As one of the regions with the fastest economic growth in the world, Southeast Asia has seen a continuous expansion of its e-commerce market scale, and the logistics demand has also experienced explosive growth. Whether you are a cross-border seller who has just entered the industry or an experienced hand hoping to optimize the supply chain, it is crucial to master the core knowledge of Southeast Asian logistics. This article will break down the “secrets of customs clearance” of Southeast Asian logistics for you, from the basics to the advanced level.
Four Key Challenges of Southeast Asian Logistics
  1. Complex Geographical Environment
    Indonesia is composed of 17,000 islands, and the Philippines is mountainous, resulting in a heavy dependence on sea freight for transportation and high costs.
    Coping Strategy: Choose service providers that cover multimodal transport (such as sea freight + terminal land freight).
  2. Differences in Customs Clearance and Policies
    Risk Points: Customs policies vary from country to country. For example, the Philippines requires the provision of a commercial registration certificate, and Thailand has special requirements for electric vehicle parts.
    Anti-pit Guide: Give priority to reliable logistics providers, which can accelerate the customs clearance process.
  3. Lagging Infrastructure
    The road penetration rate in Southeast Asia is low (for example, only 60% in Indonesia), and the truck transportation capacity is scattered. It is necessary to rely on digital platforms to optimize routes.
    Case: Malaysia has improved warehousing efficiency by introducing Chinese technology to build a “Digital Free Trade Zone”.
  4. Impact of Climate and Seasonality
    The monsoon season in Thailand from May to October and the rainy season in Vietnam are likely to cause goods to get damp, so waterproof packaging needs to be strengthened.
Southeast Asian logistics is both a challenge and an opportunity. Sellers need to formulate differentiated strategies according to the characteristics of the target market (such as the islands of Indonesia and the monsoon in Thailand). In the future, with the deepening of digitalization and regional cooperation, the logistics mode of “high efficiency + low cost” will become the key to competition.