Season
Peak seasons before Christmas and Lunar New Year fill vessels and can push containers to a later sailing.
Project Logistics
From Our Factory in Vietnam to Georgetown: Routes, Carriers and Transit Times
Your steel travels more than halfway around the world. We think you should know exactly how: which shipping lines serve Guyana, where your containers change ship, how often vessels sail and how long it really takes. Plan your project on realistic dates, not on hopeful ones.
Tay Ninh, Vietnam
Engineering · Fabrication · Shipping
Destination: Guyana
Vietnam to Guyana at a glance
- Factory loading to Georgetown
- 45–60 days
- Depending on the season and the transshipment connection
- Sailings on the main routes
- Weekly
- From southern Vietnam to the Caribbean hubs
- Transshipment, typically
- 1
- Mainline vessel to a Caribbean or Panama hub, then a feeder to Georgetown
- International lines serving Guyana
- 6+
- Including CMA CGM, ZIM, MSC, Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd and ONE
Transit time as planned by World Steel for its shipments. Carrier information from the sources listed at the end of this page.
The Route
How your steel reaches Guyana
There is no direct mainline container service between Asia and Guyana. Large ocean vessels cannot enter Georgetown, so every shipment from Vietnam travels in two legs. A mainline vessel carries your containers from southern Vietnam across the Pacific and through the Panama Canal to a transshipment hub in the Caribbean or Panama. There they are transferred to a smaller feeder vessel that sails to Georgetown.
This is normal for Guyana and works reliably when it is planned well. The choice of carrier and hub determines the transit time and the reliability of the connection. That is why we choose the route for each shipment, and tell you which one we chose.
The two legs of the journey
- Port of loading in southern Vietnam, close to our factory
- Mainline voyage across the Pacific and through the Panama Canal
- Transshipment hub: e.g. Cartagena, Kingston, Caucedo or Manzanillo (Panama)
- Feeder vessel through the Caribbean to Georgetown
- Discharge at a Georgetown wharf and customs clearance
Step by Step
The journey of your containers
Typical durations for planning. The exact dates for your shipment come from the carrier's booking confirmation.
-
01
Booking
We book space with the carrier for your containers and agree the vessel and voyage.
Technical highlight: Usually 1–2 weeks before the planned loading.
Related documents: Booking confirmation
-
02
Loading at the factory
Containers loaded to the loading plan, photographed and sealed in Tay Ninh Province.
Technical highlight: See our export process.
Related documents: Loading photographs, packing lists
-
03
Port of loading
Containers delivered to the port in southern Vietnam before the cut-off for the booked vessel.
Technical highlight: Vessels on the main routes sail weekly.
Related documents: Gate-in
-
04
Ocean voyage
Mainline vessel across the Pacific and through the Panama Canal to the transshipment hub.
Technical highlight: The longest leg of the journey.
Related documents: Bill of lading
-
05
Transshipment
Containers transferred to the feeder vessel for Georgetown.
Technical highlight: Connection time depends on the feeder schedule.
Related documents: Carrier tracking
-
06
Feeder to Georgetown
Feeder service through the Caribbean to Georgetown.
Technical highlight: About 11 days from Cartagena on the CMA CGM / ZIM Guyana service.
Related documents: Arrival notice
-
07
Arrival and clearance
Discharge at a Georgetown wharf; your broker clears the containers with the Guyana Revenue Authority.
Technical highlight: Documents sent ahead so clearance can be prepared.
Related documents: Customs release
International shipping lines serving Guyana
Carriers with a presence or a service in Guyana, and how they connect Georgetown with the world. Services change: we confirm the carrier, route and sailing for every shipment at booking.
| Shipping line | How it serves Georgetown | Connection for cargo from Asia |
|---|---|---|
| CMA CGM | Guyana feeder service: Cartagena, Kingston, Caucedo, Barbados, Port of Spain, Georgetown, about 11 days from Cartagena to Georgetown | PEX2 Asia–Caribbean service calls Vung Tau (Vietnam) and continues via the Panama Canal to Manzanillo (Panama), Cartagena, Kingston and Caucedo |
| ZIM | Guyana Soca Express (GSE), on the same Cartagena–Kingston–Caucedo–Barbados–Port of Spain–Georgetown rotation | Kingston, Jamaica, ZIM's Caribbean transshipment hub |
| MSC | Own office in Guyana since May 2024; weekly direct services from Georgetown to Port of Spain and Paramaribo; calls Demerara, Muneshwers and John Fernandes terminals | MSC's global transshipment hubs for cargo from Asia |
| Maersk | Office in Georgetown (Water Street); weekly connections between Georgetown and its hub in Manzanillo, Panama | Manzanillo, Panama |
| Hapag-Lloyd | Represented in Guyana by its local agent, MAPOR Guyana Inc. | Through the carrier's Caribbean network |
| ONE (Ocean Network Express) | Guyana service announced in 2024 with a local third-party agent | Through the carrier's Caribbean network |
Sources are listed at the end of this page. Freight platforms list further lines with Georgetown in their networks, such as COSCO, Evergreen, OOCL and PIL; we use whichever carrier offers the best combination of transit time, reliability and cost for your shipment.
Planning your weekly sailing
Vessels on the main routes sail every week, so your shipment is planned around the weekly vessel that follows the end of production. An example of how the weeks add up:
| Week | What happens | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Week 0 | Production and final inspection completed; space booked on the next suitable weekly vessel | Booking usually 1–2 weeks ahead |
| Week 1 | Containers loaded at the factory and delivered to the port before the cut-off | Packing lists and loading photographs sent to you |
| Weeks 1–6 | Ocean voyage across the Pacific and through the Panama Canal to the transshipment hub | Vessel and voyage shown on the bill of lading |
| Weeks 6–8 | Transshipment and feeder voyage to Georgetown | About 11 days on the feeder from Cartagena |
| Weeks 7–9 | Arrival in Georgetown, discharge and customs clearance by your broker | Clearance time depends on documents and inspection |
Illustration only. The weeks for your shipment depend on the season, the carrier and the connection at the hub, and are confirmed at booking. Total transit from loading to arrival in Georgetown: typically 45–60 days.
Transit Time
What makes transit time 45 or 60 days
Transparency means telling you what can make a shipment slower, so you can plan for it.
Transshipment connection
A tight connection at the hub saves days; a missed feeder adds a week or more. We prefer reliable connections over the shortest one on paper.
Panama Canal
Water levels and transit restrictions at the canal can affect schedules on the routes through Panama.
Weather
The Atlantic hurricane season (June to November) can delay feeder services in the Caribbean.
Port congestion
Busy periods at the hub or in Georgetown can add waiting time for berths.
Customs and documents
Complete, consistent documents prepared before arrival keep clearance in Guyana short.
Guyana public holidays
Holidays affect clearance and delivery days. See our Guyana calendar when you plan.
Cargo type
Out-of-gauge members on open top or flat rack containers have fewer sailings than standard containers.
Visibility
How we keep you informed
You should never have to ask where your steel is. From booking to arrival, your project manager shares the shipping information with you and your customs broker, and tells you as soon as a carrier changes a schedule.
Because Vietnam is 11 hours ahead of Guyana, updates sent during our working day are waiting for you when your day starts.
What you receive
- Booking confirmation: carrier, vessel, voyage and estimated dates
- Packing lists and loading photographs for every container
- Bill of lading and the shipping document pack for your broker
- Container numbers for tracking on the carrier's website
- Notice of any change in vessel, connection or arrival date
- Arrival information for receiving and clearance in Georgetown
Delivery terms: who books, pays and carries the risk
Incoterms® 2020 decide where World Steel's responsibility ends. You can ask us to quote several so you can compare.
| Incoterm | Ocean freight booked and paid by | Risk passes to you | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| FOB (port in Vietnam) | You, with your forwarder | When the containers are loaded on board in Vietnam | You have your own forwarder and freight contract |
| CFR (Georgetown) | World Steel | When the containers are loaded on board in Vietnam | You want us to arrange the freight and insure the cargo yourself |
| CIF (Georgetown) | World Steel, including cargo insurance | When the containers are loaded on board in Vietnam | You want freight and insurance arranged by us |
| DAP (named place in Guyana) | World Steel, to the named place | On arrival at the named place, ready for unloading | Delivery to site, with import clearance and duties by you |
Import duties, taxes and customs clearance in Guyana are the buyer's responsibility under all four terms. The terms for your project are stated in the quotation.
Which port in Guyana?
Most project cargo for Georgetown is discharged at one of the city's container wharves on the Demerara River. See the ports of Guyana, their access and their limits.
Responsibilities in the logistics chain
Depends on the Incoterms® agreed in your contract.
| Service | Who performs it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Export packing, loading and export documents | World Steel | World Steel, Tay Ninh Province, Vietnam |
| Ocean freight booking and shipment follow-up | World Steel | Under CFR, CIF or DAP; under FOB by your forwarder |
| Cargo insurance | Optional / by agreement | Under CIF by World Steel; otherwise by the buyer |
| Import declaration, duties and customs clearance | Local partner / client | Your customs broker in Guyana |
| Port handling and inland transport to site | Local partner / client | Your logistics provider, or World Steel under DAP |
| Unloading and storage on site | Local partner / client | Client or local contractor |
FAQ
Shipping: questions
Straight answers on scope, design codes, shipping and what happens in Guyana.
Ask an engineerHow long does shipping from Vietnam to Guyana take?
Typically 45 to 60 days from loading at our factory to arrival in Georgetown, depending on the season, the carrier and the connection at the transshipment hub. The dates for your shipment are confirmed at booking.
Is there a direct ship from Vietnam to Guyana?
No. Large ocean vessels do not call at Georgetown. Containers travel on a mainline vessel to a hub in the Caribbean or Panama, such as Cartagena, Kingston, Caucedo or Manzanillo, and continue to Georgetown on a feeder vessel.
How often do ships sail?
Vessels on the main routes from southern Vietnam sail weekly, and feeder services connect the Caribbean hubs with Georgetown on a regular schedule. Your shipment is booked on the first suitable vessel after production.
Which shipping line will carry my steel?
We choose the carrier for each shipment based on transit time, reliability of the connection to Georgetown, equipment for your cargo and cost. Lines serving Guyana include CMA CGM, ZIM, MSC, Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd and ONE. You are told the carrier, vessel and voyage at booking.
Can I use my own forwarder?
Yes. Under FOB, your forwarder books the freight and we deliver the loaded containers on board in Vietnam, with all export documents.
Can you deliver to my site?
Under DAP we can arrange transport to a named place in Guyana. Import clearance and duties remain with you, through your customs broker.
How can I track my containers?
With the container numbers and bill of lading we send you, you can follow your containers on the carrier's website. Your project manager also informs you of any change in the schedule.
What if my project has a fixed opening date?
Tell us at the start. We plan production and shipping backwards from your required arrival date, with a buffer for the season and the connection, and show you the plan.
Sources
- CMA CGM Guyana service rotation (Cartagena, Kingston, Caucedo, Barbados, Port of Spain, Georgetown): Flexport Atlas, CMA CGM GUYANA; ZIM Guyana Soca Express: Flexport Atlas, ZIM GSE (October 2026).
- CMA CGM PEX2 Asia–Caribbean service with a Vung Tau call: Container News, 23 December 2025.
- ZIM Kingston hub for Guyana: Seatrade Maritime.
- MSC in Guyana (own office since May 2024, terminals, weekly services): MSC Guyana local information.
- Maersk in Guyana (Georgetown office, weekly connections to Manzanillo, Panama): Maersk Guyana local information.
- Hapag-Lloyd local representative MAPOR Guyana Inc.: Hapag-Lloyd Guyana.
- ONE Guyana service and local agent (2024): ONE news.
- Asia to Guyana always involves transshipment; 35–50 days port to port: Interworld Freight, How to ship to Guyana (October 2026).
- Carriers listed for Georgetown (GYGEO): Cogoport port information.
World Steel's planning figure of 45–60 days covers the time from loading at the factory to arrival in Georgetown, including the inland leg in Vietnam and the connection at the hub.
Plan Your Shipment to Guyana
Tell us your project, your required arrival date and your preferred delivery terms. We will reply with a production and shipping plan.
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