Middle East
Shipping from Kuwait to the UK
Shuwaikh and Shuaiba serve Kuwait City and the industrial south, with steady project and retail cargo volumes.
Container shipping from the UK to Kuwait runs full container load to Shuwaikh (KWSWK) and Shuaiba (KWSAA). There is no scheduled less than container load service to Kuwait at present. Sea transit is 20–25 days port to port and air freight 1–3 days. We collect from any UK address and handle UK export clearance; customs charges in Kuwait are not included.
Where we ship
Ports in Kuwait
Full container load and groupage both go to Shuwaikh and Shuaiba. Select a port for its location, code and indicative transit.
- UK door
- UK port
- Shuwaikh or Shuaiba
Packed and sealed at your premises, then straight to the port — usually Felixstowe.
Less than container load
There is no scheduled groupage service to Kuwait at present. Smaller consignments are quoted case by case — tell us the volume and we will say which option is genuinely cheaper.
Get a price for Kuwait
The three modes are quoted separately — they are priced on different things entirely: a container, a cubic metre and a kilo.
Indicative pricing
Starting points for sea freight from the UK, not port-specific figures — the rate for your shipment depends on the arrival port, the sailing and the commodity. Customs charges, duty and taxes in Kuwait are payable there and are not included.
| Service | From | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| FCL — 20ft General Purpose | £1,560.00 | per 20ft container |
| FCL — 40ft General Purpose | £2,460.00 | per 40ft container |
| LCL groupage | £83.00 | per cubic metre |
| Air freight | Please check with our team | per 100kg chargeable weight |
These are starting prices for the freight, not shipment totals. A groupage rate is what one cubic metre of cargo costs, so a 10 cubic metre consignment costs roughly ten times the figure shown. Figures are indicative, in GBP, and cover the sea freight from the UK only — customs charges, duty and taxes in the destination country are payable there and are not included. Your firm quote depends on the exact route, the cargo and the sailing.
What can you ship to Kuwait?
Construction materials and plant, oil and gas equipment, industrial machinery and spares, vehicles and parts, and general retail stock move through Shuwaikh and Shuaiba.
Cargo needs to be palletised, shrink-wrapped and labelled with the consignee, because groupage is handled several times between your loading bay and the delivery address. Anything containing lithium batteries, aerosols, paints, solvents or compressed gas needs declaring at booking — it usually still travels, it just changes the packing and the paperwork rather than simply the price.
What tax and duty applies on import into Kuwait?
Kuwait has no VAT in force, so customs duty is the entire tax bill on a shipment. Customs duty is separate and runs at 5% GCC common external tariff on most goods, set by the commodity code of the specific goods.
Like Qatar, Kuwait charges the 5% GCC tariff and no VAT, so the tax position is simple. The documentary position is not: shipping documents typically need legalisation through the Kuwaiti embassy chain, and the consignee must hold an import licence from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry issued for the specific goods.
What are the import restrictions in Kuwait?
Four things are worth checking before you book rather than after the vessel sails.
What documents do I need to import into Kuwait?
These cover the far end of the journey and belong to your consignee. We prepare and file the transport and commercial paperwork, but their own registrations are issued to them by their own authorities and cannot be obtained on their behalf.
What documents do you need in the UK to export?
A second, separate set of paperwork — and this one is yours rather than your consignee's. It is the part first-time exporters are most often caught by, because the destination requirements get all the attention and the British side looks like a formality until it stops a booking.
Duty depends on the commodity code of the specific goods, and rates change. This is general guidance, not tax or legal advice. Customs charges, duty and taxes in the destination country are payable there and are not included in our freight quote. Rates last reviewed .
Kuwait to the UK shipping: FAQs
How long does shipping from the UK to Kuwait take?
Sea freight runs about 20–25 days port to port, and air freight 1–3 days airport to airport. Shuwaikh is the quickest sea gateway on this lane at around 20 days. These are indicative figures measured port to port; the transit for your exact collection address and delivery address, including the inland legs at both ends, is confirmed at quote stage.
Which ports do you ship to in Kuwait?
We move cargo through 2 ports in Kuwait: Shuwaikh (KWSWK), Shuaiba (KWSAA). Full container load goes to Shuwaikh and Shuaiba. We have no scheduled groupage service to Kuwait at present, so part loads are quoted case by case. Each port page lists its location, code and indicative transit.
Do you handle customs clearance for Kuwait?
We handle the UK side: we file your export declaration with HMRC against your GB EORI number and raise the transport and commercial documents that travel with the shipment. Customs charges in Kuwait — duty, import tax and any local clearance fees — are payable there by the consignee and are not included in our rates, unless you have agreed a DDP Incoterm that puts them on you. Budget for them separately; they are the most common reason a landed cost comes in above the freight quote.
What should I know before shipping on the Kuwait lane?
Much of the cargo on this lane is tied to project schedules rather than to stock replenishment, which makes fixed delivery windows common. Say so at enquiry — it changes which sailing we recommend. Cargo commonly moving on this lane includes machinery and industrial equipment, construction and fit-out materials, vehicles, parts and accessories.
Compare lanes
Other countries we ship to and from
Rates and transit times for countries near Kuwait — each one works as an origin or a destination.
United Arab Emirates
Import & export · Jebel Ali
LCL from
£78.00
per cubic metre
16+ days
View lane
Saudi Arabia
Import & export · Jeddah Islamic Port
LCL from
£82.00
per cubic metre
18+ days
View lane
Qatar
Import & export · Hamad Port
LCL from
£80.00
per cubic metre
18+ days
View lanePlan the rest of the move
Shipping from Kuwait? Get a quote.
Any country to any country, import or export — send us the origin, destination and cargo details and we'll come back with a competitive rate within one business day.