Sailing schedules from Cat Lai (HCMC) to Busan

Tan Cang Cat Lai sits on the river, and the largest vessels that can call there are 45,000 DWT. Busan cargo goes on intra-Asia services, is transshipped once at a hub port in the region, then moves on a second vessel to Busan.

Current schedule: about 1 sailings a week operated by Maersk, with transit of 13 to 20 days. The gap between the fastest and slowest sailings comes mainly from how long cargo waits for its connection. When booking, ask the carrier for the transshipment port and the connection date. Miss the Cat Lai cut-off and the cargo waits for next week's sailing. The gate also clogs at peak hours, so plan gate-in earlier than the cut-off.

Cargo that passes through a third country still counts as shipped directly under Article 3.8 of VKFTA if it transits there for geographic reasons or transport requirements and is not traded or consumed there. It must also undergo no operation other than unloading, reloading or keeping in good condition.

Article 3.23 requires the file submitted to Korean customs to include a through bill of lading (through B/L) issued in Vietnam, the C/O and a copy of the original commercial invoice. Do not split the bill of lading at the transshipment port.

Selling through a trading company in Singapore or Hong Kong does not rule out the C/O, because Article 3.20 bars Korea from rejecting a C/O solely because the invoice was issued by a third country. Form VK C/Os are issued under Circular 40/2015/TT-BCT, amended by Circular 09/2022/TT-BCT. Besides VK, cargo to Korea can also use Form AK or RCEP C/Os, so compare the duty rate for each HS code before choosing a form.

Under Article 8 of the Korea Customs Service (KCS) notice on bonded cargo entry, departure and loading, the manifest must be filed 24 hours before cargo is loaded at the port of loading. Lock the SI early and state the cargo description and consignee correctly from the start. For consolidated cargo under a house B/L, the forwarder files the house manifest with the carrier.

The consignee or its customs broker files the import declaration through UNI-PASS. In principle this happens when the cargo reaches the port, but the declaration can be filed in advance for faster clearance. If the cargo is inspected, customs checks the goods, quantity, origin marking and copyright infringement, and the importer bears the cost. Mark "Made in Vietnam" as the buyer requires, and make sure the quantities on the packing list match the cargo.

Who pays Busan-side charges (THC, D/O, local charges) depends on the incoterms, so spell it out in the contract. Lunar New Year and Chuseok are the route's two peak seasons.

Overseas manufacturing facilities must register with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) before the import declaration is filed, or the declaration is rejected. Ask the buyer for the plant registration number before stuffing.

First-time food imports go through laboratory testing for physical, chemical and microbiological properties. For the first shipment, allow extra time for the cargo to sit at the port and do not promise the buyer a tight delivery date.

Homexim books FCL and LCL ocean freight to Busan, handles export customs clearance in Vietnam and arranges container trucking to Cat Lai. Each shipment has one person in charge from start to finish, and quotes itemize every charge. Import clearance in Korea is handled by the consignee or its broker.