Vietnam to USA LCL Ocean Freight

LCL (Less than Container Load) means you share a container with other shippers' goods. So you pay only for the cubic meters (CBM) you use. LCL fits well when your shipment sits under 15 CBM, when you test new products, when you mix SKUs from several Vietnamese suppliers, or when you can't fill a full container. Above 15 CBM, FCL usually costs less per unit.

Ocean LCL from Vietnam to USA takes 28-42 days in total. This covers CFS work at origin (2-5 days), the vessel's ocean transit across the Pacific (18-32 days), and deconsolidation at destination CFS (2-5 days). Door-to-door shipping with inland trucking adds 2-5 more days, depending on final destination.

LCL freight gets priced per CBM (cubic meter) or per metric ton, whichever costs more (W/M). The standard rule: 1 CBM equals 1 freight ton. Beyond the per-CBM ocean rate, LCL also carries CFS handling charges at origin and destination, plus documentation fees, ISF filing, customs clearance, and any terminal charges.

Standard documents include a commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading (HBL), and certificate of origin. You'll also need ISF filing, 24 hours before loading, plus a phytosanitary certificate for food or farm products. Textiles need country-of-origin marking compliance, and some products need extra certifications, such as safety marks the US importer requires.

Yes. LCL works well for goods from many Vietnamese suppliers. We offer 'buyer's consolidation': your agent in Vietnam picks up cargo from several factories, then delivers it to a partner CFS, where it all gets consolidated under one HBL. This cuts your shipping costs and makes customs clearance at the US destination simpler.

If CBP picks the consolidation container for exam, every shipper's cargo in that box gets affected — not just yours. A VACIS X-ray scan may add 1-2 days delay. A full, intensive exam may add 5-10 days and bring CES handling charges, split among all shippers in the box. This is one real downside of LCL versus FCL: you share the exam risk with strangers.

Yes. Vietnamese apparel and textiles need proper country-of-origin marking under US rules. Every garment must carry a clear 'Made in Vietnam' mark, or similar wording. You also need proper invoice documentation that details fiber content, in case quotas still apply. We check textile paperwork against AAFA (American Apparel & Footwear Association) documentation guidance before each shipment.

Vietnamese-origin goods skip the China-specific Section 301 lists, which apply only to Chinese-origin goods. They pay standard MFN (Most Favored Nation) rates, based on each product's HTS classification, plus the separate 12.5% Section 301 forced-labor duty on covered products since July 24, 2026. Our customs broker partners review your HS codes to find any tariff reductions and get the classification right. We also track tariff rate changes as trade policy shifts.