Quote & booking
Itemized rate locked within the business day. Booking confirmation with the cut-off schedule within 24 hours.
OCEAN FREIGHT
Ocean freight FCL/LCL
Lowest cost per CBM for large lots, when time is not the pressure.
Homexim's core service. We work directly with carriers and co-loaders on each lane: holding peak-season space, locking rates before booking, tracking CY, SI, and VGM cut-offs per sailing.
Request a quoteOperating commitments
Rates and sailing schedules updated weekly, with CY, SI, VGM cut-offs per sailing
FCL 20'/40'/40'HC/reefer; weekly LCL consolidation via Hai Phong and Cat Lai CFS
DEM/DET free time negotiated per lane at booking, not firefighting afterwards
Draft B/L sent for your check before SI cut-off. Telex release or original B/L per payment terms
Ocean freight at a glance
- Main ports
- Hai Phong, Cat Lai, Cai Mep
- Cargo accepted
- FCL 20'/40'/40'HC and reefer; weekly LCL consolidation via CFS; out-of-gauge reviewed case by case
- Reference transit
- Singapore 3 to 5 days; Japan and Korea 5 to 10; US West Coast 16 to 20 on direct services; North Europe 28 to 35
- Typical cut-offs
- SI and VGM 1 to 3 days before ETD, CY 1 to 2 days, varying by carrier and port
- To get a quote
- Cargo description, expected HS code, volume or container count, POL and POD, cargo-ready date
- Free time
- Default DEM/DET usually 4 to 7 days by carrier; more negotiable per lane at booking
Source: Homexim route desk, updated 07/2026. Figures are reference only and confirmed per booking.
Cargo suited to ocean freight
- Regular FCL exports: furniture, garments, agricultural goods
- LCL lots of 1 to 15 CBM, consolidated weekly through CFS
- Reefer cargo: seafood, fruit, frozen food
- Production materials and components imported on a quarterly cycle
- Machinery and project cargo needing lashing plans; OOG case by case
- L/C shipments where documents must match the credit line by line
The 4-step process
Empty pickup & loading
Trucks dispatched against closing time, VGM filed on deadline, draft B/L matched to invoice and packing list before SI cut-off.
Gate-in & departure
Gated in at CY before cut-off, declaration filed, vessel departure confirmed and B/L issued.
Import leg & delivery
Pre-alert to the destination agent, D/O collected, import clearance and delivery to door on end-to-end shipments.
A typical shipment: peak season to the US
A furniture exporter has an order that must ship to the US in October, right in the pre-holiday peak. Carriers tighten space, rates move week to week, and the factory can only confirm the cargo-ready date about a week ahead.
For a shipment like this the route desk does three things: books early against the forecast before the exact date is fixed, keeps two carriers warm on the same lane, and locks the rate in writing before the empty is pulled. If the carrier changes schedule or rolls the booking, you hear it immediately, with the next sailing or an alternative carrier and any cost difference.
The goal is not a promise that vessels never slip. It is that every change is flagged before it turns into cost, and that the draft B/L matches your payment documents from the first version.
Frequently asked questions
The questions customers ask our documentation desk most often. Can't find yours? Send it straight to the route desk via the quote form.
01What happens if my cargo gets rolled in peak season?
We book early against your forecast and keep relationships with several carriers on each lane. If a carrier rolls the booking, you are told the moment we know, with the next sailing or an alternative carrier and any cost difference. Cargo never sits at the yard waiting for news.
02How long is transit from Hai Phong to Los Angeles?
Direct services take about 16 to 20 days; transshipment services 22 to 28 days depending on the carrier and transshipment port. Exact figures follow each week's sailing schedule, and the route desk sends the specific schedule with your quote.
03What do local charges include?
Typically THC, B/L fee, seal, telex release if used, and CIC/EBS depending on lane and season. Homexim itemizes every line, so if it is not in the quote, it is not charged.
04Original B/L or telex release: which should I use?
Telex release delivers cargo without presenting the original B/L. It is fast and suited to fully paid or intercompany shipments. The original B/L keeps control of the cargo and is required under L/C terms. Homexim advises per shipment based on your payment terms and handles the surrender when you ask.
05FCL or LCL: which should I choose?
Compare the full door-to-door cost, not just the ocean rate. A common rule of thumb: below about 10 CBM, LCL is usually cheaper; from 13 to 15 CBM upward, price it against a 20' FCL, because once local charges at both ends are counted, FCL is often level or cheaper with less handling risk. In the gray zone, the route desk quotes both options in one email.
06How long does ocean freight from Vietnam to Europe take?
Vietnam to the main North Europe ports such as Rotterdam or Hamburg takes 28 to 35 days as a reference; Mediterranean ports often run a few days shorter depending on the transshipment routing. Schedules shift weekly by carrier, so the route desk sends the current sailing list with every quote so you can count back to your cargo-ready date.
Your next shipment, we handle it.
Send your lane, cargo type, and target timing. You get a transport plan with an itemized quote within the business day.
Request a quote nowDirect contact
The route desk replies within business hours. Include POL/POD and cargo type, and you get one straight quote with no back-and-forth.
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