Door-to-door Shipping from China to UAE|Sea, Air Freight

United Arab Emirates, AKA UAE, a federation of 7 emirates on the coast of Arabian Peninsula, whose economy ranks 4th in the Middle East, is China’s most important trading partner in the Arab world, and China has been the UAE’s TOP trading partner as well for the past few years. 

Explore a full guide into cargo shipping from China to UAE, written by one of the best China freight forwarding companies, to shed lights upon China-UAE shipping method, transit time, cost, what is the best way to ship, and what a freight forwarder can help with international shipping. 

Two main shipping methods are available for China-UAE shipments, sea freight and air freight

Sea freight from China to UAE

When shipping goods from China to the United Arab Emirates, if your main purpose is saving cost and transit time doesn’t matter much to your supply chain, then you should probably choose sea freight. Sea freight comes in many forms. With container ships, we often send regular sea shipments like FCL and LCL, and sometimes for oversized cargo shipping, we’ll use flat rack container and open top container. For large projects, we are chartering bulk cargo ships or RO-RO ships. 
FCL (Full container load): shipping a container filled with goods exclusively for one client from China to UAE.
LCL (Less than container load): Sharing a container with other clients who have cargo at the same time, to the same destination. Naturally, due to extra work (consolidation, de-consolidation, warehousing, paperwork, etc.), the final cost on each unit is higher than FCL, and shipping takes longer.
Sea freight is the most commonly used shipping method, not only because it’s the least expensive mode, but also it can accept almost every type of cargo, when other modes cannot.  Shipping by sea is slow, from a Chinese port to a UAE port, the port to port transport alone takes approx. 3 weeks, and you are supposed to allow for an average of 1 month time to receive your sea shipments from China. 
If you are interested in shipping cargo from China to the UAE, consult us, one of the top China freight forwarding agents. We handle sea shipments from all China main ports, Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Qingdao, Tianjin, Dalian, etc. 

Major ports of United Arab Emirates

Jebel Ali
Port of Jebel Ali is a deepwater port in Dubai, the world’s ninth busiest port, the largest and busiest in Middle East. 
Jebel Ali Port is a gateway hub that enables trade across the region and beyond. It is a vital link in the global trade network, connecting eastern and western markets with North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. 
Jebel Ali’s container throughput was 13.7 million TEU, up by 1.9% year on year.
Abu Dhabi
Khalifa Port is situated between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, deepwater port, gateway to Abu Dhabi and handles all the emirates’ container traffic. 
Annual container throughput: 2.5 million TEU.
(Zayed port was replaced in 2012)
Sharjah
The Port of Khalid is situated in the heart of Sharjah city. It’s one of the most important ports in the UAE. 

Air Freight from China to UAE

Air shipping is expensive, especially since the COVID pandemic, but it ensures a fast delivery of shipment from China to the UAE. If your supply chain has got robust shipping budget, and your top priority is to save time, then air freight is the right choice. Air shipping from China to the UAE takes 3-5 days, with some direct flight service, transit time can be shortened to 1 day. 
Oftentimes, clients choose air freight for time-sensitive shipments, like perishable goods, products for a pressing delivery deadline. In rare cases, air freight is preferred when shipping high-value equipment or luxurious merchandise for its higher level of safety. 
When shipping large items or goods in bulk, air freight might be helpless due to its limited space. Moreover, not everything can be air shipped. 
Reach out to the most professional China freight forwarder serving the UAE for their knowledge and advice on your next air shipment from China to Dubai or Abu Dhabi. 

Major airports of United Arab Emirates

Dubai
Dubai International Airport (IATA CODE: DXB) is the primary international airport serving Dubai, and the world’s busiest airport by passenger traffic. 
The annual air cargo volume of 2021 reached 2.32 million tons. Currently Dubai airport is the third busiest air cargo hub in the world. 

Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi International Airport is the second largest airport in the UAE and one of the fast growing hubs in the world. 
In 2021, Abu Dhabi handled 711,715 tons of air freight, a year-on-year increase of 31.8%. 

How long does it take to ship from China to UAE?

Cargo shipping from China to UAE takes at least 1 day, and up to 1 month, depending on many factors, such as shipping method, departure port/airport, destination port/airport, route, weather, port condition, seasonal change of shipping market, etc.

China-UAE sea freight transit time

Sea container shipping transit time from China to Jebel Ali, UAE

POL (port of loading)	POD (port of discharge)	Transit time
Shanghai	Jebel Ali	20 days
Shenzhen	Jebel Ali	15 days
Qingdao	Jebel Ali	24 days

FYI: Shanghai in East China, Shenzhen South China, and Qingdao North China, data from these 3 ports is enough to demonstrate the sea shipping time from China to United Arab Emirates.
The transit time by sea, port to port, depends on the specific origin and destination ports chosen, service route, sailing schedule and choice on carrier.
Above transit time is for full container load shipping, port to port only.
For LCL shipping time estimate, pls add 7-10 days

China-UAE air shipping transit time

Generally air shipping from China to UAE takes 3-5 days. 
Between some main Chinese cities and Dubai, Abu Dhabi, direct flights are available, and air shipment from China can arrive on the same day of departure. But as we all know, higher cost is required for higher speed of delivery. 
Beijing/Shanghai/Guangzhou – Dubai direct flights
Beijing/Shanghai – Abu Dhabi direct flights

Air shipping has its limitations and restrictions and flight routes are changing, consult a China freight forwarder for your next air shipment if you wish fast speed. 

How much does it cost to ship from China to UAE?

Knowing the shipping cost is essential to your business if you are importing from China to the UAE. Shipping cost is a part of the landed cost of imports, and can be a significant portion if the cargo shipped is of low value. One thing is true, for faster delivery of shipment, you’ll have to pay high cost. 
There’s no general estimate of how much cargo shipping costs from China to the UAE, because every client is different, and has specific requirements under a given situation. Besides, the shipping market is not always set in stone, it’s fast changing. Sea and air freight rates vary according to season, available capacity (space), oil price fluctuation, sometimes carrier’s strategic adjustment, and other commercial, environmental factors. The variables are many, and the variances are frequent, making it difficult to provide a general estimate of shipping cost from China to the UAE.
If you are interested in obtaining the latest freight quote from China to UAE, contact us to start a stress-free shipping experience. 

Best way to ship goods from China to the UAE

There’s no one simple answer to the “best way” to ship from China to UAE. Every shipment is different, plus the fast changing shipping market. The best way is to rely on a reputable China freight forwarder for their expertise and advice. Normally to dictate what the best way to ship from China to the UAE, we’ll have to take the following factors into consideration.
1.    The type of goods and its value
2.    How quickly you need your goods
3.    The load of your goods (size, weight, quantity) or simply share the packing list
4.    Supplier address (origin seaport/airport), delivery address(destination seaport/airport)
5.    Your budget
6.    Goods ready time
Or simply fill in the quote form, and you are on the way to the best China-UAE freight forwarding experience, a shipping solution and freight quote will be sent to you in no time.

China-UAE freight forwarder

Shipping from China to UAE is a tough job and the market is fast changing. Everybody has got limited time and energy, why not count on a professional China-UAE freight forwarder to free you from all the trouble and complexity of international logistics? 
As one of the best China based freight forwarding companies serving UAE, our expertise and experience allow us to provide the most accurate answers and optimal shipping solutions tailored to your needs. 
With the best experienced China-UAE freight forwarding service, your shipping management will be made easy. Moreover, door to door shipping is made possible. 
Why you should work with a China freight forwarder

Door to door shipping from China to the UAE

UCS offers the easiest one-stop door to door shipping solution from China to the UAE. We take care of all the logistics related work from A to Z, all the required paperwork, supervision, consolidation, loading, offloading, customs brokerage and final delivery, without adding any stress or pressure on the clients. 
Whether big or small, no matter that your shipment is, by sea or by air, for business or individual, we got you covered. You are released from all the complexity and perplexity. China-UAE door to door shipping has never been so easy.

How to ship from China to UAE

Step 1: Contact a freight forwarder; a China based one is preferred. (More on “Why you should work with a local China freight forwarder”)
Step 2: Submit shipment details and get a shipping quote from China
Step 3: Connect the freight forwarder with supplier, forwarder does his job
Step 4: Get cargo insurance (optional)
Step 5: Arrange customs clearance

Why us when importing and shipping from China to UAE

As one of the top freight forwarding companies in China, specialized and experienced in international logistics for import and export business, we have been connecting business between China and the UAE. We work with big and small importers and send regular shipments to Dubai, Abu Dhabi. For importers from UAE, we have the below reasons for you to choose us as freight forwarder for your freight shipping from China.

1. Quick Response, high efficiency
2. Communication
3. Professionalism, agility, accuracy
4. Our logistics expertise, local and global connections
5. Cost-saving
6. Dedicated, focused
7. Higher attention & tailored shipping solution

More on Why us when importing and shipping from China to UAE

As one of the leading China based freight forwarders dedicated to China-UAE cargo shipping, we aim to streamline your supply chain and bring out the best shipping experience. 

If you are interested in shipping from China to the UAE (Jebel Ali, Dubai, Abu Dhabi), whether by sea or air, reach out to a leading freight forwarder to ensure a hassle-free door-to-door shipping experience. Contact us, get a shipping solution and quote for your China-UAE shipment.