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Container Shipping from Vietnam to Long Beach
For importers filling full containers from Vietnam. FCL (full container load) means the container is yours alone, sealed at the factory and opened at your warehouse. This page covers container sizes, transit times into the Port of Long Beach, the port charges to watch and what drives your cost.
Lane at a Glance
| Origin | Ho Chi Minh City (Cat Lai, Cai Mep–Thi Vai) or Hai Phong |
| Destination | Port of Long Beach (or Los Angeles next door), then your warehouse |
| Containers | 20′, 40′, 40′ high cube |
| Typical transit time | Ask for your current transit schedule |
| Rates | Change weekly. Get today’s rate |
Transit times vary by carrier, season and port congestion. Ask for your current schedule with a quote.
Which Container Size?
- 20′: heavy, dense cargo such as stone, tiles or machinery parts, which reaches the weight limit before filling the box.
- 40′: the standard choice for mixed consumer goods.
- 40′ high cube: about a foot taller than a standard 40′; best for bulky, light cargo like furniture, home decor and boxed goods.
We check your packing list and recommend the size that gives the lowest cost per unit.
What Affects Your Container Cost
A full container quote is built from these lines:
| Cost component | What moves it |
|---|---|
| Ocean freight | Priced per container. Season, container size and space on the ships move it most. |
| Fuel (bunker) surcharge | Tracks fuel prices; usually adjusted monthly or quarterly. |
| Origin fees | Trucking the empty container to the factory, export clearance and terminal handling in Vietnam. |
| Destination fees | Terminal handling at Long Beach, chassis rental and any pre-pull. |
| Customs brokerage and ISF | Filed through a licensed broker before loading and on arrival. |
| Duties | Set by the HTS code of each product. |
| Drayage | Trucking the container to your warehouse and returning the empty. |
- Peak season. Q3–Q4 and the weeks before Tet are the tightest for space.
- Free time. Each terminal and carrier allows a set number of free days before charges start.
- Warehouse speed. Slow unloading turns into detention charges.
For the current Asia to U.S. West Coast container trend, see the Drewry World Container Index or the Freightos Baltic Index FBX01 (East Asia to U.S. West Coast).
Demurrage, Detention and Free Time
Demurrage is charged when a loaded container stays at the terminal past its free days. Detention is charged when you keep the carrier’s container outside the terminal too long. Both run by the day, so fast customs clearance and trucking matter.
The Federal Maritime Commission’s billing rule sets what detention and demurrage invoices must include and deadlines for issuing them (FMC: Detention and demurrage billing rule). Check every invoice against your free time.
Rules and Paperwork
- ISF (10+2) must be filed at least 24 hours before the container is loaded in Vietnam (CBP: Importer Security Filing (10+2)).
- Wood packaging must meet ISPM 15 (USDA APHIS: ISPM 15 wood packaging).
- Seal number on your bill of lading must match the seal on the container.
Duty guidance here is general. Look up your products in the USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule and confirm each HTS code with a licensed customs broker.
Documents for FCL
- Commercial invoice: seller, buyer, product descriptions, values and Incoterms
- Packing list: cartons, weights and dimensions per carton
- Bill of lading: issued by the carrier or our licensed forwarding partner
- ISF (10+2) data: filed at least 24 hours before the container is loaded in Vietnam
- Certificate of origin: when your product or buyer needs one
- Container and seal numbers from the loading report
Container Shipping Questions
Should I book a 40′ or a 40′ high cube?
For bulky, light cargo, a 40′ high cube usually fits more and lowers the cost per unit. Heavy cargo may be limited by weight instead.
How long is container shipping from Vietnam to Long Beach?
Transit times vary by carrier, season and port congestion. Ask for your current schedule with a quote.
How do I avoid demurrage and detention?
File ISF on time, clear customs before arrival, book trucking early and return the empty container within the free days.
How much does a container from Vietnam cost?
Rates change weekly, so we don’t publish them. Get today’s rate for your container size and dates.
Related Routes
Ready to book a container from Vietnam?
Sources (checked October 28, 2026): FMC: Detention and demurrage billing rule; CBP: Importer Security Filing (10+2); USDA APHIS: ISPM 15 wood packaging; USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: biofriendly / CC BY 2.0.
