INTERNATIONAL OCEAN TRANSPORT COMPANY IN VIETNAM

I. International Ocean Freight Shipping

1. Definition

International ocean transport is the process of transporting goods by ship through sea routes between countries. This is a long-standing form of transport and still accounts for a large proportion of global trade, especially for large, bulky goods.

2. Current International Sea Routes

The international shipping network is vast, comprising many major routes connecting key economic regions. Below are some of the major international shipping routes:

Main Sea Route	Connection Points
1. Transatlantic shipping route (Trans-Atlantic)	– Connecting countries in the North American region to countries in the Nordic or Mediterranean regions
2. Trans-Pacific shipping route (Trans-Pacific)	– Connecting countries in East Asia; Southeast Asia to western ports in North America, across the Pacific Ocean
3. Asia – Europe shipping route (Asia – Europe)	– Passing through two important maritime chokepoints, the Strait of Malacca (Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia – Asia) and the Bosphorus Strait (Turkey – Europe). In between them is the Suez Canal (Egypt)
4. South America – Europe shipping route (South America – Europe)	– Although less important than the “Trans-Atlantic” route, it still served as a bridge between the South American powers and the European countries.
5. Shipping routes in the Asia region	– Close connections between 3 regions: South Asia – Southeast Asia and East Asia. Helps transport a large amount of goods between regions, including the Middle East and intra-Asia (landlocked areas)

II. Advantages And Disadvantages Of Using Ocean Transport

1. Advantages

● Ability to transport large volumes of goods: Ships can carry very large amounts of goods, from bulk cargo, container cargo to oversized and overweight cargo.

● Low shipping costs: Compared to air freight, sea freight costs are often significantly lower, especially for large volume and long distance goods.

● Fewer restrictions on cargo size and weight: Sea freight has fewer restrictions on cargo size and weight than other forms of transportation.

● Extensive shipping network: Sea shipping network covers all continents, connecting most countries in the world.

2. Disadvantages

● Long transit times: Ocean shipping times are often longer than air shipping, which can take weeks or even months depending on the route and weather conditions.

● Weather Dependent: Bad weather may affect shipping schedules.

● Complicated customs procedures: Customs procedures for sea transport are often quite complicated and require a lot of paperwork.

III. International Sea Freight Costs 2025

1. Reference Container Freight Rates

a) Asia Regional Rates

Partition	Nation	FCL – 40’DC (USD)	Shipping Time (Day)
Southeast Asia	Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines and Cambodia	110 ~ 1800	3 ~ 10
East Asia	Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Taiwan and China	20 ~ 500	3 ~ 11
South Asia	India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh	700 ~ 1800	11 ~ 21
West Asia	Qatar, Türkiye, Oman, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Yemen	2100 ~ 4300	21 ~ 45

 b) European Regional Rates

Partition	Nation	FCL – 40’DC (USD)	Shipping Time (Day)
Eastern Europe	Russian and Poland	2100 ~ 3000	38 ~ 56
Western Europe	France, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Luxembourg and Belgium	1400 ~ 3000	32 ~ 44
Southern Europe	Spain, Croatia, Portugal, Greece and Italy	2700 ~ 3600	34 ~ 52
Northern Europe	Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway	2100 ~ 2500	36 ~ 50
Central Europe	Hungary, Czech Republic and Republic of Austria	1500 ~ 3100	32 ~ 36

c) Americas Regional Rates

Partition	Nation	FCL – 40’DC (USD)	Shipping Time (Day)
North America	Canada, United States, Cuba and Mexico	1900 ~ 6000	30 ~ 62
South America	Colombia, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay	2400 ~ 3200	34 ~ 47

d) Australia Regional Rates

Nation	FCL – 40’DC (USD)	Shipping Time (Day)
Australia	1800 ~ 4000	28 ~ 37
New Zealand	> 3000	22 ~ 32

QUOTATION NOTES:

– VAT not included

– Price list is for reference only in 2025

– The listed price is in USD, 1 USD ~ 25400 VND ~ 1450 Won

– 20’DC and 40’DC: are regular container sizes (Dry Container)

– For items that are difficult to clear customs or have their declarations transferred, WE WILL NOT CHANGE THE PRICE AFTER NOTIFICATION .

2. Additional Fees When Participating in Transportation

In addition to shipping costs, there are other surcharges such as:

● THC (Terminal Handling Charge): Port handling fee

● D/O Fee (Documentation Fee): Documentation fee

● CFS (Container Freight Station) Fee: Less than Container Load (LCL) Fee

● BAF (Bunker Adjustment Factor): Fuel Surcharge

● CAF (Currency Adjustment Factor): Exchange Rate Surcharge

● Container cleaning fee

● Demurrage and Detention fees…

Main Categories	Sub-Category	Value (USD / BL)	Note
1. Handling Service Fee		5 ~ 50	– Total of all costs that the customer must pay to the service company
2. Types of Costs Incurred at the Port	– Issue B/L	25 ~ 45	– Depending on FCL or LCL, FCL is usually more expensive
	– AMS	25 ~ 50	– Depends on the country
	– AFS	30 ~ 40	– Reference price in Vietnam market
	– Seal Fee	5 ~ 8	– Depends on container type and shipping line
	– CFS	3 ~ 8	– Depends on the country
3. Vietnam Customs Service Fee	Green channel	32 ~ 45	– Depending on the cargo flow, you can learn more here
	Yellow stream	72 ~ 90
	Red stream	110 ~ 130

IV. Reasons Why You Should Choose 5 Startrans’ International Sea Freight Service

1. Strong Dealer System

5 Startran has a wide network of agents in many countries, helping to ensure smooth shipping.

2. Competitive Prices

5 Startrans offers competitive ocean freight rates (both full container load and less than container load).

3. Professional Team

Experienced staff, capable of handling problems arising during transportation.

4. Customs Services

5 Startrans provides a complete customs declaration service, helping customers save time and effort.

5. Diversified Services

In addition to sea freight, 5 Startrans also provides road, air and other logistics services.