Updated 16 September 2026. Global and intra-Asia freight indices are showing different trends. For businesses sourcing goods from China for import into Vietnam, cargo readiness, the specific sailing and the scope of a quotation should be reviewed together before booking.
Global index steady, intra-Asia index edges up
In its 10 September 2026 release, Drewry reported a World Container Index (WCI) of USD 4,476 per 40-foot container, stable compared with the previous week. On the same date, its Intra-Asia Container Index (IACI) rose 1% to USD 1,323 per 40-foot container. The indices track different groups of trade lanes. Source: Drewry market indices.
These are market reference indices, not executable quotations for an individual China–Vietnam shipment. Request a quotation for the actual origin port, destination port, container type, departure period and service scope. An index average should not be used as the shipment’s lane-specific budget.
Two holiday periods to include in shipment planning
According to the official calendar published by the Beijing municipal government, China’s Mid-Autumn Festival holiday runs from 25–27 September 2026, followed by the National Day holiday from 1–7 October 2026. September 20 and October 10 are adjusted working days. Source: official 2026 holiday calendar.
This is the general holiday calendar. Confirm the actual working arrangements of the factory, warehouse, transport provider and documentation teams separately. Do not assume that every partner will accept cargo or complete paperwork up to the same date.
In its 9 September Asia Pacific update, Maersk encouraged customers to review space requirements and shipping schedules early ahead of Golden Week, while allowing for possible weather and port-operational effects on vessel schedules. Source: Maersk September 2026 update.
SeaAir’s assessment: for a shipment with a fixed delivery deadline, work backwards from the required receipt date in Vietnam to plan the preparation milestones. A suitable estimated departure date alone is insufficient if the cargo or documents cannot meet that sailing’s acceptance deadlines.
Five points to confirm before booking
| Item | Question for the supplier or transport provider |
|---|---|
| Cargo readiness | When can the goods actually be collected, and who will hand them over during the holidays? |
| Routing and sailing | Which origin and destination ports apply, is the service direct or via transshipment, and what are the estimated departure and arrival dates? |
| Cut-offs | What are the cargo acceptance, container gate-in, shipping instruction (SI) and verified gross mass (VGM) deadlines for this booking? |
| Costs | Which origin and destination charges are included, and which items remain excluded? |
| Alternative plan | If the shipment misses the sailing, how will the next option change the timing and total cost? |
This is SeaAir’s suggested shipment-level checklist, not a schedule-change notice from a particular carrier.
Compare quotations on the same service scope
When comparing two quotations, ask each provider to specify FCL or LCL, the charging unit, currency, validity period, inclusions and exclusions. For LCL cargo, confirm the charging basis and any applicable minimum. A low ocean-freight figure does not establish the total payable amount if charges at both ends have not been itemised.
If the goods have different delivery deadlines, ask for separate assessments of the urgent portion and the portion that could travel on a later sailing. Base the decision on each option’s total cost and estimated delivery timing after confirming cargo acceptance.
To prepare a proposal, send SeaAir the pickup location, delivery location, commodity, number of packages, weight, dimensions or CBM, cargo-ready date and required delivery date. Explore SeaAir’s freight services or request a quotation to discuss the actual shipment.
The cover is an AI-generated illustration and does not depict a specific port.
