam by shipping line

Paid by the shipper in Vietnam when the B/L is released. Dry containers, main port of each line, amounts in VND unless marked USD. The VAT column shows whether the carrier’s figure already includes VAT.

Read across, not just down. ONE has the lowest 40′ export handling charge among the lines that bill in VND, 4,800,000 VND, while Interasia is highest at 6,413,000 VND including VAT. The gap on one 40′ box is about 1.6 million VND before any extras, which matters on a 20-container project.

Import local charges and free time at Vietnamese ports

Paid by the consignee when collecting the delivery order. Free time is for dry containers on import; scales per day after free time are on each carrier page.

Two points that catch overseas agents out:

• Free time is short. Several lines give 5 days at the port and 3 days outside it. A slow customs inspection eats that fast, so file documents before the vessel arrives.
• Discharge port changes the bill. ONE, for example, lists a lower import handling charge for boxes discharged at Cai Mep for Ho Chi Minh City (2,700,000 / 4,400,000 VND) but adds a Cai Mep to Cat Lai transfer of 2,080,000 / 2,600,000 VND when that move is needed.
• Payer changes cost money. Maersk charges 900,000 VND to change the payer of destination charges on or after ETA. Agree who pays before the vessel sails.

Flat rack and open top local charges: what OOG shippers pay

Special equipment carries its own handling rate. For out-of-gauge cargo the gap is not small: on the lines below, a 40′ flat rack or open top pays from about 20 percent more to double the rate of a 40′ dry box. Export rates, 20′ and 40′, as published.

On top of handling, some lines add an over-height charge for OOG. KMTC lists an over-height surcharge at Ho Chi Minh City of USD 500 per 20′ and USD 800 per 40′ for open tops and flat racks. KMTC places it next to the freight surcharges, so confirm with the line whether it is billed locally or with the freight.

Out-of-gauge boxes also need OOG acceptance before booking, and some terminals charge extra lifts; see our OOG cargo service in Vietnam for how we handle that.

Who pays local charges under each Incoterm?

The carrier invoices whoever the B/L and the booking name. The sales contract decides who finally bears the cost. This is the usual split for sea freight; your contract wording overrides it.

For the official definitions, see the ICC Incoterms rules. In practice, write “origin THC for seller’s account” or “destination THC for buyer’s account” into the contract, because Vietnamese importers and overseas sellers often read FCA and CFR differently.

Worked example: local charges for one 40′ container

Two real calculations from the ONE tariff (effective 1 April 2026), excluding VAT:

Neither figure includes trucking, customs clearance, DEM/DET or the container deposit some lines ask for. On a project shipment those items are usually larger than the carrier’s local charges, which is why we quote them together.

Tips for agents: avoid surprise local charges in Vietnam

• Check the VAT column. Some lines publish figures including VAT, others exclude it. Compare like with like.
• Watch USD lines. Korean and Chinese carriers often bill handling in USD and paperwork in VND, so one invoice has two currencies.
• Send the SI before cut-off. Late SI and post-cut-off B/L changes carry fixed fees on most lines.
• Ask about OOG extras at booking. Lost slots, over-height surcharges and extra lifts are not in the standard local charges table.
• Plan for the port, not the city. Cat Lai, Cai Mep and Hai Phong can carry different handling charges and transfer fees; see our Vietnam ports guide.
• Exporting? Origin charges are one part of the cost; our guide to how you export from Vietnam covers documents, customs and timing.

FAQ: local charges in Vietnam

Related guides for shipping in Vietnam

Last updated: October 2026 · Vietnamese version with calculator