Container Shipping from Vietnam to Morocco by Sea (Casablanca, Tanger Med)
Container shipping from Vietnam to Morocco by sea includes ocean freight, carrier surcharges and local charges at both ends. Cargo from Cat Lai, Cai Mep and Hai Phong is usually discharged at the Port of Casablanca (for domestic consumption) or the Port of Tanger Med (a major transshipment port on the Strait of Gibraltar). Reference sea transit is about 26–45 days, depending on the carrier and whether the route goes via Suez or around the Cape of Good Hope. The bill of lading must show the consignee's ICE number; some product groups require a VoC certificate of conformity.
Table of contents:
I. What does container shipping from Vietnam to Morocco cost, and what is included?
II. What drives costs and freight rate fluctuations on the Morocco route?
III. Which port do shipments to Morocco arrive at? Casablanca vs Tanger Med
IV. Route bottlenecks and surcharges to watch on the North Africa route
V. What to check when preparing the bill of lading and export documents for Morocco
VI. What documents and customs procedures apply to imports into Morocco?
VII. Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
VIII. Conclusion
I. What does container shipping from Vietnam to Morocco cost, and what is included?
The cost of moving a container from Vietnamese seaports to Morocco is made up of 5 separate groups of logistics charges:
Cost group | Details | Nature & responsibility |
1. Ocean freight (O/F) | Main-leg freight from the Vietnamese port (HCM / HPH / DAD) to the port of discharge Casablanca (MACAS) or Tanger Med (MATNG). | Paid to the carrier; includes the bunker adjustment factor (BAF) and peak season surcharge (PSS) as applicable. |
2. Local charges in Vietnam (POL) | THC, Seal, B/L, Telex Release, VGM, Manifest and export customs clearance fees at the port of loading. | Paid directly to the carrier and terminal operator in Vietnam according to their published tariffs. |
3. Routing & ocean security surcharges | Red Sea risk surcharge (WAR/ESS) or Cape of Good Hope routing surcharge (Cape Surcharge). | Applied depending on the carrier's actual routing into the Mediterranean. |
4. Local charges at the Moroccan port (POD charges) | Destination THC, temporary storage and wharfage set by the National Ports Agency (ANP) or Tanger Med Port Authority (TMSA). | Paid by the consignee to the carrier and the terminal operator in Morocco. |
5. Customs brokerage & conformity inspection | Declaration fees on the BADR electronic customs system, VoC certificate inspection fees and inland container trucking. | A local customs broker acts for the cargo owner in line with the rules of the Moroccan Customs Administration (ADII). |
Note: Customs duty and value added tax (TVA) in Morocco are declared and paid directly by the buyer to the state budget according to the current tariff.
II. What drives costs and freight rate fluctuations on the Morocco route?
The actual transport cost of a shipment to Morocco is strongly affected by geopolitical factors and carrier routing:
Impact of the Red Sea & Suez Canal chokepoint:
Vessels that keep routing through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean significantly shorten transit time but carry an additional War Risk Surcharge. Conversely, if the carrier diverts around the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa), transit time increases considerably, raising bunker surcharges and container turnaround costs.
Purpose of the shipment (domestic consumption vs. free zone):
Cargo delivered to the Port of Casablanca is for direct import clearance into economic centres such as Casablanca, Rabat and Marrakech. Meanwhile, cargo arriving at Tanger Med is often raw materials for manufacturing plants in bonded Free Zones or goods stored for redistribution to Europe and West Africa.
Peak season for agricultural and consumer goods:
In the last months of the year or before major holidays in North Africa, import demand for textile materials, footwear and leather, spices and agricultural products surges, putting pressure on vessel space and pushing ocean freight rates up.
Get an optimized shipping plan and a detailed routing analysis for each type of cargo:
Related articles:
- Container shipping from Vietnam to Mauritania by sea (Port of Nouakchott)
- Container shipping from Vietnam to Ivory Coast by sea (Port of Abidjan)III. Which port do shipments to Morocco arrive at? Casablanca vs Tanger Med
Containers from Vietnam to Morocco mainly arrive at one of the following two ports:
1. Port of Casablanca (Port de Casablanca - MACAS)
Located on the Atlantic coast, Casablanca is Morocco's largest industrial and financial centre. The Port of Casablanca suits imports of consumer goods, food, agricultural products (cashew, pepper, coffee) and machinery for the domestic market, connecting to the motorway and rail network to major cities.
2. Port of Tanger Med (Port de Tanger Med - MATNG)
Tanger Med lies on the Strait of Gibraltar and is the largest container port in the Mediterranean, handling more than 11 million TEU in 2025. The port can receive large container vessels and is a logistics hub for the automotive, aerospace and electronics industrial zones around Tangier.
3. Reference vessel schedules and transit times from Ho Chi Minh City
The carriers below accept cargo from Ho Chi Minh City to Casablanca via transshipment. Times are reference ranges; schedules and transshipment ports change weekly, so check the specific schedule at booking:
Carrier | Service type | Sea transit (reference) |
Hapag-Lloyd | Transshipment | 26 – 33 days |
Maersk | Transshipment | 27 – 45 days |
Evergreen | Transshipment | 35 – 57 days |
CMA CGM | Transshipment | About 44 days |
OOCL / HMM / COSCO | Transshipment | 48 – 56 days |
Days are reference ranges based on carrier schedules and exclude waiting time at transshipment ports. Please check the specific schedule when you receive a quotation.
IV. Route bottlenecks and surcharges to watch on the North Africa route
When shipping to Morocco, businesses should proactively manage the following operational risks:
Handling congestion at the Port of Casablanca in peak season:
During peak periods, the Port of Casablanca may lack berths or have an overloaded yard, so feeder vessels have to wait before berthing.
Delays at Mediterranean transshipment hubs:
Cargo from Vietnam to Morocco usually transships at hubs such as Algeciras, Valencia (Spain), Tanger Med or Port Said (Egypt). A delayed mother vessel can miss the feeder connection and extend total transit time.
Container charges at the port (Demurrage & Detention):
Conformity checks and clearance in Morocco can take time, while carriers' standard free time is usually short. Negotiate combined free time (D&D) that matches the expected clearance schedule at booking.
V. What to check when preparing the bill of lading and export documents for Morocco
H-Cargo's international logistics specialists highlight 2 mandatory regulatory requirements:
1. The ICE company number must appear on the bill of lading (B/L)
The Moroccan Customs Administration (Administration des Douanes et Impôts Indirects - ADII) requires all imports to declare the consignee's Common Company Identifier (Identifiant Commun de l'Entreprise - ICE).
The ICE is a 15-digit number used to identify companies in Morocco.
Where to show it: State the ICE number in the Consignee field (and Notify Party if receiving on behalf) on the Bill of Lading and in the manifest. A missing or incorrect ICE number can easily cause cargo to be held at Moroccan customs.
2. Check the conformity certificate (VoC programme)
Morocco's Ministry of Industry and Trade applies a Verification of Conformity (VoC) programme for imports under Law 24-09 on product safety, since 01/02/2020.
Product groups such as electrical equipment, construction materials, toys, textiles - footwear and leather, plastics, food-contact articles and auto parts must be inspected by a designated inspection body (such as Bureau Veritas, SGS), which issues a Certificate of Conformity (CoC). Goods without a certificate will be inspected at the Moroccan border; non-compliant goods are banned from import.
VI. What documents and customs procedures apply to imports into Morocco?
Import customs clearance in Morocco is managed centrally through the national customs electronic platform.
1. Mandatory documents for the shipment
Commercial Invoice: Original in French or English, stating the Incoterms, unit price, HS code and the buyer's ICE number.
Packing List: Detailing the number of packages, net weight and gross weight.
Bill of Lading: Showing the full cargo description, container number, seal number and the importer's ICE number.
Certificate of Origin (C/O Form B): Issued by VCCI or the competent authority in Vietnam to prove the origin of the goods.
VoC Certificate of Conformity: Required for products on the mandatory control list under Morocco's Law 24-09 on product safety.
2. BADR electronic customs system and tax policy
BADR electronic customs system: All import declarations (Déclaration Unique des Marchandises - DUM) are transmitted and processed through BADR (Base Automatisée des Douanes en Réseau). The consignee or a licensed customs broker in Morocco files the electronic declaration before the vessel arrives.
Value added tax (TVA): The standard VAT rate on imports into Morocco is 20%, calculated on the CIF value plus import duty. Some food products or production equipment may qualify for reduced rates of 7% to 14%.
Customs duty (Droit de Douane): Applied according to Morocco's external tariff schedule. As Vietnam and Morocco have no bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), goods exported from Vietnam are subject to Most Favoured Nation (MFN) rates.
VII. Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
1. Should cargo be discharged at Casablanca or Tanger Med?
If the goods are imported for direct consumption in the Moroccan domestic market (Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech), the Port of Casablanca is usually more suitable to save on road transport costs. If the goods are raw materials for processing plants in free export zones, or transshipment cargo held in bonded storage, the Port of Tanger Med is usually the better choice.
2. How long does container shipping from Ho Chi Minh City / Hai Phong to Morocco take?
Reference sea transit from Vietnam to Morocco is about 26 to 45 days depending on the carrier and routing. Fast services from Hapag-Lloyd or Maersk take about 26–33 days, while services with several transshipment calls can take 44–56 days.
3. What is the ICE number on a bill of lading to Morocco and why is it mandatory?
The ICE (Identifiant Commun de l'Entreprise) is a 15-digit company identification number. The BADR electronic customs system requires it to identify the importer's legal entity. A bill of lading with a missing or incorrect ICE number will cause cargo to be held at the port of discharge and incur storage charges.
4. Do exports to Morocco require VoC inspection?
Only products on the control list of Morocco's Ministry of Industry and Trade (such as electrical equipment, toys, construction materials and textiles) require a VoC certificate of conformity before export. Shippers should check the HS code carefully with their customs broker to arrange inspection in Vietnam on time.
VIII. Conclusion
Container shipping to Morocco includes ocean freight, carrier surcharges (including routing surcharges when avoiding the Red Sea) and local charges at both ends; transit time depends on the destination port and transshipment hub. Three things to do before booking:
Choose the destination port by shipment purpose: Casablanca for domestic consumption, Tanger Med for free zones or transshipment cargo.
Show the consignee's correct 15-digit ICE number on the bill of lading and manifest.
Check whether the HS code is on the VoC list and confirm free time at booking.
The H-Cargo team quotes per shipment, clearly stating the carrier, transshipment port, surcharges and validity date for the Morocco route.
Learn more about our international sea freight services at H-Cargo Sea Freight Forwarding.
Author: Navy Ngo - Marketing Specialist
Contact us for a free consultation:
H-Cargo International Logistics
· 113-115 Ung Van Khiem St., Ward Thanh My Tay, Ho Chi Minh City
· Tel: +84 888 909 186
· Email: jack.tran@hcargovn.com
· Web: www.hcargovn.com
Sources cited: Reference vessel schedules for VNSGN - MACAS (Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk, Evergreen, CMA CGM); Tanger Med - 2025 operating results (container-news.com); ICE company identifier rules and BADR electronic customs system - Moroccan Customs and Indirect Tax Administration (ADII); VoC import conformity programme - Moroccan Ministry of Industry and Trade; ANP and Tanger Med Port Authority (TMSA) port regulations. Accessed 28/10/2026. Check that regulations and tax policies are in force at the time of application. For reference only, not a quotation.
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