Freight Shipping between China and UAE | Rates – Transit times – Duties and Taxes

Short answer, yes in most cases.

To clear goods in the UAE mainland, you need a registered importer and access to the customs system of the emirate where your cargo arrives, Dubai Customs, Abu Dhabi Customs, and so on. If you do not hold an import code or you are new to the country, you cannot simply show up and clear cargo yourself.

Even experienced importers use brokers because clearance is not just document submission. It involves correct tariff classification, valuation based on CIF, duty calculation, VAT reporting, and sometimes inspections.

Standard customs duty in the UAE is typically 5 percent of the CIF value. Import VAT is generally 5 percent calculated on CIF plus duty. If you are VAT-registered, this is usually accounted for through reverse charge in your VAT return, not paid in cash at the port, but documentation must be correct.

We either clear under your import code or act through our licensed partners. That keeps your cargo from sitting at Jebel Ali or Dubai Airport accumulating storage while paperwork gets fixed.

In pure cost per cubic meter, sea freight wins almost every time. But total cost is not just freight rate.

Air freight from China to Dubai usually makes sense when:

• Your cargo is under roughly 300 kg or very low volume
• Your goods are high value and time-sensitive
• You are avoiding stock-out penalties or contract delays

Sea freight becomes clearly cheaper once volume increases, especially above 2 to 3 cubic meters. For full containers, the cost per unit drops significantly compared to air.

What most first-time importers miss is the hidden side. Air freight has lower port handling and almost no storage risk because it moves faster. Sea freight may be cheaper per unit, but delays, demurrage, or poor supplier booking can erase that advantage.

We always calculate both scenarios with transit time, storage risk, and working capital impact included. That is how you decide properly.

No, insurance is not legally mandatory for shipping from China to the UAE. But skipping it is usually a mistake.

Under CIF terms, your supplier may include basic insurance, but that often covers minimal risk and limited compensation. Under EXW or FOB, you carry the risk once the goods move.

On the China to UAE lane, we see three common risks: container damage during transshipment, water damage in peak humidity months, and rough handling for air cargo pallets.

Insurance typically represents a very small percentage of your cargo value. Compared to the cost of losing a full container or high-value air shipment, it is minor. We strongly recommend insuring especially for first shipments or new suppliers.

If your only objective is lowest freight cost, sea freight LCL or FCL is usually the cheapest method.

But cheapest depends on volume and urgency:

• Small volume under 1 cubic meter, consolidation sea freight is usually most economical.
• Large volume, full container load gives the lowest unit cost.
• Urgent small shipment, air freight may actually protect your margin by preventing business interruption.

Keep in mind that UAE customs duty is generally around 5 percent of CIF value, and VAT is typically 5 percent applied on CIF plus duty. These taxes apply regardless of mode. Choosing air instead of sea does not change duty percentage, but it changes the freight portion included in CIF.

The real mistake is focusing only on freight rate. We evaluate freight, duty base impact, storage risk, and delivery timeline before calling something “cheapest.”

If you are importing regularly, FOB is usually the safest balance.

With EXW, you are responsible from the factory door. That means export clearance in China, local trucking, and terminal handling. Many suppliers quote EXW because it limits their responsibility, not because it helps you.

With CIF, the supplier controls the freight. The problem is you often do not control the carrier, routing, or local agent in Dubai. When the container arrives, you may face unexpected destination charges.

FOB allows your supplier to handle export in China while you control the international freight and UAE side. That gives transparency and cost control.

We frequently take over from FOB origin and manage everything door to door in the UAE. That avoids the classic surprise charges that appear under CIF.

Arrival does not mean delivery.

Once cargo lands, the sequence is: manifest filing, customs declaration submission, duty and VAT processing, possible inspection, then release order.

If you are VAT-registered, import VAT is usually declared through reverse charge in your VAT return. Since January 2026, you do not issue a self-invoice, but you must keep customs and supplier documents for audit purposes.

After customs release, the container or pallet moves to your warehouse. For sea freight, you must watch free storage days carefully. Ports like Jebel Ali apply storage and demurrage once free time expires. Many new importers underestimate this and lose money.

We monitor arrival, clearance, and last-mile trucking in one flow. That prevents containers from sitting idle while someone waits for paperwork.

Our quotations are built to be operational, not optimistic.

We include origin charges, international freight, destination handling, and delivery when requested. What is not included are customs duties and VAT because these depend on your HS code classification and CIF value.

In the UAE, standard customs duty is generally 5 percent of CIF. VAT is typically 5 percent applied on CIF plus duty. If your product falls under special categories such as excise goods, different rates apply and must be verified before shipment.

Before confirming a booking, we validate classification and estimate your duty exposure. That way you know your landed cost, not just your freight cost.

The UAE imports almost everything from China, electronics, machinery, textiles, furniture, building materials, automotive parts, and consumer goods are common flows into Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

But approval requirements vary.

• Food, cosmetics, and supplements require municipality or health authority registration before sale.
• Telecom and wireless devices may require local certification.
• Chemicals and batteries require proper safety documentation.
• Alcohol and tobacco face higher duties and excise taxes.

If you are importing into a UAE free zone for re-export, duty is generally suspended until goods enter mainland. This matters if you are setting up a trading company in Dubai to redistribute regionally.

Before shipping, we always check whether your product needs pre-approval. The biggest delays happen when goods arrive but regulatory registration was never done.

Transit time depends on mode and city of origin in China.

Sea freight from major ports like Shanghai, Shenzhen, or Qingdao to Jebel Ali typically ranges around 10 to 15 days port to port under normal conditions. Add a few extra days for consolidation if you ship LCL.

Air freight from major Chinese airports to Dubai usually takes 3 to 7 days door to door, depending on flight availability and customs processing.

But transit time is not just sailing time. Production readiness, booking delays during peak seasons, customs inspection, and local delivery scheduling all add time.

If you are planning inventory for retail or project deadlines, we recommend building a buffer rather than relying only on carrier transit estimates. We map your full door-to-door timeline before you commit to a launch date.