Businesses face obstacles in exporting goods to US and EU markets

Vietnamese enterprises have encountered numerous difficulties when attempting to export goods to the United States and Europe, including facing a shortage of empty containers and a high sea freight rate, according to industry insiders.

Rising sea freight rates exert great pressure on local exporters

Rising sea freight rates exert great pressure on local exporters

During a recent forum titled “Development of Vietnam’s logistics industry with Europe - America region”, Nguyen Hoai Nam, general secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), pointed out that freight costs to both the EU and the Middle East had jumped up to between US$10,000 and US$14,000 per container compared to just US$1,000 previously paid.

Although the US and EU represent two major consumers for Vietnamese seafood, the sharp rise in sea freight charges and a lack of empty containers have built up great pressure on domestic exporters that are obliged to deliver shipments on a due date.

Business representatives revealed that the high logistics costs have impacted their competitiveness within the global market, with some facing serious losses and production stagnation.

Suffering high sea freight rates and other additional fees, Vietnamese businesses now find it hard to compete against their rivals from Thailand, India, Ecuador and others that boast better production costs, they stressed.

In addition, Roger Wu, business development manager of the Port of Long Beach in California, the USA, acknowledged that the COVID-19 pandemic had created an unprecedented congestion at the port – one of the two busiest transit ports in the US - as well as on the US West Coast that hampered the delivery time of shipments.  

According the Vietnam Logistics Business Association, sea freight rates ahead in the first quarter of next year are unlikely to go down due to post-pandemic rising demands for consumer goods in both the US and Europe.

Hans Kerstens, deputy head of Transport and Logistics Sub-Committee of Eurocham, advised local businesses to diversify their modes of transport by choosing railway routes to some markets for instance, instead of relying on maritime transport.  

Concurring with this viewpoint, Tran The Hung, general director of Rail Transport and Trade Joint Stock Company (Ratraco), also recommended domestic firms go by rail to China and then to Belgium or Germany, as opposed to going directly to Europe by sea.

Though rail transportation costs US$12,000 and US$15,000 per container, the rail mode helps transport large volumes of cargo and shorten travel time to between 20 and 25 days compared to 40 to 45 days by sea, Hung analyzed.

VOV

Other News

SBV raises short-term capital lending cap to 40%

SBV raises short-term capital lending cap to 40%

The new circular will help credit institutions have more room to provide capital to businesses and investment projects to support high economic growth in the next few years, while increasing flexibility in the SBV’s monetary policy management.

Business confidence in Vietnam rebounds strongly: UOB

Business confidence in Vietnam rebounds strongly: UOB

The study found that 85% of Vietnamese enterprises reported positive business sentiment, a sharp increase from 48% in 2025, when business confidence was weighed down by uncertainties surrounding US tariff policies and related trade developments.

Bac Ninh seeks high-quality foreign investment for sustainable growth

Bac Ninh seeks high-quality foreign investment for sustainable growth

According to Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Pham Van Thinh, the province aims to maintain stable and sustainable growth, improve the competitiveness of both the economy and local businesses, and make better use of free trade agreements (FTAs) to expand and diversify export markets.

Green building trend flourishes in Ho Chi Minh City's real estate landscape

Green building trend flourishes in Ho Chi Minh City's real estate landscape

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) highlighted the city's dominance in green-certified building floor space in Vietnam, reflecting the rapid expansion of the green building market with 780 completed green buildings encompassing over 18.69 million sq.m by 2025, predominantly certified by EDGE and LEED.

UK supports Vietnam in wind power and green finance development

UK supports Vietnam in wind power and green finance development

The United Kingdom officially announced two new climate cooperation initiatives to support Vietnam in its energy transition and green growth journey. These programs focus on offshore wind power development and the creation of a sustainable green financial ecosystem.

Ample room remains for Vietnam–India logistics cooperation

Ample room remains for Vietnam–India logistics cooperation

The GTTCI expert noted that alongside logistics and integrated warehousing, e-commerce is expected to be a particularly high-growth sector in the coming years. He described it as a multi-billion-dollar market with significant untapped opportunities for cooperation between Vietnam and India.

Exports gain momentum from high-tech growth drivers

Exports gain momentum from high-tech growth drivers

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam’s exports reached 215.66 billion USD in the first five months of 2026, up 19.5% year-on-year. Twenty-six export items generated more than 1 billion USD in revenue each, including seven with turnover exceeding 10 billion USD.

Vietnam–China crossings see spike in ASEAN fresh produce

Vietnam–China crossings see spike in ASEAN fresh produce

Since the start of the summer harvest season, China's two major border gates with Vietnam, Youyi Guan in Pingxiang and Beilun 2 Bridge in Dongxing, have entered their peak period for handling imports of fresh agricultural and seafood products from member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Cargo handling operations at Berths 3 and 4 of the Hai Phong International Gateway Port. (Photo: VNA)

AI reshapes logistics, raising bar for workforce skills

According to the Vietnam Logistics Business Association (VLA), the logistics sector will require around 2.2 million workers by 2030, including 1.6 million employees for logistics service providers and nearly 600,000 personnel supporting logistics operations in manufacturing and trading enterprises.

Robust dispute resolution framework key to Vietnam's IFC ambitions

Robust dispute resolution framework key to Vietnam's IFC ambitions

The development strategy for VIFC-HCMC envisions a comprehensive financial ecosystem encompassing green finance, carbon credits, financial technology (fintech), blockchain technology, digital assets, digital banking and other innovative business models. These highly internationalised sectors involve complex cross-border transactions and sophisticated legal structures.