Reports

Discussion Papers

No.743 Survey on Logistics Cost in Vietnam

by Masami Ishida, Vo Thi Minh Le and Ryo Ikebe

March 2019

ABSTRACT

This paper analyzes transportation time and costs for domestic and international cargo in Vietnam by using a questionnaire and interview survey of 19 freight forwarders. The cargo route between Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City is one of the primary logistics pathways in Vietnam, with logistics costs from Ho Chi Minh City to Ha Noi being higher than that in the opposite direction. For freight forwarders in Vietnam, there are four options: road, railway, ship, and air. In this paper, we compare the transportation time and costs for each mode of transport. For international logistics, cross-border costs such as customs clearance fees are still higher, but the time required for cross-border procedures has shown improvements at borders between Vietnam and Laos. Our survey results also show that the price difference for transporting a 20-foot container versus a 40-foot container by ship is significant, whereas the costs are not different for road transport.

Keywords: Logistics Cost, Vietnam, Transportation Cost, Container, Round Trip, Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang

JEL classification: L91, O53, R40

Please note that discussion papers are works in various stages of progress and most have not been edited and proofread and may contain errors of fact or judgment. Revised versions of these papers may subsequently appear in more formal publication series. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s). The IDE does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included and accepts no responsibility for any consequences arising from its use.