Nearly 500 Vietnamese tea containers cleared for re-export from Pakistan
After months stranded at Karachi Port, nearly 500 containers of Vietnamese tea have been cleared for re-export, easing a major bottleneck for tea exporters.
The Department of Overseas Market Development under the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam said that after a prolonged period being stranded at Karachi Port (Pakistan) and unable to transit for export to Afghanistan due to border tensions and conflict, nearly 500 containers of Vietnamese tea have officially been approved by Pakistan for re-export. This decision removes one of the most significant obstacles facing Vietnam’s tea exports in recent months.
The positive outcome was achieved thanks to the close direction of the Prime Minister and the proactive, persistent efforts of the Ministry of Industry and Trade through multiple bilateral working channels with Pakistan’s competent authorities.
According to the Department, immediately after receiving reports from the Vietnam Tea Association and enterprises regarding the prolonged congestion of nearly 500 tea containers at Karachi Port, the Ministry of Industry and Trade swiftly implemented a coordinated set of measures.
First, it instructed the Vietnam Trade Office in Pakistan to maintain regular, direct engagement with relevant Pakistani agencies, including Customs, the Karachi Port Authority, the Ministry of Commerce, and other functional units, to seek practical solutions.
Second, the Ministry closely coordinated with the Vietnamese Embassy in Pakistan to organize multiple rounds of high-level meetings and exchanges, urging the Pakistani side to adopt flexible measures to address the Vietnamese tea shipments.
Third, official diplomatic notes and letters were sent to Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce, requesting special mechanisms to support the re-export of Vietnamese tea containers to third-country markets.
Fourth, the Ministry reported the case to the Prime Minister and proposed high-level intervention, including a letter from the Prime Minister of Vietnam and a planned direct phone call with the Prime Minister of Pakistan to facilitate resolution.
As a result, on December 31, Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce issued an official document granting exemptions from current regulations specifically the temporary suspension of goods transit to Afghanistan and approved the re-export of Vietnamese containers stranded at Karachi Port to other seaports, based on requests from enterprises or relevant logistics providers.
This decision provides a critical legal basis for releasing nearly 500 containers of Vietnamese tea, helping enterprises minimize losses from storage and demurrage costs, preserve product quality, and stabilize cash flows.
The successful resolution of the bottleneck for Vietnamese tea shipments in Pakistan underscores the proactive, responsible and supportive role of the Ministry of Industry and Trade in safeguarding the legitimate interests of enterprises and tea growers, especially amid ongoing volatility in international trade and regional logistics.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade will continue to closely monitor the implementation of the re-export process, while coordinating with Vietnamese and Pakistani authorities to support enterprises in completing necessary procedures and strengthening market risk warnings, enabling exporters to operate more proactively in the period ahead.
