Viet Nam: sanctions and trade risk

Re-export routeNamed in UK guidance as at risk of re-export to Russia.

As of 7 November 2026, the screened UN, EU, UK, Swiss and US sanctions lists contain 17 companies, organisations, vessels and aircraft linked to Viet Nam.Lists last checked 2026-11-07 21:01 UTC.

Logistics profile: ports, airports, customs, documents, holidays, news ↓

Viet Nam is named in official guidance as a route for re-exports to Russia. Ordinary goods are usually not restricted, but authorities expect you to verify the real end destination and end user, especially for goods on the EU/UK high-priority lists.

Sources: UK — Countering Russian sanctions evasion: guidance for exporters (at-risk jurisdictions list) (12 Mar 2026) · reviewed 24 Oct 2026

Check a shipment to Viet Nam →

By sanctions regime

The indicator above is the strictest of these. Which regimes are relevant to a shipment depends on many connections — dispatch country, company location, incorporation, nationality, ownership, banks, goods origin. The check selects them from your inputs in a simplified way; UN measures take effect through each country's implementing law.

Regime	Indicator	What applies
UN	—	No UN sanctions regime.
EU	—	No measures against the country itself.
Switzerland	—	No measures against the country itself.
UK	Re-export route	Named in the UK list of jurisdictions at risk of re-export to Russia (Mar 2026).
US	—	No measures against the country itself.

On the sanctions lists

17 entries on the official lists name Viet Nam — as nationality, address, registration or flag. That links them to the country; it says nothing about other companies there. The same company can appear on several lists and is then counted once per list. Individuals are not included — Sanctioni does not process them.

List	Entries	Companies & organisations	Vessels	Aircraft
US OFAC — Specially Designated Nationals (SDN)	12	12	—	—
Switzerland SECO Consolidated Sanctions List	4	4	—	—
EU Consolidated Financial Sanctions List (FSF)	1	1	—	—

Latest changes

No new listings or removals naming Viet Nam recorded yet.

All updates →

Logistics profile

Viet Nam: logistics and trade

Production and export hub of Southeast Asia

Vietnam (VN) is a key manufacturing and export hub in Southeast Asia, bordering China, Laos and Cambodia with a long coastline on the South China Sea. As an ASEAN/AFTA member with EVFTA, CPTPP and RCEP, the country has one of Asia's densest networks of trade preferences; customs clearance runs electronically through VNACCS/VCIS and the National Single Window, and import VAT is 10 percent (temporarily 8 percent for many goods until end-2026). Key gateways are the ports of Cat Lai (Ho Chi Minh City), Cai Mep-Thi Vai and Hai Phong/Lach Huyen, plus the cargo airports Noi Bai (HAN) and Tan Son Nhat (SGN). Inland, the North-South Expressway and the Lang Son and Lao Cai border corridors to China connect the industrial clusters; the North-South Railway complements domestic transport, and inland waterways play a major role in the Mekong Delta. Main exports are electronics, textiles and footwear — the top markets being the US, China, South Korea and Japan — while machinery, electronic components and chemicals are imported mainly from China and South Korea.

Capital: Hanoi
Population: 101,112,656
Area: 331,344 km²
Currency: Vietnamese Dong (VND)
Continent: Asia
Region: Southeast Asia / ASEAN
Economic area: ASEAN / AFTA
Religions: Kinh, Buddhism, Christianity
Access to the sea: Yes

Transport modes Sea · Air · Road · Rail

Current situation: Typhoon season active: early July 2026 disruptions in northern Vietnam (typhoon, Hai Phong/Quang Ninh); Cat Lai and Cai Mep with moderate delays (2–3 days), HCMC yard utilization 85–90 percent. US additional tariff since 2025: 20 percent on many Vietnamese goods, 40 percent on transshipment. Port expansion Lach Huyen/Cai Mep, Long Thanh airport under construction. (Status 2026-07-28)
Seasonal conditions: Typhoon and rainy season May to November, mainly in central and northern Vietnam, can delay ports and air freight; flooding in the Mekong Delta possible.

Main seaports

Cat Lai
Cát Lái (VN CLI) is Vietnam's largest container terminal (Saigon Newport), handling about half the nation's boxes, with reefer, DG, customs and a free port zone.
Hai Phong
Hai Phong (VN HPH): N. Vietnam top container gateway. Lach Huyen deepwater, HHIT up to 18 000 TEU, 3M TEU target 2026. Link to Hanoi and Chinese border.
Da Nang
Da Nang (VN DAD): central Vietnam's leading container port, about 843,000 TEU in 2025, Tien Sa terminal, Lien Chieu deep-water build under way since April 2026.
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City (VN SGN): Vietnam's busiest container port on the Saigon River, Cat Lai terminal, ~9M TEU (2024). Deep-sea alternative: Cai Mep (CMIT).
Phu My
Phu My (VN PHU) on the Thi Vai river: deep-water port in the Cai Mep-Thi Vai complex (6.5M TEU 2024) for breakbulk, project and bulk cargo; containers via CMIT/TCIT.
Qui Nhon
Qui Nhon (VN UIH): multipurpose port of south-central Vietnam. 2024 saw ~11.8M t and 174,600 TEU – containers, wood chips, bulk; Central Highlands hinterland.

Main cargo airports

Da Nang International AirportDAD
Da Nang (DAD) handled 41,561 tonnes of air cargo in 2025, up 21%. ACV is building a 100,000-tonne freight terminal due end-2026. Central Vietnam's cargo gateway.

Road corridors

North-South Expressway (Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City)
Border corridors to China (Lang Son / Lao Cai)
Corridors to Laos and Cambodia

Rail corridors

North-South Railway (Reunification Railway)
Hanoi-Lao Cai (connection to China/Kunming)
Hanoi-Dong Dang (China)

Main trade lanes

Vietnam-USA
Vietnam-China
Vietnam-EU
Vietnam-East Asia (Korea/Japan)

Customs and import

Customs authority Tổng cục Hải quan (General Department of Vietnam Customs, GDVC)Official website ↗

Import customs system: Electronic clearance via VNACCS/VCIS and National Single Window. Import declaration before or within 30 days after arrival; green/yellow/red risk channels.
Export customs system: Electronic export declaration via VNACCS/VCIS, generally at least 4 hours before departure (2 hours for express), linked to the National Single Window.
Import VAT: Standard rate 10 percent; temporarily 8 percent for many goods until 31.12.2026 (Resolution 204/2025/QH15, Decree 174/2025/ND-CP). Essential goods 5 percent, exports 0 percent.
Proofs of origin and trade agreements: Preferential proof per agreement: EUR.1 or origin declaration (EVFTA), Form D (ATIGA/ASEAN), proofs for CPTPP and RCEP. Issuance simplified under Decision 12/2026/TT-BCT.
Restricted and prohibited goods: Prohibition and restriction lists under Decree 69/2018/ND-CP: including weapons, explosives, narcotics, used consumer goods, used vehicles, CITES species and certain chemicals.

Typical import documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
Transport document (B/L or AWB)
Certificate of origin (C/O)
Import declaration (VNACCS)
Import license (if required)

Typical export documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
Transport document
Export declaration (VNACCS)
Certificate of origin (Form D / EUR.1)
Export license (if required)

Logistics conditions

Customs complexity: Medium to high
Customs delays: Medium
Port congestion: Medium
Dangerous goods relevance: Medium to high
Pharma and cold chain relevance: Medium
E-commerce relevance: High

Trade

Top import partners

China South Korea Japan United States

Top export partners

United States China South Korea Japan

Top import goods

Machinery
Electronics
Chemicals
Plastics

Top export goods

Electronics
Textiles
Footwear
Consumer goods
Agricultural goods

Typical cargo

Electronics
Textiles and footwear
Furniture
Agricultural products (coffee, rice, cashew)
Machinery

Upcoming public holidays

New Year's DayFri, 1 Jan 2027 · businesses closed
Reunification DayFri, 30 Apr 2027 · businesses closed
International Labour DaySat, 1 May 2027 · businesses closed
National DayThu, 2 Sept 2027 · businesses closed

Latest logistics news

EFTA and Vietnam Sign Free Trade Agreement21 Oct 2026
EFTA and Vietnam have signed their free trade agreement in Hanoi. Preparations are worthwhile for exporters, though the new tariff benefits are not yet in effect.
China-Laos Railway Exceeds 90 Million Tonnes in Total Freight17 Sept 2026
The China-Laos Railway is developing into a regional trade corridor. A total of 90 million tonnes of freight have been transported, of which 21 million tonnes crossed borders.
China Opens New Waterway: Pinglu Canal Shortens Route to Southeast Asia10 Sept 2026
The new Pinglu Canal connects China's hinterland directly to the Gulf of Beibu. Transports toward Southeast Asia are expected to become shorter and more cost-effective as a result.
New Port Fees in the USA Could Shift Trade Flows14 Jul 2026
Planned US port fees for ships built in China could alter trade flows. According to a DIW analysis, some exporting countries could benefit while others lose market share.

Logistics questions

Which customs authority is responsible in Vietnam?

The General Department of Vietnam Customs (Tổng cục Hải quan) under the Ministry of Finance. Declarations are filed electronically via the VNACCS/VCIS system and the National Single Window.

What is the import value-added tax (VAT) rate in Vietnam?

The standard rate is 10 percent. For many goods, a temporarily reduced rate of 8 percent applies until 31.12.2026; essential goods 5 percent, exports 0 percent.

Which free trade agreements can I use for Vietnam?

Among others, EVFTA (EU), CPTPP, RCEP and ASEAN/AFTA. Preferential duties require correct proof of origin, such as EUR.1 for EVFTA or Form D for ASEAN.

What are Vietnam's main ports and airports?

The main seaports are Cat Lai (Ho Chi Minh City), Cai Mep-Thi Vai and Hai Phong/Lach Huyen. Central air cargo hubs are Noi Bai (Hanoi) and Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City).

Which goods are prohibited or restricted on import?

Prohibitions and restrictions are governed by Decree 69/2018/ND-CP, including weapons, explosives, narcotics, many used consumer goods, used vehicles and CITES-protected species.

What role does the US additional tariff play for Vietnamese exports?

Since 2025, the US has applied an additional tariff of 20 percent on many Vietnamese goods and 40 percent on transshipment from third countries. Clean origin documentation is decisive.

What seasonal risks exist in Vietnam?

The typhoon and rainy season from May to November, mainly in central and northern Vietnam, can delay port and air freight operations. Flooding is possible in the Mekong Delta.

Full logistics profile on Freight Academy ↗