Middle East
Container Shipping from the UK to United Arab Emirates
Jebel Ali is the Middle East's transshipment hub — we route FCL, LCL and air freight through it for onward GCC distribution.
Container shipping from the UK to United Arab Emirates runs full container load to Jebel Ali (AEJEA). Less than container load runs to Jebel Ali. Sea transit is 16–21 days port to port and air freight 1–2 days. We collect from any UK address and handle UK export clearance; customs charges in United Arab Emirates are not included.
Where we ship
Ports in United Arab Emirates
Full container load and groupage both go to Jebel Ali. Select a port for its location, code and indicative transit.
- UK door
- UK port
- Jebel Ali
Packed and sealed at your premises, then straight to the port — usually Felixstowe.
- UK door
- UK loading warehouse
- Jebel Ali
Consolidated first at our UK loading warehouses: Belfast, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Essex, Glasgow, Manchester or Newcastle.
Get a price for United Arab Emirates
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 United Arab Emirates are payable there and are not included.
| Service | From | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| FCL — 20ft General Purpose | £1,450.00 | per 20ft container |
| FCL — 40ft General Purpose | £2,300.00 | per 40ft container |
| LCL groupage | £78.00 | 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 United Arab Emirates?
Machinery and industrial spares, oil and gas equipment, construction plant and materials, branded consumer goods, and exhibition cargo move through Jebel Ali, the largest container port in the Middle East.
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 United Arab Emirates?
United Arab Emirates charges VAT at a standard rate of 5%, charged on the customs value plus duty. Customs duty is separate and runs at 5% GCC common external tariff on most goods, set by the commodity code of the specific goods.
The UAE applies the GCC common external tariff of 5% and VAT at 5%, which together make it one of the lightest tax regimes on this list. The free zones change the picture materially: goods held in Jebel Ali Free Zone sit outside the UAE customs territory, so duty and VAT fall due only when they enter the local market — useful if you are staging stock for onward distribution rather than selling into the Emirates.
What are the import restrictions in United Arab Emirates?
Four things are worth checking before you book rather than after the vessel sails.
What documents do I need to import into United Arab Emirates?
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 .
Shipping to United Arab Emirates: FAQs
How long does shipping from the UK to United Arab Emirates take?
Sea freight runs about 16–21 days port to port, and air freight 1–2 days airport to airport. Jebel Ali is the quickest sea gateway on this lane at around 16 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 United Arab Emirates?
We move cargo through one port in United Arab Emirates: Jebel Ali (AEJEA). Full container load goes to Jebel Ali. Groupage runs to Jebel Ali. Each port page lists its location, code and indicative transit.
Do you handle customs clearance for United Arab Emirates?
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 United Arab Emirates — 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 United Arab Emirates lane?
Cargo consigned into a free zone and cargo entering the local market follow different documentation paths. Confirming which applies to your consignee before booking avoids the most common source of delay on this lane. Cargo commonly moving on this lane includes machinery and industrial equipment, building and fit-out materials, food, beverages and retail stock.
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Other countries we ship to and from
Rates and transit times for countries near United Arab Emirates — each one works as an origin or a destination.
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 lane
Kuwait
Import & export · Shuwaikh
LCL from
£83.00
per cubic metre
20+ days
View lanePlan the rest of the move
Shipping to United Arab Emirates? 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.