The main entry point
Cat Lai Port in Ho Chi Minh City handles the large majority of Vietnam's containerised imports, with ocean transit from Foshan running roughly 3 to 5 days — one of the shortest routes in the region.
What's commonly imported
Hospitality casegoods for hotel and resort projects, outdoor and rattan furniture for coastal developments in Da Nang and Phu Quoc, and furniture and fixtures for Vietnam's fast-growing café and restaurant sector are the categories we see ordered most often.
What to plan around
Cat Lai can experience berth congestion during peak shipping season, which is worth building buffer time around if your project has a fixed handover date. Confirming your customs broker's familiarity with furniture HS codes ahead of the first shipment also helps avoid clearance delays.
Working with a local broker
Most buyers use a Vietnam-based customs broker to handle import declarations and duty payment on arrival — we can recommend a broker if you don't already have a relationship with one.