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Logistics

A GUIDE TO SHIPPING CONTAINER TYPES: DIMENSIONS, CAPACITY AND TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Choosing the right shipping container depends on the cargo’s dimensions, characteristics, weight and handling requirements. Understanding container specifications helps businesses determine the most suitable equipment and plan cargo loading more effectively. This guide provides a quick reference to 12 container types, covering their dimensions, internal volume and key weight specifications. Key Considerations When Selecting a Shipping Container Check the internal dimensions: Use the container’s internal dimensions to calculate the available loading space. Compare the cargo’s length, width and height against the usable internal dimensions, allowing for the clearance needed for loading and unloading Understand payload and gross weight limits: Payload refers to the maximum cargo weight a container is designed to carry, while maximum gross weight includes both the container’s tare weight and the cargo. For inland transportation, also check the applicable vehicle weight limits and road regulations along the planned route Inspect the container before loading: Check the container’s exterior, floor and doors for damage or signs of water ingress. For refrigerated containers, verify that the refrigeration unit is operating properly and that the required temperature can be maintained for the cargo Note: Specifications may vary by container model and manufacturer. Always check the equipment plate on the assigned container before loading. Contact Vantage Logistics for tailored transport solutions and competitive quotations. Please provide details on cargo type, market, origin, destination, and estimated timeline. Vantage Logistics Corp – South East Asia (S.E.A) Logistics Provider One-Stop Shop For Integrated Logistics Services Head Office Viet Nam – Suite 6.01, Floor 6th, Block A, RiverGate Residence, 151-155 Ben Van Don, Khanh Hoi Ward, HCMC, Viet Nam Branch Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore Contact Us Email in**@*****om.vn Hotline +84-909-026-261 Website https://vantage-logistics.com Send your shipment enquiry today and receive a tailored transport plan from the Vantage Logistics team.

13/10/2026

Blog, Logistics

What is DDP? Who Pays Duty and Tax in International Shipping

What is DDP? DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) is an Incoterm where the seller delivers goods to the buyer’s destination and pays all costs, including transport, import duties, and taxes, while the buyer simply receives the goods. DDP places maximum responsibility on the seller. It is the opposite of EXW and represents the highest level of service – and risk – in international trade. How DDP Works The seller manages the entire journey, from factory to final destination, including the import process in the buyer’s country. Seller’s responsibilities under DDP: Export packaging and documentation Export customs clearance All transport to named destination Import customs clearance at destination Payment of all import duties, VAT, and taxes Delivery to the named place Bear all risks until goods are delivered Buyer’s responsibilities under DDP: Unload goods at the named destination (unless otherwise agreed) Receive the goods Risk transfer point: When goods are placed at the buyer’s disposal at the named destination, ready for unloading. Key Differences Between EXW, DAP and DDP EXW DAP DDP Export clearance Buyer Seller Seller Main transport Buyer Seller Seller Import clearance Buyer Buyer Seller Import duties & taxes Buyer Buyer Seller Unloading at destination Buyer Buyer Buyer Seller’s risk level Lowest Moderate Highest Buyer’s risk level Highest Low–Moderate Lowest See also: What is DAP? | What is EXW? | Incoterms 2020: Complete Guide When DDP Makes Sense DDP works best in specific, limited scenarios – not as a default arrangement for regular commercial trade. DDP is appropriate for: Low-value shipments where import duties are minimal and predictable Replacement parts and spare parts deliveries Free samples and marketing materials Situations where the buyer has no import experience and the seller has an established legal presence in the destination country E-commerce fulfilment where the seller operates cross-border logistics infrastructure DDP is not appropriate for: Regular high-value commercial imports Shipments where the seller has no legal entity in the destination country Any situation where the seller cannot legally act as importer of record Shipments into markets with complex, unpredictable, or frequently changing duty structures What DDP Actually Costs the Seller DDP is often quoted as a single all-in price, but several hidden cost drivers affect the final cost: Import duties volatility Tariffs may change after pricing is agreed, increasing seller exposure. VAT exposure In many markets, import VAT must be paid upfront and may not be recoverable for foreign sellers, making it a sunk cost embedded in the price. Importer of Record (IOR) requirement To clear goods, the seller must act as – or appoint – the Importer of Record. In many countries, this requires a locally registered entity, adding cost and compliance complexity. The Risk Buyers Often Miss DDP reduces operational workload – but does not eliminate legal exposure. Buyer may still be liable Customs authorities may hold the importer accountable for classification, valuation, and compliance – even if duties were paid by the seller. DDP in Practice: China–Viet Nam Shipments For Vietnamese importers sourcing from China, DDP is widely marketed by Chinese forwarders as a simple, all-inclusive service. It works well for small or infrequent shipments. For regular commercial imports: The seller or their agent must act as importer of record Import VAT (typically 8–10%) is embedded in pricing Classification differences may create duty discrepancies For recurring shipments, DAP (Delivered at Place) or FOB (Free On Board) with a local customs broker often provides better cost control and compliance visibility. Decision Insight: DDP vs DAP vs FOB If you prioritise convenience and have low shipment value, DDP simplifies operations. If you need cost transparency, compliance control, and scalability: DAP or FOB is usually more effective than DDP for regular commercial imports FAQ Is DDP the same as door-to-door shipping? Not exactly. Door-to-door is a service description – it tells you about the physical journey. DDP is a trade term – it defines who pays for what and who bears risk. A door-to-door service can be structured under several Incoterms, including DAP or DDP. Can the seller exclude VAT from DDP? Yes. It can be structured as “DDP (VAT unpaid)” if agreed. What is the difference between DDP and DDU? DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid) was a term under Incoterms 2000, replaced by DAP in Incoterms 2010. Under DDU, the seller delivered to destination but did not pay import duties – which is the same structure as DAP today. DDU is no longer a valid term under current Incoterms rules. Who is the importer of record under DDP? The seller or their appointed agent. See also: What is FOB? | What is CIF? Vantage Logistics advises on Incoterm structuring for cross-border shipments across ASEAN, including China – Viet Nam routes where DDP, DAP, and FOB carry different cost and compliance implications. Contact our team for a practical assessment of your shipping terms and total landed cost. — VANTAGE LOGISTICS South East Asia (S.E.A) Logistics Provider One-Stop Shop For Integrated Logistics Services CONTACT US Head Office: Suite 6.01, Block A, RiverGate Residence, 151-155 Ben Van Don, Khanh Hoi Ward, HCMC, Viet Nam Email: in**@*****om.vn Phone: +84-28 382 67312 – Hotline: +84-909-026-261 Website: https://vantage-logistics.com

17/04/2026

Logistics, Blog

What is DAP? Delivered at Place Explained with Risks and Examples

What is DAP? DAP is a rule under Incoterms 2020 where the seller delivers goods to a specified destination, ready for unloading. Risk transfers at that point – before unloading begins. The buyer is responsible for import clearance, duties, taxes, and unloading. How DAP Works The seller manages everything up to delivery at the named place. The buyer takes over from arrival. Seller’s responsibilities under DAP: Export packaging and documentation Export customs clearance All transport to the named destination – inland, ocean or air, and delivery to site Delivery of goods ready for unloading Bear all risk during transit Buyer’s responsibilities under DAP: Unload goods at the named destination Handle import customs clearance Pay import duties, VAT, and taxes Arrange any onward transport after the named place Risk transfer point: When goods arrive at the named place, ready for unloading – but before unloading begins. One important detail: the named place must be specific. “Ho Chi Minh City” is not sufficient. “Buyer’s warehouse at [address]” or “Cat Lai Port, Ho Chi Minh City” gives both parties clear reference points for when risk and cost transfer. DAP vs DDP vs DPU: Where the Confusion Starts DAP is often confused with DPU (Delivered at Place Unloaded) and DDP (Delivered Duty Paid). DAP DPU DDP Seller arranges transport to destination yes yes yes Seller unloads at destination no yes no Seller handles import clearance no no yes Seller pays import duties & taxes no no yes Risk transfers Before unloading After unloading Before unloading DAP vs DPU: the difference is unloading. DPU is the only rule where the seller bears unloading risk. DAP vs DDP: DDP requires the seller to act as importer, taking on duties and tax obligations. See also: What is DDP? When DAP Makes Sense DAP works well when: The buyer has a reliable customs broker at the destination country The buyer wants direct control over import duty calculation and payment The seller wants to offer door-delivery service without taking on import tax liability The shipment is to a buyer’s own warehouse or named facility The seller wants to avoid registering as an importer of record in the destination country When DAP Does NOT Work DAP is not suitable when: The buyer has no local customs capability or broker Import duties are complex, high, or unpredictable at the destination The named destination is remote or difficult for the seller’s carrier to access precisely Practical Insights: The Risks That Catch Buyers Off Guard Customs delays become the buyer’s cost. If import clearance is delayed, storage and demurrage charges apply – and these fall entirely on the buyer. Unloading is often overlooked. DAP delivers goods ready for unloading – but the buyer must handle equipment and labour. This becomes critical for heavy or project cargo. Vague destination creates disputes. A general location like “Ho Chi Minh City” creates ambiguity. A precise address or terminal is required to define risk transfer clearly. DAP in Practice: ASEAN Cross-Border Shipments For shipments into Viet Nam, DAP is commonly used for machinery, equipment, and project cargo where the seller – often a European or Chinese manufacturer – arranges delivery to the buyer’s factory or project site. The buyer’s customs broker handles import clearance under Vietnamese regulations. Decision Insight: When to Choose DAP vs DDP If your team has customs capability and wants control over import costs, DAP is usually more efficient than DDP. If not, DDP may reduce operational risk, even if total cost is higher due to supplier pricing. FAQ Does DAP include insurance? No. Insurance is not mandatory. The seller bears risk but is not required to insure the goods. What is the difference between DAP and DDU? DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid) was the predecessor term under Incoterms 2000. It was replaced by DAP in Incoterms 2010 and remains unchanged in 2020. DAP is the current, valid term – DDU is no longer in use under the current rules. Can DAP be used for sea freight? Yes. DAP applies to all transport modes. Who arranges unloading under DAP? The buyer. This is one of the most frequently misunderstood points. See also: What is FOB? | What is EXW? Vantage Logistics supports cross-border and project cargo shipments across ASEAN under DAP and other Incoterms structures. Contact our team for guidance on structuring your shipment terms and controlling total cost. — VANTAGE LOGISTICS South East Asia (S.E.A) Logistics Provider One-Stop Shop For Integrated Logistics Services CONTACT US Head Office: Suite 6.01, Block A, RiverGate Residence, 151-155 Ben Van Don, Khanh Hoi Ward, HCMC, Viet Nam Email: in**@*****om.vn Phone: +84-28 382 67312 – Hotline: +84-909-026-261 Website: https://vantage-logistics.com

17/04/2026

All Vantage News Market updates Project News Blog

Blog

Amazon FBA 101 – Essential Series for New Sellers

Part 1: Overview – Amazon FBA vs FBM: Which One Should You Start With? Choosing between FBA and FBM can determine up to 50% of your success on Amazon. The right choice means leveraging Amazon’s massive logistics network or maintaining full control over your own operations. The wrong choice can cost you money, time – and potential customers. FBM (Fulfillment by Merchant) – Full Control You handle storage, packing, shipping, customer service and returns yourself Advantages: 100% control over operations and branding Lower costs for large or heavy products Flexibility for multi-channel sellers or those with their own warehouse Disadvantages: Higher operational workload Harder to match Amazon’s delivery speed No Prime eligibility FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) – Fully Managed by Amazon You ship inventory to Amazon’s warehouse; they manage storage, packing, shipping and customer service. Advantages: Fast delivery, Prime eligibility, increased trust and sales Reduced operational burden Easy scalability with global customer reach Disadvantages: Higher fees (storage + fulfillment) Limited control over packaging Strict FBA preparation requirements Key Differences: FBA vs FBM Criteria FBM – Seller Managed FBA – Amazon Managed Operations Seller handles storage, packing, shipping Amazon stores, packs, ships, and manages orders Cost Better for large/heavy products Better for small/ light products Delivery No Prime (slower shipping) Prime – fast 1–2 day delivery Branding Seller-managed brand experience Amazon’s trusted brand credibility Customer Service & Returns Seller handles directly Amazon manages entirely Which Option Fits Your Business? FBM is ideal if your priority is cost optimisation, operational control or multi-channel selling. It works best for businesses with their own logistics systems that want full control over delivery. FBA is perfect for those focusing on product growth, scaling quickly and leveraging Amazon Prime’s advantages. With FBA, Amazon takes care of warehousing, packing and shipping – freeing you to improve products and enhance customer experience. Next in Part 2: We’ll cover the 4 steps to send products to Amazon FBA warehouses – plus preparation tips to avoid costly mistakes or shipment rejections....

14/08/2025

Blog

Covid In Viet Nam And How It Affect Your Business?

General covid situation in Viet Nam: After nearly one and a half year Viet Nam was pretty quiet in number of Covid cases under 3,000 (only less than 3 cases per 1,000 population), since May, the number started to increase 2 digits, June increased 3 digits and July is increasing 4 digits every day. The North of Viet Nam witnessed the commence of the increasing in May, with a lot of cases discovered in factories and industrial zones, but very soon after that, the South’s new cases become more than the North. The South of Viet Nam is the main area of economy contributing more than 70% value of the country’s business, with Ho Chi Minh city in the center with ports, airports, logistics center, and country head office of many businesses, surrounded by the cluster of industrial provinces: Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Ba Ria Vung Tau where many big factories are located. Covid control regulations by authorities: In order to control covid spreading situation, the authorities impose a lot of regulations and limits on the moving of inhabitants, cargo, and workers. For workers in the factory, authorities impose the regulation of “3 activities – 1 place” (workers will have to work, eat and live in the factory) or “1 route – 2 points” (workers stay in 1 dorm or hostel and being shuttled to factory only, not allow to go elsewhere), in factory and canteen workers need to be distanced min 1.5m from each other. Action of factories: Only few factories can match the requirements 100% and maintain normal activities. Most factories have cut down big part of their activities and only maintain small part whereas can match with the requirements. Some factories due to their conditions, cannot match the requirements and have to stop working. Consequences: Cost: increasing, because workers working and live in such poor conditions and apart from families, they request increase in salary to compensate. On the other hand, those workers who cannot work, still being paid 75% of salary for doing nothing, which is really a burden to factories. Moreover, factories have to pay the cost for arranging food, necessaries and accommodation for workers. Production: decrease, because of difficulties in material supplies, worker’s force and worker’s mental health. What authorities will do next? With the trend of increasing in number of new cases every day, we expect that in near future authorities will impose more severe control method and factories, want it or not, have to find ways to adapt. How this situation will affect your business? Need you to decide fast Since the control methods keep changing with the tendency of more and more severe, we should not hesitate: If you want to buy something, buy it fast, because the price can increase. If you have any cargo ready to delivery, take it fast, because the shipping can be difficult in next day. Freight trend: If the carriers maintain same allocation for Viet Nam, the freight will decrease because products export will be less. If the carriers cut allocation for Viet Nam and switch to China, the freight will maintain at high level now. Airfreight will be increased. What Vantage do Our first advice to all customers is, please try best to adapt yourself to match the new requirements, don’t shut down and wait till the requirements match yourself! No one knows how long this situation will last, so the faster you adapt and resume your manufacturing, the better position you get in front of your customers and competitors. Being well-prepared for many variously difficult situation, Vantage is flexible enough to match with changing requirements, and stable enough to provide a reliable service. Our knowledge and updates effectively help clients in their very specific situation....

21/07/2021

Blog

A Case Study About Valued Policy Insurance Through a Dispute Case

Summary A vessel carried 5,500 tons of construction materials from Tuticorin (India) to Male and Foammulah (Maldives). The ship arrived Male on August 9, 2016 partially unloaded and left Male on August 12, 2016. On August 13, 2016, while the ship was looking for a safe anchorage at Foammulah, it ran aground on coral reefs and rocks near the coast. In the evening of September 5, 2016 the ship’s workers began to throw goods into the sea to lighten the ship; by the morning of September 9, 2016, the ship had disposed of nearly 3,000 tons of cargo and on September 14, 2016, the number of goods left on board was 1,882 tons. In the afternoon of September 15, 2016, the rescue tugboat, with the support of ship’s main engine, successfully free the ship, the ship tilted to the right of 8 degrees. After adjusting the tilt, the tugboat pulled the ship to a safe position 0.30S-073.40E but the ship was badly damaged. On September 23, 2016, the ship owner announced to abandon the ship. On October 1, 2016, the ship was towed out of Maldives waters to a position about 90 nautical miles from Foammulah Island, 4,000 meters deep and sank at this location on the same day. The ship-owner bought hull insurance with a sum insured of USD 2.8 million and a vessel value of USD 2.8 million. Therefore, for a total loss, the ship-owner claimed USD2.8 million from the insurance company, but the insurance company argued that this was not valued policy (from the ship owner’s point of view) but value insurance. Therefore, the compensation is only accepted according to the results of price determination at the time of loss (August 13, 2016) – much lower than USD2.8 million. Since it was impossible to negotiate, the ship owner sued the insurance company in court. Summary of the ship owner’s point of view The ship owner thinks that the insured is the ship including the hull, machinery and equipment on board, the insured value is USD 2.8 million, the insurance amount is also USD 2.8 million. The ship-owner and the insurance company agreed to define this case as an estimated total loss. The ship-owner disagrees with the amount of compensation offered by the insurance company under the appraisal deed on the grounds that this is “valued policy” as prescribed at point c, Clause 2, Article 228 of the Vietnam Maritime Code 2005: “A valued policy is an insurance policy in which the insurer agrees in advance the value of the insured subject stated in the policy, in accordance with the insured value, and is used in the settlement of a claim for total loss or partial loss compensation”. In addition, the ship owner also asked the insurance company to pay interest on the amount of USD 2.8 million from the date they should have been entitled to this amount until the date of the judgment. Summary of the insurance company’s point of view The insurance company invokes Article 46 of the Law on Insurance Business 2000: “1. The amount of compensation payable by the insurer to the insured is determined on the basis of the market price of the insured property at the time and place where the loss occurs and the actual extent of damage, unless otherwise agreed in the insurance contract. The cost of determining the market price and the extent of the damage shall be borne by the insurer. 2. The amount of compensation paid by the insurance company to the insured must not exceed the sum insured, unless otherwise agreed in the insurance contract” to refuse to indemnify the full sum insured (is also the value of ship insurance – USD 2.8 million) and considering that this is over-value insurance, it only accepts compensation according to the results of the ship’s appraisal. Summary of the Court and the Procuracy’s point of view Based on the results of studying the case file, through examination, questioning, answering and debate at the court hearing on October 19, 2018; The Court stated: “[… ] the insured value is the actual value of the insured subject. Therefore, the sum insured […] must be based on the actual value of the vessel at the time of the insured event” (page 12 of the Judgment). The Procuratorate held that “[…] the two parties signed an insurance contract that exceeded the value of the insured property […]” (page 10 of the Judgment) – often called over-value insurance – so it was necessary to determine price to obtain the amount of compensation according to the assessment certificate requested by the Court. Therefore, on October 23, 2018, the first-instance judgment was issued from the point of view of not recognizing this as valued policy as argued by the ship owner (plaintiff) and only accepting compensation as the opinion of the insurance company (defendant) according to the results of the valuation that the Court has solicited with the value of the ship at the time of the loss (August 13, 2016) is 41,541,429,000 VND (equivalent to USD 1,779,000 at the exchange rate of 1 USD = 23,351 VND) and the value of spare parts and supplies on board is 5,283,065,575 VND (equivalent to USD 226,246) and the amount of interest is 8,593,418,541 VND (equivalent to USD 368,010). Commentary Article 2.1 of the Insurance Contract states: “This insurance contract is governed by and regulated by the Vietnam Maritime Code. Where the Vietnam Maritime Code has not yet provided for, the International Maritime Insurance Laws and Practices shall apply”. Thus, the Vietnam Maritime Code 2005 (in force at the time of loss) is applied and if there is any shortage, international insurance laws and practices shall be applied. The hull insurance certificate clearly states: “Vessel Value: USD 2,800,000, Sum Insured: USD 2,800,000” and there is no agreement on re-valuation upon settlement indemnify. Therefore, based on Point c, Clause 2, Article 228 of the Vietnam Maritime Code 2005: “A valued policy is an insurance policy in which the insurer agrees in advance to the value of the subject-matter insured stated in the policy insurance, in accordance with the insured value and used in the settlement of a total loss or partial loss claim”, the insurance service in this case is valued policy and the insurance company must pay $2.8 million. The judgment is 15 pages long, the writer only commented briefly on the nature of the incident and hoped to have the opportunity to discuss and clarify more. It is known that on November 2, 2018, the ship-owner submitted an appeal against the judgment of the first-instance Court for appellate trial. Summarize and synthesize by Lawyer Ngo Khac Le (Vietnam Logistics Association — VLA) – Vietnamese-English translation by www.vantage-logistics.com.vn...

02/07/2019

Blog

”Must Be More Than a Good Service” – Vantage’s Lodestar in Business

Good service is not enough; in order to succeed, businesses must be helpful to customers when they are in need. Business has never been easy, especially in today’s increasingly fierce competition. So what do businesses should do to survive and grow in the market? The answer is – Businesses must be helpful to customers when they are in need. The quality of products and services you provide to customers must always be guaranteed to the highest level – But this is just a necessary, but not a sufficient condition for a successful business. Ms.Truong Thi Uyen My, senior specialist of Vantage’s Customs Broker Department, stated: “Over 20 years of serving customers, I realized that the prerequisite for customers to think about us, to choose us among the multitude of competitors is: Are we helpful for customers when they need us?” To explain why, she shared a recent case, by which she and her colleagues have won the trust of customers as well as business opportunity with enthusiastic, timely and effective support when they need it. Solar Park 1 and 2 solar power projects are under same investor and EPC contractor, the logistics part was contracted to 2 service providers: Vantage and another logistics service provider (company “X”); both have to match the very harsh time frame for customs clearance and delivery. According to the original plan, company X was assigned to apply for tax exemption master list, full-set declaration list and customs inspection at site for the two projects Solar 1 and 2, as well as customs clearance and delivery to job site for Solar 1; while Vantage was only responsible for handling customs clearance and transporting to the job site for Solar 2. However, when we start the project, we realize that the way company X handling tax exemption master list, full-set list was not the best way and had potential risk for project owner could not enjoy tax exemption for many equipment that they should be able to enjoy legally, Vantage had proactively proposed our solution and got approval from the investor and EPC contractor to provide full logistics service for Solar 2 project (instead of responssible for customs clearance and delivery to jobsite as originally planned). Since the first shipments arrived, Vantage’s team always proved our expertise on customer service focusing, ensuring timeliness, safety and accuracy for all tasks that we handled. Thank to this, Vantage gained more and more trust from customer; we were regularly being asked to give advice or support to company X when they encountered difficulties in their scopes of work. Then there was an unexpected incident occurred. Company X had made a rather serious professional mistake in the process of customs declaration which leaded to the fact that they could not prove the integrity of the goods during transportation; resulting in the customs deciding to hold 13 containers of equipment at the port for further inspection, while the project was deadly in need of these containers. Company X was not capable to convince and prove the intergrity of goods with customs. Customer asked Vantage to help them solving this problem. This was meaning that we had to help our “competitor” doing their job. It also meant that we needed to help without knowing about our “reward”. But we don’t hesitate. When our customer needs help, just do it and give customer our highest effort, using our rich experience and knowledge accumulated through various types of projects to prove and convince customs officers about the integrity and correctness of goods. Late on same day, Vantage got customs’ release and let company X to pick up and deliver shipment to jobsite. After this incident, the customer recognized how benefitable Vantage’s service is, and eventually, had decided to shift all scope of both projects Solar 1 and 2 to Vantage....

27/06/2019

Blog

The Key to Long-Term Success: Building and Maintaining Client Trust

Nothing is as important as the trust of clients. Vantage believes that nothing is as important as the trust of clients; and gaining someone’s trust has never been an easy job. Mr. Pham Minh Nhut – Branch Director of Vantage in Da Nang city – shared about how his team and himself have made outstanding efforts to have the trust and appreciation of our client. Gaining client’s trust has never been an easy job In October 2018, a client who is speciallized in exporting automotive components to South Korea, China and Myanmar started to use trucking and customs clearance services of Vantage for their export shipments. The job is pretty simple and many logistics providers definietely can handle. However, with our working spirit “Every customer is served as our unique customer”, we take care of each individual set of shipping document, each individual customs declaration, each truck, the serving attitude of all involved personals and teams, always deliver the work more than expected. Eventually, our Vantage Da Nang team gain the trust from customer, they assign us more and more jobs, and then, including the jobs that traditionally they fix with just several service providers (who are still delivering a fair service). Moreover, their appreciation to Vantage also leads to a lot of precious recommendation for Vantage to do business with many of their buyers and partners, helping Vantage to expand our business network. And up to now, whenever there is any demand, issues, questions about logistics, the first company this customer come to is Vantage. Mr. Nhut said: “Everything we do, we do it on customer’s benefit. When we really care about our customers, and treat their problems as our own problem, their success as our own success, we don’t feel our job is a burden anymore, it is really our happiness, our creation, our strong connection. We “nourish” our client’s trust by continuous excelling at everything we do, as if taking care of a seedling, and our harvest is their trust and appreciation for us.”...

12/06/2019

Blog

Role of Business in Environmental Protection

Businesses hold a very important role in the economy and society. But there is a fact that, pollution is also mainly caused by businesses, so limiting and reducing pollution must also be from businesses. Taking responsibilities of businesses in environment protection is a key solution to solve current environmental issues. Besides businesses that directly impact environment such as exploitation of natural resources or waste discharge from plants and factories, office activities though seem to be “innocent” but do have significant impact, too, especially in industries with high printing demands such as law, health, accounting, finance, education… (Sources: Tonerbuzz – 2017) Therefore, along with investing in green technologies, seeking alternative sources of materials to reduce the impact of business activities on environment, businesses also need to impose appropriate solutions such as using energy reasonably, reducing unnecessary usage of printing paper, which not only saving costs but also reducing the explotiation of natural resources, especially forest resource – the main raw material for paper production. At Vantage, below is what we are doing. We follow 3R method: Reduce – Reuse – Recycle when using paper at our office: – Reduce: + Only print when necessary. + Print two-sided documents. + Go digital. Use e-mail instead of paper memo. + Proofread! Thoroughly check the document for typos and other errors to avoid having to print again. + Fit into a single page. Reduce the font size, shrink the margins, reduce the space taken up by the footer and header. Check the print preview before printing to ensure the integrity of the content. – Reuse: + Reuse paper that is clean on one side for in-house drafts, notes and photocopies. + Reuse cardboard boxes of the right size to keep a stack of such reused paper, clean side up, near printers and copiers. + Conduct research online and at libraries rather than ordering lots of written materials. + Share periodicals with associates instead of receiving multiple copies. – Recycle and buy recycled: + Collect office paper, newspapers, cardboard, magazines, and colored paper scrap wood and send for recycle. + Buy copier paper, paper towels, tissues, and toilet paper with “post-consumer recycled” content. The higher the post-consumer content, the greater the amount of materials that have been through the entire recycling process – and the greater the savings of precious natural resources and energy. Besides, the development of information technology nowardays also helps employees at Vantage completing their tasks with less paper. Take advantage of email, public folders, open sources to store documents, vouchers, receipts…; only print when really needed; this help us minimize paper usage, while also saving time and costs on operation. Preliminary statistics at our company show that, by using cost-effective measures and using reasonably available technologies, we can reduce paper consumption by 10-20%. Each of us understands one thing, the responsibility of protecting the environment does not belong to any individual or organization, but all of us. Living and doing business environmentally responsible, is also responsible for ourselves, as well as the future generations. Environment’s Tomorrow Needs Our Participation Today....

11/06/2019

Blog

Because every shipment, whether big or small, must be cared for

Each shipment is not only the goods, but also a client’s trust. When client hand over their shipment to a logistics service provider, they are also giving their trust. A shipment is transported promptly and safely will bring competitive advantages and reputation, otherwise, could be some negative effects. Therefore, clients would only choose reliable and reputable logistics service providers that can bring them the best quality services. Besides timely deliver, optimal transportation cost, the safety for goods is one of the vital factors that drive client’s determinants when they choose logistics partner. At Vantage, each shipment must be cared for, no matter how big or small it is As an international logistics company, Vantage understands the roles and responsibilities of a logistics service provider to clients and their goods. Each of Vantage’s employees, regardless of their position, must not only be bring optimal services to meet client needs, but also do their work with outstanding efforts, take full responsibility in each of their task even the smallest one. To us, every shipment, whether it is several tens of tons or only few kilograms, worth several hundred thousand dollars or only worth a few dozen dollars, must to be carefully handled. When receiving any shipment from clients, the first thing that Vantage do is to check carefully the detailed information and specification as well as special instruction; in order to provide the most optimal plan on time, cost and safety for goods at the highest level. Below is a typical case of how mastering information of shipment helped us on proactively handling arisen problems. In the beginning of April, 2019, Vantage received information about the shipment of a set of integrated procedure trainer for airbus A321 which imported by Vietnam Airlines from France. This equipment shipment is packed in 6 wooden pallets with total volume of 1,784kgs. Vantage is required to receive the shipment at the warehouse in Tan Son Nhat International Airport and deliver to consignee’s nominated warehouse. Shipper’s logistics company provided information of the shipment; yet, there was no special note / instruction attached. Recognizing that the commodity is very special, Vantage’s import department has requested for more specific details and instruction. The packages were also attached with a shock watch (shock warning) as well as ‘Handle with care’ label. As soon as receiving cargo discharged from airplane, Vantage immediately checked the condition of cargo and found that 3 out of 6 shock watches had turned red. Vantage’s person in charge immediately contacted both origin and destination sides to report and request for instruction, as well as to prepare the solution basing on our technical team’s knowledge and experience. After our proposed method is approved, the shipment was transported at 200% of carefulness and finally safely delivered to consignee’s assigned warehouse. For specific cargo, we know that understanding the cargo nature and strictly follow transportation instruction is a must for a safe delivery....

20/05/2019

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Us – China Trade War: Chance For Vietnam?

US-CHINA TRADE WAR The U.S. and China are currently embroiled in a trade dispute, with both countries slapping additional duties on each other in the past few months. The U.S. has imposed extra tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports — with U.S. President Donald Trump threatening to impose levies on all $500 billion worth of goods from the Asian giant. Beijing has retaliated with additional tariffs on $110 billion worth of U.S. imports, and is threatening qualitative measures that would affect US businesses operating in China. How does US-China trade war affect to global trade? The US decision to impose tariffs on Chinese imports marked a serious escalation in its hostilities with Beijing over trade. Yet economists believe protectionist measures will have only a modest impact on global growth — provided the bilateral conflict does not turn into an all-out multilateral war. Growth in trade has been slowing for a while International trade in goods has already fallen as a proportion of global output in recent years, despite the upswing in the world economy. This is partly because of currency effects and changes in commodity prices, but manufacturers are also becoming less reliant on imported inputs and popular hostility to globalisation may also be playing a part, with trade disputes and the use of anti-dumping measures on the rise even before the latest rounds of tariffs. So far, tariffs affect only a small proportion of global trade Although the US-China conflict now looks likely to affect the vast majority of the goods traded between the two countries, it makes up a modest proportion of global trade. Even if the US acts on all the threats it has made so far, only around 5 per cent of global imports would be affected. For most countries, trade ties with near neighbours are the most important World trade is largely concentrated in 3 regions: North America, Europe and East Asia, with a large share of trade being intra-regional. Emerging markets may benefit if the dispute leads China to trade more with neighbours in South-East Asia International trade is largely composed of trade flows between rich countries and the East Asian region but developing countries’ trade with China is increasingly important. A big question now is whether other countries in south-east Asia are able to benefit from greater integration with China as existing trade flows are diverted to new markets, and if Chinese manufacturers seek to shift production to countries not affected by tariffs. TRADE WAR MAKES VIETNAM A HAVEN In the last few years, driven by rising labor costs, the need for diversification, and the government’s focus shifting from labor-intensive sectors to high-tech industries, Chinese as well as foreign firms operating in China have slowly shifted their manufacturing activities to Southeast Asia, especially Vietnam. In addition to these factors, the escalating trade war between the US and China that has already seen additional duties being imposed on US$500 billion worth of goods, accelerated the trend of foreign investors realigning their supply chains. Routing goods through Vietnam Due to its geographic proximity, lower wages, skilled labor, trade agreements, and regional connectivity, Vietnam has emerged as one of the most preferred alternatives for manufacturers. The Vietnamese government had anticipated that due to higher tariffs on Chinese products, the manufacturers may try to reroute goods through Vietnam in the short term to maintain exports. Hence, the government has taken several steps to ensure the origin of imported and exported products. For example, Decree No. 31/2018/ND-CP which is in effect since March 2018, supplements new regulations related to the origin of exported goods and imported goods. Due to product origin issues, the US government in March 2018 hiked tariffs on steel products from Vietnam that originated from China. This proves that Chinese exporters may use Vietnam to reroute goods in the short term, but it is not recommended. Rather than doing so, they should focus on other long-term risk mitigating strategies to minimize their exposure to the ongoing trade disputes. Minimizing risks Manufacturers based in China can minimize risk by moving to other cost-effective locations in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam. This would require finding new suppliers, renegotiating contracts, and moving assets which will be time-consuming and costly. In the short term, companies can add new suppliers and apply tariff engineering strategies if possible to mitigate trade risks. Review tariffs Before considering moving out of China, firms need to closely review the tariffs and ensure correct HS code classification for their products. In addition, they also need to focus on customs valuation to determine the value of imported goods. This will not only help in correctly determining the increased cost but also provides an opportunity to employ tariff engineering strategies. Moving to a new location Manufacturers can move their entire manufacturing operations or a part of it to a third country, which is not facing higher tariffs. In the short-term, they can move a part of their manufacturing process to a third country, which will change the HS code classification of the semi-finished goods produced in China and may attract lower tariffs. Eventually, they need to focus on completely relocating their production lines to a third country, such as Vietnam. Already in the last few years, major electronics firms such as Intel, Foxconn, LG, and Samsung have moved to Vietnam due to higher wages in China. In addition, several retail brands such as Nike, Adidas, and Puma have also shifted to Vietnam and Cambodia to reduce costs. The ongoing trade war will continue to accelerate this trend. Why Vietnam In addition to its geographic proximity, Vietnam offers several advantages for manufacturers planning to move outside China. Lower wages Vietnam’s average wages are much lower than that of China, which has grown steadily in the last few years. Wages are slightly more than half of those in southeast China. Skilled labor Labor quality along with young demographics offers manufacturers a stable workforce. Free trade agreements Vietnam is part of several Free Trade Agreements (FTA), which gives it a competitive advantage compared to other countries in the region. It is not only part of the FTAs as a member of ASEAN but is also party to major bilateral agreements. The two recent FTA’s currently under review are the EU Vietnam FTA and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Border economic zones Due to its common border, both countries have established several China-Vietnam trade zones, such as the Longbang-Tra Linh trade zone and the Guangxi Pingxiang Integrated free trade zone along the borders. Further trade zones are planned near the border as they are close to Chinese manufacturing hubs in Guangdong province and the Yangtze River Delta. Ports and maritime links Vietnam, located along major global shipping routes, has 44 seaports as of 2017 with a total capacity of 470-500 million tons per year. Although the Chinese port capacities are much higher, the Vietnamese government has started to invest billions in new ports and increasing the capacity of existing ones. Major ports include Hai Phong, Danang, Qui Nhon, and Ho Chi Minh City. Future ports under development include My Thuy International Seaport, Lien Chieu Seaport, and Lach Huyen International Gateway Port. Rail/road connectivity with China Due to its common border, rail and road connectivity between China and Vietnam is a key component of the bilateral trade between the two countries. Railway lines between Kunming – Hai Phong and Nanchang City-Hanoi, along with the Kunming-Hai Phong Transport Corridor, which is already in operation, will further increase connectivity between the two nations. Going forward Vietnam will continue to attract labor-intensive sectors from China due to its lower wages and existing infrastructure capabilities. However, the country needs to focus on further developing its supply chains, supporting industries, and export infrastructure to attract the big-ticket investors who are looking for alternative sources and locations for manufacturing. HOW VANTAGE LOGISTICS CAN HELP? In Viet Nam, Vantage can assist clients from the very early stages by help them to: Get VISA to come to Viet Nam and other arrangements to survey the possibilities Recommend the suitable location for their factory Connect with good consulting companies for legal and other consulting services Connect with authorities to obtain investment license Get tax exemption master list for projects that belong to favorable policy of Viet Nam Route survey for transportation, customs clearance and delivery, all logistics services for factory moving and material, products moving when the factory operates… In the addition, we have our own equipment to ensure safe and competitive price, and our long list of project experience proves all our capabilities. OUR EXPERT ALWAYS HERE TO ASSIST: Mr. Philip Diep – CEO: Email: ph*******@*******************om.vn Ms. Florence Lam – President: Email: fl*********@*******************om.vn Mr. Harry Phan – President, Global Project Development: Email: ha******@*******************om.vn...

17/12/2018

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onditions to apply C/O for transit cargo, temporary import- re export in Vietnam

Certificate of origin is an essential document in import and export. According to Vietnam law and legal, Certificate of Origin (C/O) is only issued for Vietnamese’s businessman, so we can not have C/O for transit cargo. For temporary import – re export: we can apply C/O by some below cases: – Case 1: commodity is processed/ manufactured in Vietnam with localization rate higher than 30% FOB value: Commodity is processed/ manufactured in Vietnam with localization rate higher than 30% of FOB value, the VCCI will issue C/O form B for Vietnamese’s businessman. Commodity is processed/ manufactured in Vietnam with localization rate higher than 40% FOB value, the MOIT (Ministry of Industry and Trade) will be able to issue all kinds of C/O form (depends on demand of Vietnamese Businessman). – Case 2: commodity is not processed/ manufactured in Vietnam or localization rate lower than 30% FOB value: In this case, the VCCI will issue the Certificate form X (this Certificate is not a Cerftificate of Origin). Exporter declares the condition of commodity in cell no.9 (Declaration by Exporter) on the Certificate form X under the guideline of Circular 05/2018TT-BTC, effective from April 3rd, 2018. If you have any concern about C/O in Vietnam or need more related advice, don’t hesitate to contact our Customs Expert: Ms.Theresa/ Email: ...

28/11/2018

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