Vietnam is a major seafood exporter, with basa fish, white shrimp and tuna as its three main lines. Bringing equipment into Vietnam requires not only capacity matching but also passing three gates: power grid, certification and import, and local service. If these three gates are not passed, even a strong equipment will run into problems on acceptance day.
TL;DR
- Vietnam’s industrial power grid is 380V/50Hz three-phase, consistent with domestic standard configurations, with a 220V/50Hz control circuit; motors usually do not need to be changed.
- The main categories are basa fish (fillets, whole fish), white shrimp (peeled shrimp, head-on shrimp) and tuna; the first two are mainly continuous lines, using tunnel or immersion types.
- Local coordination in Vietnam is handled by the LTN agent (phone +84 796 831 680); factory audits, spare parts and routine service are undertaken by the agent.
- Sea freight uses Ho Chi Minh (Cat Lai / Cai Mep) and Da Nang as the main discharge ports; the 40HQ and 40FR container loading plans must be decided before quotation.
1. Power Grid and Configuration
| Item | Vietnamese industrial site | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Main power supply | 380V / 50Hz / 3P | Consistent with domestic standard configuration; motors and control components use 50Hz specifications |
| Control circuit | 220V / 50Hz / 1P | Requires a neutral line; in some older plants the neutral line specification is undersized, confirm before signing the contract |
| Grounding | Independent grounding, recommended ≤ 4Ω | The freezing liquid system and stainless steel cabinet must be equipotentially bonded |
| Voltage fluctuation | Present in some industrial parks | Voltage stabilization or undervoltage protection is recommended; the impact of compressor startup on the grid must be assessed |
The common on-site problem is not the voltage level but insufficient transformer capacity: for equipment such as immersion types with a total unit power of the 300 kW class, the starting current and simultaneous operating load must be checked in advance with the plant electrician; do not place an order just because “380V works”.
2. Equipment Routes for the Three Main Categories
2.1 Basa Fish (Fillets, Whole Fish)
Basa fillets are thick and high in moisture content; if the freezing speed is insufficient, a large amount of water will seep out after thawing, directly affecting the yield. Fillets are usually thin to medium-thick bodies, suitable for liquid nitrogen tunnels for continuous freezing: single-layer spreading, variable-frequency mesh belt, and direct glazing after discharge.
Whole fish and fish chunks are larger in size, making the immersion quick chiller more suitable: the liquid exchanges heat directly, and all surfaces of the fish body cool simultaneously without relying on air velocity to “blow through”. The freezing liquid temperature can reach -50℃, the working temperature is ≤ -35℃, and there is no technical obstacle to achieving a core temperature below -18℃ at discharge; the key is matching the inlet temperature with the tunnel residence time.
2.2 White Shrimp (Peeled Shrimp, Head-on Shrimp)
Peeled shrimp is a typical IQF category, requiring individual separation. The tunnel spreading thickness must not exceed two layers, and the mesh belt speed must be adjusted together with the liquid nitrogen flow rate. Head-on shrimp are larger in volume, extending the freezing time, so the tunnel length must be increased accordingly, or the immersion type should be used instead.
2.3 Tuna and Others
Tuna has stricter requirements for core temperature and freezing rate (especially for raw-consumption grade); generally a quick-freezing cabinet is used for small batches, or the residence time in the tunnel is extended. For such orders we recommend a trial freeze first: run the customer’s actual material once, measure the core temperature curve, and then determine the equipment parameters.
3. Certification and Import
Vietnam’s import requirements for food machinery mainly depend on the application and the nature of the customer:
- Food-contact materials: Parts in direct contact with food (mesh belt, cabinet, freezing liquid) require material certificates; SUS304 is the conventional choice.
- Freezing liquid: The composition description and Safety Data Sheet (SDS) of food-grade freezing liquid must be provided with the equipment; customers will need them for customs clearance and internal audits.
- Certificate of origin and packing list: Conventional export documents; FORM E can be issued upon customer request to enjoy ASEAN tariff preferences.
- Electrical safety: If the customer has local acceptance requirements, we provide electrical schematics and a component list, and the customer or agent coordinates with local institutions.
Certification is not something we decide on our own; what is actually required is subject to the opinion of the customer’s customs broker. Clarifying customs clearance requirements before ordering is much less troublesome than supplementing documents after shipment.
4. Sea Freight and Container Loading
| Equipment | Transport method | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Quick-freezing cabinet (DKN-RHV-200/500) | 40HQ full container | Fixed with wooden frames, desiccant added inside the container |
| Tunnel line (LFT 6000~12000 mm) | 40FR open-top container or break bulk | Shipped in sections, assembled on site; mesh belt and electrical control cabinet packed separately |
| Immersion type (DKN-RHV-2000L, external dimensions 28000 × 3500 × 2280 mm) | Split transport | Must be disassembled and shipped in sections; on-site lifting and welding guided by our engineers or the agent |
The transport plan for the immersion type is a key milestone for such projects: a 28-meter-long piece of equipment cannot enter the container as a whole; how many sections to split it into, how to secure it, and how to connect it on site must be clearly stated in the technical annex of the contract.
5. Local Service
In Vietnam, the LTN agent handles local coordination, phone +84 796 831 680. The division of work is: factory audits, on-site installation coordination, routine spare parts and response are handled by the agent; technical solutions, parameter calculations and control system commissioning are supported by our engineers.
Regarding spare parts, we recommend customers stock a set of wear parts (mesh belt, air knife, seals, sensors) together with the first order; locally sourcing similar parts in Vietnam often means waiting for imports, and downtime costs more than the spare parts.
6. FAQ
Q: Can equipment with domestic 380V/50Hz be used directly in Vietnam? A: The grid level is the same, so motors usually do not need to be changed. However, the neutral line of the control circuit, grounding and plant transformer capacity must be confirmed on site; these three items are common on-site issues.
Q: Can you send personnel to Vietnam for installation and commissioning? A: Yes, engineers can be arranged to attend according to the project; visas, travel and schedule are agreed in the contract. It can also be done through the agent plus remote guidance, depending on equipment complexity and customer site conditions.
Q: What is the delivery time? A: It varies by equipment and configuration; the lead time for standard models and custom lines differs considerably. It is given according to the configuration at quotation and confirmed separately for each project.
Q: Should basa fillets use a tunnel or immersion type? A: It depends on the line and category. Thin fillets requiring individual pieces use the tunnel; thick fish chunks, whole fish and continuous large-volume production use the immersion type. We have actual configurations for both routes; send us your material parameters for comparison.
Q: What currency do Vietnamese customers use for settlement? A: US dollars are commonly used. The specific settlement method and payment milestones are agreed in the commercial contract.
7. Next Step
Send us these items and our engineers will provide equipment form and capacity calculations: category and form, piece weight and thickness, daily capacity, inlet temperature, target core temperature, measured plant grid values, discharge port, customs clearance requirements. Items with incomplete parameters are confirmed per order, without estimation.
Related pages: Seafood quick-freezing solutions, Liquid nitrogen quick-freezing tunnels, Selection FAQ.