Regulations on issuance of multimodal transport documents in Vietnam

Regulations on issuance of multimodal transport documents in Vietnam (Internet image)

1. What is multimodal transport document?

According to Clause 6, Article 2 of Decree 87/2009/ND-CP, multimodal transport document means a document issued by the multimodal transport operator to evidence a multimodal transport contract, certifying that the operator has taken in charge of the goods and undertaken to deliver the goods according to the terms of that contract.

2. Regulations on issuance of multimodal transport documents in Vietnam

2.1. Issuance of international multimodal transport documents

International multimodal transport means multimodal transport from a place in Vietnam where the goods are taken in charge by the multimodal transport operator to a place designated for goods delivery in another country and vice versa. (Clause 2, Article 2 of Decree 87/2009/ND-CP)

Issuance of international multimodal transport documents is specified in Article 10 of Decree 87/2009/ND-CP, specifically as follows:

- When the international multimodal transport operator has taken in charge of the goods, he/she shall issue a multimodal transport document in a negotiable or non-negotiable form as selected by the consignor, unless otherwise provided for by the multimodal transport contract.

- Multimodal transport documents shall be signed by multimodal transport operators or their representatives.

- Signatures on multimodal transport documents may be hand-written, fax-printed, perforated, stamped, symbols or made in any other mechanical or electronic forms under current law.

- Forms of multimodal transport document must be registered with the Ministry of Transport. A dossier of registration of a multimodal transport document form comprises:

+ A written request for registration of the form (made according to a form provided in Appendix IV, not printed in Decree 87/2009/ND-CP);

+ Two sets of multimodal transport document forms.

Within 3 working days, the Ministry of Transport shall give the certification "The multimodal transport document form has been registered" in the set of multimodal transport document forms.

2.2. Issuance of domestic multimodal transport documents

Domestic multimodal transport means multimodal transport conducted within the Vietnamese territory. (Clause 3, Article 2 of Decree 87/2009/ND-CP)

Specifically, the issuance of domestic multimodal transport documents is done as follows:

- When the domestic multimodal transport operator has taken in charge of the goods, he/ she shall issue a multimodal transport document.

- Multimodal transport documents shall be signed by multimodal transport operators or their representatives.

- Signatures on multimodal transport documents may be hand-written, fax-printed, holed, perforated, symbols or made in any other mechanical or electronic forms undercurrent law.

(Article 11 of Decree 87/2009/ND-CP)

3. Details of a multimodal transport document in Vietnam

According to Clause 1, Article 14 of Decree 87/2009/ND-CP, a multimodal transport document contains the following details:

- The general nature of the goods; marks and signs necessary for the identification of the goods: danger or perishability of the goods number of packages or units: gross weight of the goods or their quantity otherwise described;

All the above-said details shall be supplied by the consignor.

- The apparent condition of the goods:

- The name and head office of the multimodal transport operator;

- The name of the consignor;

- The name of the consignee, if named by the consignor:

- The place and date of taking in charge of the goods by the multimodal transport operator;

- The place of delivery of the goods:

- The date or period of delivery of the goods at the place of delivery, if already agreed by the involved parties;

- A statement indicating whether the multimodal transport document is negotiable or non-negotiable:

- The signature of the representative of or a person authorized by the multimodal transport operator;

- The freight for each mode of transportation if already agreed by the involved parties, or the freight and its currency payable by the consignee, or other indications that the freight is payable by the consignee;

- The planned itinerary, mode of transport in each route and places of transshipment, if already known at the time of issuance of the multimodal transport document:

- Other details which the involved parties agree to include in the multimodal transport document, if not contrary to law.

Thanh Rin

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