Trucks which have gone through customs clearance procedures is prioritized to pass the border gate first

Arrange customs officers to work outside office hours, on holidays

Customs has requested the Customs Departments of Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Cao Bang, Lao Cai, Ha Giang and Dien Bien to carry out specific solutions to expedite customs clearance and solve cargo congestion at the Northern border gate.

Accordingly, these Customs Departments have directed their affiliated customs branches to create maximum conditions and expedite customs clearance within a day for export goods in their areas (including outside office hours); and immediately solve problems arising in the customs clearance process.

If enterprises change border gate of exportation, change the method of goods transportation, or have no need to export, the customs branches shall guide them to amend, supplement or cancel the customs declaration (for shipments that have been already declared), register a new customs declaration as prescribed to continue exports or bring back inland for consumption.

The Customs branches are required to arrange customs officers to work outside office hours, on weekends and public holidays; and prioritize trucks which have gone through customs clearance procedures to pass the border gate first.

The Customs branches are requested to work with warehouse and yard operators to arrange places and create conditions for the preservation and quality classification of goods of enterprises while waiting for export; allow enterprises to send exported goods that have passed customs procedures and need to be preserved to cold storage at border gates; and guide enterprises to revise and supplement customs clearance for changes in declared information.

The Customs branches must regularly update the situation, provide information and make timely recommendations to agricultural product exporters; closely coordinate with local authorities to regulate traffic for vehicles to avoid congestion and ensure pandemic prevention and control as well as limit costs for enterprises.

Customs Departments of Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Cao Bang, Lao Cai, Ha Giang and Dien Bien must work with the competent authorities in their areas to actively exchange with the competent authorities at the border gates of the People's Republic of China to strengthen customs clearance capacity and quickly solve congestion; and promptly report problems beyond their authority to the General Department of Customs.

Congestion pressure in Lang Son, Quang Ninh

The General Department of Customs said import and export activities in the border provinces bordering China have a large volume of goods waiting for export, mainly concentrating in provinces which have a huge volume of trade with China such as Lang Son and Quang Ninh.

In Lang Son province, the volume of goods cleared through the border gate decreased to only about 300-400 trucks per day, while the volume of goods from inland to the border gates in Lang Son province is remarkable, plus the limited capacity of warehouses and yards, resulting in congestion at border gates in the province.

As of the morning of December 21, 2021, the number of trucks stuck at Huu Nghi, Tan Thanh and Chi Ma border gates totaled 4,461 (a decrease of 137 vehicles from a day earlier). Warehouses and yards at border gates are overloaded, affecting export activities, goods quality, increasing export time and costs and causing difficulties for pandemic control and prevention, and arrangement of vehicles.

In Quang Ninh province, as of December 21, 2021, despites efforts of the city’s government and local authorities, vehicles carrying imported and exported goods have faced congestion.

At Bac Luan II bridge, 346 trucks are waiting for export, down 79 units compared to December 15, 2021.

At Dōngxìngborder gate (China), it is expected that 289 Vietnamese truck which have completed exit procedures to Dōngxìng, China to receive goods to Vietnam. Due to a notice from Dōngxìng government, these trucks have not gone through procedures to enter Vietnam and have been stuck at Dōngxìng, China

In Pontoon Bridge Km 3 + 4, the flow of agricultural, forestry and fishery goods has not changed, the area receives 150 trucks per day on average, so the goods are still in stable circulation, but the backlog of goods is still very large.

So far, the number of vehicles at the Pontoom Bridge Km3+4 is 1,188, down 169 vehicles from December 15, 2021, mainly frozen seafood (940 vehicles), and agricultural products (248 vehicles).

At the Hoanh Mo border gate area, Binh Lieu district, there is no backlog of goods and congestion at the border gate area. The goods imported to Vietnam are handled the same day. However, vehicles carrying goods from China to Vietnam after delivery has slowly returned to China due to China’s disinfection and sterilization, resulting in a backlog and potential traffic collisions, causing congestion at the border gate area and increasing costs for enterprises.

Currently, the Chinese side only receives from 25-30 vehicles per day, while the daily backlog of vehicles is about 120 vehicles on average, some days up to 150 vehicles (due to the accumulated vehicles on previous days).

This congestion in Quang Ninh province is partly because enterprises have information on on-going congestion at some Vietnam-China border gates (Huu Nghi, Tan Thanh-Lang Son), so they have shifted to Mong Cai.