The General Department of Vietnam Customs recently issued a document to remove enterprises' problems about transporting goods by inland waterway.

An Giang Customs officials checked imported goods. Photo: T.H

To remove difficulties and facilitate cross-border water transport activities of enterprises, in accordance with the practice of transporting goods via inland waterways, while ensuring customs supervision and management of goods, the General Department of Vietnam Customs guided on the time of goods transportation by inland waterway:

The estimated time to finish transportation is not more than five days for a distance of less than 500 km.

The General Department of Vietnam Customs also requested the Customs Departments of provinces and cities and the Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department to continue strengthening professional measures, inspecting and monitoring goods at the place of departure, destination and entire transportation journey.

Regarding this issue, previously, based on the actual situation, An Giang Customs Department agreed with the enterprise's proposal to increase the time for transporting goods by inland waterway with a distance of less than 500 km up to five days.

The fact there are problems that have arisen because of objective conditions such as goods congestion at ports, jams at wharfs, especially the same vehicle has to receive goods at many different ports and from many other shippers on the same shipment to Cambodia.

For example, vehicle A received the first shipment at Cai Mep port, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, then transported it to ports in HCM City to receive the second shipment, then transported it to Ben Luc port, Long An to receive the final shipment (this place is licensed by the Port Authority as the last port of departure), the fastest shipping and receiving time at each port is from one to two days. Thus, resulting in the delivery of goods to the destination late than specified.