Dong Nai meets the requirements for importing automobiles

Dong Nai Province has five customs units: Dong Nai Port Customs, Nhon Trach Port Customs, Hoa Lu International Border Gate Customs,  Hoang Dieu Border Gate Customs, and Loc Thinh Border Gate Customs. Among them, Nhon Trach Port Customs is the largest and is well-equipped to handle the province’s import and export activities efficiently.

Import and export operations at Phuoc An Seaport. Photo: Ngoc Lien

However, among the goods cleared for import at Dong Nai customs checkpoints, automobiles have not yet been included in the list of items approved for import by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Eligibility met, but car imports still not permitted

Under Prime Minister’s Decision No. 23/2019/QD-TTg dated June 27, 2019, which sets out the list of imported goods required to clear customs at the point of entry, passenger cars with fewer than 16 seats are included among 14 items that must undergo customs clearance at the border.

Following Prime Minister Decision No. 23, the Ministry of Industry and Trade issued Circular No. 21/2021/TT-BCT on December 20, 2021, designating specific ports for importing passenger cars with fewer than 16 seats. Starting January 2022, six seaport customs points across Vietnam, including Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa, Da Nang, and two in Ho Chi Minh City, are authorized to process these imports.

In Dong Nai, Nhon Trach Port Customs is one of the province’s five customs points, with a particular strength in processing car import procedures, as it oversees Phuoc An Seaport, located in Phuoc An commune. Officially put into operation at the end of 2024, Phuoc An is one of the largest seaports in Dong Nai province.

Covering more than 164 hectares with a total investment of over 11 trillion VND, Phuoc An Seaport features nine berths spanning approximately 2.8 km and can accommodate vessels up to 60,000 tons. The port is expected to become a key hub in Dong Nai’s and the Southeast region’s logistics development strategy.

Phuoc An Seaport has partnered with several international shipping lines, including WANHAI, MSC, and SITC. Truong Hoang Hai, General Director of Phuoc An Port Investment and Development JSC, stated that the port occupies a strategic location along the Thi Vai River, a key maritime route to the East Sea. In addition, its proximity to major industrial zones in Dong Nai and Ho Chi Minh City makes it highly convenient for attracting investment and facilitating cargo transshipment.

In particular, with the opening of Long Thanh International Airport in 2026, Phuoc An Seaport is expected to gain even greater value, as it is located less than 30 km from the airport. This proximity will continue to be a key advantage, providing ideal conditions to attract investors and facilitating the development of a multimodal logistics chain both domestically and internationally.

Helping boost state budget revenue from car imports

Customs Sub-Department of Region XVIII in Dong Nai reports that Phuoc An Seaport functions as a central hub linking major transport routes, including Ring Road 3, Bien Hoa – Vung Tau Expressway, Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay Expressway, and Dau Giay – Phan Thiet Expressway, with an inter-port road planned soon. Once the network is fully integrated, together with the growth of industrial parks, export processing zones, warehouses, Long Thanh International Airport, and seaports, it will significantly boost import-export activity. To support this, the customs office has streamlined procedures, strengthened staff capacity, and accelerated digital transformation through Smart Customs, ensuring efficient and compliant cargo clearance.

In the first ten months of 2025, Dong Nai province collected over 75 trillion VND in state budget revenue. To meet the 2025 revenue targets and prepare sustainable income sources for 2026, the tax and customs authorities are working to efficiently maintain and develop these revenue streams in line with the set objectives.

Highlighting Phuoc An Seaport’s advantages in handling imported automobiles, Le Van Thung, Director of the Customs Sub-Department of Region XVIII, said during a meeting with provincial leaders on the first ten months of 2025 finance work that the customs sector is striving to optimize revenue collection. He noted that businesses are still struggling with production challenges, and the United States has maintained particular tariff warnings. Imports and exports subject to tax accounted for only 15% of the province’s total trade turnover.

Dong Nai has proposed permission to process automobile imports at Phuoc An Seaport. Under Prime Minister’s Decision No. 23, Dong Nai is not listed as an authorized location for car imports, even though the province hosts major automotive companies such as Do Thanh Automobile Joint Stock Company, Suzuki Vietnam Co., Ltd., and Truong Hai Group. As a result, imported vehicles still have to complete customs procedures elsewhere.

Le Van Thung stated that if Dong Nai is permitted to import cars, Nhon Trach Customs Sub-department and the operational capacity of Phuoc An Seaport would make a significant contribution to the province’s economic development and generate substantial budget revenue. This endeavor is significant as Dong Nai is under increasing pressure to boost state budget collection in the coming period.

By Ngoc Lien – Translated by Tam Binh, Minho