Container Shipping from Vietnam to Togo by Sea (Port of Lomé)
Container shipping costs from Vietnam to Togo include ocean freight, carrier surcharges, local charges at both ends and the ECTN/BESC cargo tracking note fee. Cargo from Vietnam is discharged at the Port of Lomé, a deep-water port and transit gateway to Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. Based on sailing schedules checked on 02/11/2026, sea transit from Ho Chi Minh City takes about 33–60 days depending on the carrier.
Table of contents:
I. What does the cost of shipping a container to Togo include?
II. What drives costs and freight rate changes on the Togo route?
III. Which port do shipments to Togo arrive at? The Port of Lomé and connecting schedules
IV. Transit bottlenecks and operational risks in Togo
V. What to check when preparing export documents and the bill of lading for Togo
VI. What documents and customs procedures apply to imports into Togo?
VII. Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
VIII. Conclusion
I. What does the cost of shipping a container to Togo include?
The cost of moving one container from Vietnam to the Port of Lomé (Togo) is made up of 5 separate logistics cost groups:
Cost group | Details | Nature & responsibility |
1. Ocean freight (O/F) | Main-leg freight from the Vietnamese port of loading (HCM / HPH / DAD) to the port of discharge Lomé (TGLFW). | Paid to the carrier; includes bunker adjustment factor (BAF) and peak season surcharge (PSS). |
2. Local charges in Vietnam (POL) | THC, seal, B/L, telex release, VGM, manifest and export customs clearance at the port of loading. | Paid directly to the carrier and terminal operator in Vietnam according to published tariffs. |
3. Cargo tracking note fee (BESC / ECTN) | Registration and validation fee for the electronic BESC managed by the Togo National Shippers' Council (CNCT). | The shipper or its forwarder files the application; validation must be completed before the vessel arrives at destination. |
4. Destination local charges at Lomé (POD charges) | Destination THC, temporary storage and berth charges at Lomé Container Terminal (LCT) or Togo Terminal (AGL). | Paid by the consignee to the carrier and the terminal operator in Togo. |
5. Single window & import clearance fees | Document processing via the SEGUCE single window, customs declaration on ASYCUDA World and delivery to the warehouse. | A licensed customs broker in Lomé acts for the importer under the rules of the Togolese Revenue Office (OTR). |
Note: Import duties under the ECOWAS Common External Tariff and value added tax (TVA 18%) in Togo are declared and paid by the importer.
II. What drives costs and freight rate changes on the Togo route?
Because of its central position in the Gulf of Guinea and its deep-water port, logistics costs on the Togo route depend on 3 key factors:
Deep-water port for large vessels:
Unlike many river-mouth ports in West Africa with draft restrictions, the Port of Lomé has a channel depth of about 16.6 m. MSC uses Lomé Container Terminal (LCT) as a regional transshipment point, so some services have shorter transit times and fewer transshipments than neighbouring ports.
Shipment purpose (consumption in Togo or transit to the Sahel):
Lomé is a key road gateway for Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. If cargo moves inland along the North–South corridor, the shipper pays extra for the transit declaration (TRIE), transit guarantee and long-haul container trucking, often over 1,000 km.
Agricultural season in West Africa:
During the peak season for agricultural exports (soybeans, cashew nuts, cotton) from inland countries through Lomé, demand for empty containers and vessel space rises, so ocean freight can change from week to week.
To get an optimal shipping plan and have your export documents checked:
Related article: Container shipping to Sierra Leone by seaIII. Which port do shipments to Togo arrive at? The Port of Lomé and connecting schedules
Sea containers from Vietnam to Togo are discharged at the Port of Lomé, the country's main deep-water seaport:
1. Autonomous Port of Lomé (Port Autonome de Lomé - TGLFW)
The Autonomous Port of Lomé is one of the few natural deep-water ports on the West African coast and handles most of Togo's foreign trade. It has two main container terminals:
Lomé Container Terminal (LCT): a container terminal serving as MSC's transshipment point in West Africa.
Togo Terminal: a container terminal operated by AGL (Africa Global Logistics), handling consumer imports, building materials and transit cargo to Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
2. Sailing schedules and sea transit time from Ho Chi Minh City
Based on Big Schedules data checked on 02/11/2026, sea transit times from Ho Chi Minh City to the Port of Lomé are as follows:
Port of loading | Carrier | Service code (at time of check) | Sea transit time (reference) |
Ho Chi Minh City | Maersk | A02 | About 33 days |
Ho Chi Minh City | MSC | OCHNA | About 39 days |
Ho Chi Minh City | COSCO | VTS, IHX | 41 – 49 days |
Ho Chi Minh City | Gold Star Line | VMS | About 44 days |
Ho Chi Minh City | Hapag-Lloyd | VNF (feeder to main line) | 46 days (some sailings up to 67 days) |
Ho Chi Minh City | OOCL | VSX | About 46 days |
Ho Chi Minh City | ZIM | SXT | About 52 days |
Ho Chi Minh City | ONE | EC3 | 52 – 60 days |
Most of these services transship at an intermediate port. Schedules and transit times change weekly, so confirm with the carrier at booking.
IV. Transit bottlenecks and operational risks in Togo
When exporting containers to Togo, shippers should actively manage the following operational risks:
Transit procedures at borders to landlocked countries:
For cargo transiting through Lomé to Burkina Faso, Mali or Niger, trucks must complete the transit declaration (TRIE), sealing and tracking requirements via the SEGUCE single window. Truck dispatch should be closely followed by the logistics agent to avoid congestion at the Cinkassé border.
Demurrage & Detention:
For cargo delivered in Togo, the carrier's default free time is often short compared with customs inspection time. For cargo trucked to landlocked countries, the round trip takes several weeks. Shippers should negotiate combined free time (Combined D&D) of about 14–21 days for cargo delivered in Togo and about 21–28 days for transit cargo.
V. What to check when preparing export documents and the bill of lading for Togo
H-Cargo highlights 2 document requirements to prepare from the start:
1. ECTN/BESC (Bordereau Électronique de Suivi des Cargaisons)
The Togo National Shippers' Council (Conseil National des Chargeurs du Togo - CNCT) requires an electronic cargo tracking note (ECTN/BESC) for containers imported into or transiting through Lomé.
Application: The shipper or forwarder submits the draft B/L, commercial invoice, packing list and export declaration details to an authorised issuing agent for validation.
Deadline: The certificate must be validated before the vessel arrives at Lomé; the ECTN/BESC number is usually shown on the bill of lading and the cargo manifest.
Without the certificate: Cargo may be held, clearance delayed and storage and container charges incurred at Lomé.
2. How to show the transit clause on the Bill of Lading (B/L)
For cargo to Burkina Faso, Mali or Niger via Lomé, the ocean bill of lading must state:
"CARGO IN TRANSIT TO [DESTINATION COUNTRY] UNDER THE RESPONSIBILITY AND AT THE EXPENSE OF THE CONSIGNEE / SHIPPER"
(Cargo in transit to [destination country] under the responsibility and at the expense of the consignee / shipper.)
Port of Discharge field: Lomé, Togo.
Final Destination field: the receiving city in the landlocked country (e.g. Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso or Niamey, Niger).
Without this clause: Togolese customs will treat the shipment as an import for consumption in Togo, so the cargo is held and Togo's VAT (TVA 18%) and import duties apply before release.
VI. What documents and customs procedures apply to imports into Togo?
Import clearance in Togo is handled centrally through the national foreign trade single window:
1. Required shipping documents
Commercial Invoice: In French or bilingual English–French, showing Incoterms, HS code, unit price and CIF value.
Packing List: Matching the invoice on number of packages, packing type, net weight and gross weight.
Bill of Lading: Showing goods description, container number, seal number and a valid ECTN/BESC number.
ECTN/BESC certificate: The electronic version validated by CNCT.
Certificate of Origin (C/O form B): Issued by VCCI when the buyer requires it.
2. Electronic customs system and tax policy in Togo
SEGUCE single window and ASYCUDA World: Import declarations are processed via the SEGUCE single window (Société d'Exploitation du Guichet Unique pour le Commerce Extérieur), linked to the ASYCUDA World system of the Togolese Revenue Office (Office Togolais des Recettes - OTR). A licensed customs broker in Lomé files the documents electronically for risk channelling.
Value added tax (TVA): The standard rate on imports into Togo is 18%, calculated on the CIF value plus import duty.
Import duty (Droit de Douane): Togo applies the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET) with 5 bands of 0%, 5%, 10%, 20% and 35% depending on the goods. Vietnam and Togo have no free trade agreement (FTA), so standard rates apply.
VII. Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
1. What is the Togo BESC and what happens without it?
The BESC (Bordereau Électronique de Suivi des Cargaisons), also called ECTN, is an electronic cargo tracking note managed by the Togo National Shippers' Council (CNCT). Shipments arriving at Lomé without a valid certificate may be held, cleared late and charged storage fees.
2. How long does container shipping from Vietnam to the Port of Lomé take?
Based on schedules checked on 02/11/2026, sea transit from Ho Chi Minh City to Lomé is about 33–49 days with Maersk, MSC, COSCO and Gold Star Line, and about 46–60 days with Hapag-Lloyd, OOCL, ZIM and ONE; some multi-transshipment sailings can take up to 67 days.
3. What advantages does the Port of Lomé have over other West African ports?
Lomé has a deep-water channel of about 16.6 m, allowing large container vessels to berth without the draft limits of many river-mouth ports in the region. It is also MSC's transshipment point in West Africa and a key transit gateway to Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
4. What should the bill of lading show for cargo transiting Lomé to Burkina Faso or Mali?
The bill of lading should state the transit clause (Cargo in transit to Burkina Faso / Mali / Niger) and the final place of delivery. This is the basis for Togolese customs to issue the transit declaration (TRIE); properly declared transit cargo is not subject to Togo's import duty or 18% TVA.
VIII. Conclusion
The Port of Lomé gives the Vietnam–Togo route shorter transit times than many other West African ports and serves as a gateway to the Sahel. In return, shippers must tightly control the ECTN/BESC and the transit clause on the bill of lading, since document errors are the biggest source of extra cost on this route. Three things to do before booking:
Choose the carrier and service code from the schedule at the time of booking, balancing transit time and cost.
Complete the ECTN/BESC before vessel arrival and check the transit clause on the bill of lading if cargo moves on to another country.
Negotiate free time according to the shipment purpose: delivery in Togo or transit to a landlocked country.
H-Cargo helps check ECTN/BESC documents, advises on route selection and ships containers from Cat Lai, Cai Mep, Hai Phong and Da Nang to the Port of Lomé, with road connections to Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. Learn more about H-Cargo's international sea freight services.
Author: Navy Ngo - Marketing Specialist
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Sources cited in this article: Big Schedules sailing data VNSGN - TGLFW (Maersk, MSC, COSCO, Gold Star Line, Hapag-Lloyd, OOCL, ZIM, ONE), checked on 02/11/2026; GoFreight - ECTN Requirements by Country (issuing body: CNCT); U.S. International Trade Administration (trade.gov) - Togo Import Tariffs (ECOWAS CET, TVA 18%, OTR); SEGUCE single window; Port Autonome de Lomé (PAL). Accessed 03/11/2026. For reference only, not a quotation. Check that regulations and tax policies are current at the time of use.
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