International shipping guide to the UAE

This guide will help you if your business ships, or plans to ship, commercial goods to UAE cities and their surrounds. In it, you will find the answers to your questions about:

• Import customs clearance regulations and shipping standards
• Air freight and ocean freight routes into the United Arab Emirates
• Estimated shipping transit times
• General points that will assist you when shipping to the UAE.

UAE Customs Regulations and Standards: A Brief Guide for Importers

In many ways, the UAE import processes and relevant requirements are similar to those in most developed nations. However, the UAE does have the benefit of operating more than 30 free trade zones, for which import requirements differ, generally favorably, as compared to those applied to mainland imports.

For example, if you’re shipping products into a free trade zone, you will not have to pay any duties or VAT. Taxes and duties will only become payable for goods that you ship out of a free trade zone into the mainland areas of the UAE and the wider GCC region.

If you import goods to non-free-zone destinations, you will need to comply with the requirements of the GCC Common Customs Law. As a GCC member state, the UAE follows this overarching legislation in exercising control over imports and exports.

Key Procedural Requirements for UAE imports

Before you can ship any commercial goods to the UAE, you will need to obtain an import code from the registration department of the UAE Federal Customs Authority.

When shipping to the UAE, you, your freight forwarder, or your customs broker can usually file import declarations online, via the customs authority's automated clearance system. However, in some cases, you will have to provide an original declaration document before or after customs clear your shipment for importation.

The automated clearance service also allows for prepayment of customs duties and taxes, and perhaps even clearance of your shipment before its arrival in the UAE.

Depending on the nature of the goods you’re importing, you may need to provide conformity certificates from the country of origin, or perhaps reports from an approved laboratory.

When importing meat products, you will need to obtain a health certificate from the country of origin, along with a certificate proving that the animals’ slaughter took place according to Halal principles.

For most goods, you must pay customs duties of 5% of the shipment's CIF (cost, insurance, and freight) value. Tariffs are much higher, though, for products such as alcohol and tobacco, and the government exempts some products from duty payments altogether.

You won't pay duty on products that you import to a free trade zone. However, a deposit equivalent to the amount of duty and tax might be necessary if you intend to export them later to a non-GCC country.

UAE import Documents: Typical Requirements

Shipments into the UAE must typically be accompanied by the following documents, prepared by your supplier, your business, your freight forwarding service partner, and your carrier, as appropriate:

• A delivery order for sea or air transportation
• A bill of lading or air waybill
• A triplicate version of the original commercial invoice from the exporter to the importer
• Copies of the buyer’s and seller’s trade licenses
• Certificate of Origin for each product in the shipment
• A packing list
• The import customs declaration

You may need to supply other documents, depending on the type of goods you're importing. We’ve described some of the requirements in the previous section of our guide. You can find a full list of documentation requirements for different importation scenarios on the website of the relevant customs authority.

When you ship freight to the UAE with Shipa Freight, our compliance engine will help you ensure the right documents are provided to customs. It will notify you of the documentation that you must make available (such as the commercial invoice).

The compliance engine will also prompt you to provide information for documents that we complete and submit on your behalf (such as the bill of lading).

UAE Imports: Restricted and Prohibited Items

As in many countries, the UAE government, through its various agencies, places restrictions and prohibitions on the importation of specific goods categories. Here are some of the products that are restricted, along with the names of the controlling authorities:

• Alcoholic beverages (controlled by the police in the destination state)
• New tires (regulated by the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology)
• Radio equipment (under control of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority)
• Printed materials (controlled by the National Media Council)
• Pharmaceutical products (controlled by the Ministry of Health and Prevention)
• Fireworks, arms, explosives, and ammunition (controlled by the Ministries of the Interior and Defense)

Materials and products prohibited for importation into the UAE include:

• Goods of Israeli origin
• E-cigarettes and electronic hookah pipes
• Used tires
• Gambling devices and tools
• Nylon fishing nets
• Narcotics
• Items contradictory to Islamic principles

While it is the UAE government that implements the above prohibitions, you should also check that your planned imports are permitted under the GCC Common Customs Law. They might be prohibited under this legislation, even if they don’t appear in the UAE’s prohibition listings.

Ocean Freight to the UAE: Useful Information

90% of freight inbound to the Emirates arrives as ocean freight, much of it carried in shipping containers. Dubai’s Jebel Ali is the most important ocean freight port in the UAE, and is the world’s largest man-made harbor. However, you can also ship LCL and FCL ocean freight to the UAE via ports in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. Both of these ports, like Jebel Ali, connect the UAE with trading partners in many overseas countries.

While most of the information in this section of our guide relates to port-to-port shipping, we provide comprehensive, door to door shipping services. Indeed, Shipa Freight is a one-stop-shop for international freight, enabling you to move your goods from the initial point of supply to their final destination.

Top Ocean Freight Shipping Lanes to the UAE

The UAE is situated at the crossroads between East and West, making it one of the busiest regions globally for ocean shipping. However, the densest flow of trade is from East to West, so most inbound FCL and LCL freight arrives in the Emirates from ports in China and Southeast Asia.

Compared with its sister ports in the UAE, Jebel Ali receives by far the highest volume of freight. It's not surprising then, that all of our top five routes terminate at Dubai's famous container gateway. Those routes, identified in no particular order, are as follows:

• Shanghai (China) to Jebel Ali
• Singapore to Jebel Ali
• Hong Kong to Jebel Ali
• Ningbo (China) to Jebel Ali
• Busan (South Korea) to Jebel Ali

Container Shipping to the UAE: Longest and Shortest Ocean Routes

Given its central location for global transportation, the UAE is served by many lengthy ocean routes. Nevertheless, shipping from Asia and Australia tends to take less time to arrive than from the furthest-flung ports in Europe and the Americas.

One of the longest ocean freight routes brings cargo in from San Antonio in Chile, and it can take up to 65 days for a container vessel to transit between the two ports. On the other hand, you can benefit from one of the shortest routes if you ship from Singapore(another of the world's most important ports, located east of the Emirates). Containers shipping to Dubai from Singapore can reach Jebel Ali in just eight or nine days.

Primary LCL/FCL Ocean Freight Routes to the UAE

Please note that all transit times shown in the list below are for your interest and general guidance only. They are not guaranteed to be precise, and your freight may be in transit for more or less time than the charts indicate.

From the Americas

Country of Origin	Port of Origin	Destination Port	Approximate Duration
Argentina	Buenos Aires	Jebel Ali	48 Days
Brazil	Rio Grande	Jebel Ali	46 Days
Brazil	Santos	Jebel Ali	40 Days
Brazil	Paranagua	Jebel Ali	42 Days
Brazil	Navegantes	Jebel Ali	44 Days
Canad	Montreal	Abu Dhabi	58 Days
Canada	Toronto	Abu Dhabi	56 Days
Canada	Vancouver	Abu Dhabi	34 Days
Canada	Montreal	Jebel Ali	52 Days
Canada	Toronto	Jebel Ali	51 Days
Canada	Vancouver	Jebel Ali	44 Days
Canada	Montreal	Sharjah	56 Days
Canada	Toronto	Sharjah	56 Days
Canada	Vancouver	Sharjah	35 Days
Chile	San Antonio	Jebel Ali	65 Days
Ecuador	Guayaquil	Jebel Ali	60 Days
Mexico	Altamira	Jebel Ali	47 Days
Mexico	Manzanillo	Jebel Ali	47 Days
Peru	Callao	Jebel Ali	64 Days
United States	Houston	Sharjah	62 Days
United States	Houston	Abu Dhabi	55 Days
United States	Houston	Jebel Ali	49 Days
United States	Port Everglades	Abu Dhabi	50 Days
United States	Port Everglades	Jebel Ali	48 Days
United States	Port Everglades	Sharjah	50 Days
United States	Charleston	Sharjah	45 Days
United States	Charleston	Abu Dhabi	49 Days
United States	Charleston	Jebel Ali	43 Days
United States	Baltimore	Jebel Ali	54 Days
United States	Baltimore	Abu Dhabi	59 Days
United States	Baltimore	Sharjah	63 Days
United States	Long Beach	Sharjah	46 Days
United States	Long Beach	Abu Dhabi	47 Days
United States	Long Beach	Jebel Ali	42 Days
United States	Norfolk	Jebel Ali	45Days
United States	Norfolk	Abu Dhabi	50 Days
United States	Norfolk	Sharjah	50 Days
United States	Atlanta	Sharjah	49 Days
United States	Atlanta	Abu Dhabi	50 Days
United States	Atlanta	Jebel Ali	44 Days
United States	Mobile	Jebel Ali	56 Days
United States	Mobile	Abu Dhabi	55 Days
United States	Mobile	Sharjah	60 Days
United States	New York	Sharjah	51 Days
United States	New York	Abu Dhabi	52 Days
United States	New York	Jebel Ali	46 Days
United States	Seattle	Jebel Ali	50 Days
United States	New Orleans	Abu Dhabi	54 Days
United States	New Orleans	Sharjah	59 Days
United States	New Orleans	Jebel Ali	56 Days
United States	Boston	Jebel Ali	50 Days
United States	Boston	Abu Dhabi	49 Days
United States	Boston	Sharjah	55 Days
United States	Oakland	Sharjah	49 Days
United States	Oakland	Abu Dhabi	45 Days
United States	Oakland	Jebel Ali	40 Days
United States	Jacksonville	Jebel Ali	42 Days
United States	Jacksonville	Abu Dhabi	48 Days
United States	Jacksonville	Sharjah	48 Days
Uruguay	Montevideo	Jebel Ali	51 Days

From Europe

Country of Origin	Port of Origin	Destination Port	Approximate Duration
Austria	Vienna	Abu Dhabi	43 Days
Austria	Vienna	Sharjah	36 Days
Austria	Vienna	Jebel Ali	58 Days
Belgium	Antwerp	Jebel Ali	40 Days
Belgium	Antwerp	Abu Dhabi	34 Days
Belgium	Antwerp	Sharjah	29 Days
Bulgaria	Varna	Jebel Ali	56 Days
Croatia	Rijeka	Jebel Ali	53 Days
Croatia	Rijeka	Abu Dhabi	41 Days
Croatia	Rijeka	Sharjah	42 Days
Denmark	Copenhagen	Sharjah	39 Days
Denmark	Copenhagen	Abu Dhabi	45 Days
Denmark	Copenhagen	Jebel Ali	36 Days
Finland	Helsinki	Jebel Ali	46 Days
Finland	Helsinki	Abu Dhabi	45 Days
Finland	Helsinki	Sharjah	39 Days
Finland	Kotka	Sharjah	39 Days
Finland	Kotka	Abu Dhabi	45 Days
Finland	Kotka	Jebel Ali	44 Days
Finland	Raumo	Jebel Ali	38 Days
Finland	Raumo	Abu Dhabi	48 Days
Finland	Raumo	Sharjah	38 Days
France	Fos-sur-Mer	Abu Dhabi	25 Days
France	Fos-sur-Mer	Jebel Ali	19 Days
France	Fos-sur-Mer	Sharjah	22 Days
France	Le Havre	Jebel Ali	18 Days
France	Le Havre	Abu Dhabi	27 Days
France	Le Havre	Sharjah	22 Days
Germany	Bremerhaven	Sharjah	27 Days
Germany	Bremerhaven	Abu Dhabi	33 Days
Germany	Bremerhaven	Jebel Ali	31 Days
Germany	Hamburg	Jebel Ali	31 Days
Germany	Hamburg	Abu Dhabi	33 Days
Germany	Hamburg	Sharjah	27 Days
Greece	Athinai	Sharjah	26 Days
Greece	Athinai	Abu Dhabi	20 Days
Greece	Athinai	Jebel Ali	27 Days
Greece	Thessaloniki	Sharjah	32 Days
Greece	Thessaloniki	Abu Dhabi	26 Days
Greece	Thessaloniki	Jebel Ali	57 Days
Greece	Iraklion	Jebel Ali	27 Days
Greece	Iraklion	Abu Dhabi	20 Days
Greece	Iraklion	Sharjah	26 Days
Hungary	Budapest	Jebel Ali	59 Days
Hungary	Budapest	Sharjah	38 Days
Hungary	Budapest	Abu Dhabi	46 Days
Ireland	Dublin	Jebel Ali	60 Days
Italy	La Spezia	Abu Dhabi	46 Days
Italy	La Spezia	Sharjah	41 Days
Italy	Genoa	Abu Dhabi	24 Days
Italy	Genoa	Jebel Ali	17 Days
Italy	Genoa	Sharjah	20 Days
Italy	La Spezia	Jebel Ali	35 Days
Italy	Naples	Jebel Ali	16 Days
Italy	Ancona	Sharjah	17 Days
Italy	Ancona	Abu Dhabi	25 Days
Italy	Ancona	Jebel Ali	16 Days
Italy	Venice	Jebel Ali	53 Days
Italy	Venice	Abu Dhabi	39 Days
Italy	Venice	Sharjah	33 Days
Lithuania	Klaipeda	Sharjah	38 Days
Lithuania	Klaipeda	Abu Dhabi	44 Days
Lithuania	Klaipeda	Jebel Ali	45 Days
Netherlands	Rotterdam	Sharjah	31 Days
Netherlands	Rotterdam	Abu Dhabi	35 Days
Netherlands	Rotterdam	Jebel Ali	25 Days
Norway	Oslo	Abu Dhabi	46 Days
Norway	Oslo	Jebel Ali	37 Days
Norway	Oslo	Sharjah	38 Days
Poland	Gdynia	Sharjah	41 Days
Poland	Gdynia	Abu Dhabi	49 Days
Poland	Gdynia	Jebel Ali	40 Days
Poland	Gdansk	Jebel Ali	40 Days
Poland	Gdansk	Abu Dhabi	49 Days
Poland	Gdansk	Sharjah	41 Days
Portugal	Leixoes	Jebel Ali	38 Days
Portugal	Lisbon	Jebel Ali	36 Days
Romania	Constanta	Jebel Ali	36 Days
Slovakia	Bratislava	Abu Dhabi	57 Days
Slovakia	Bratislava	Sharjah	36 Days
Slovakia	Bratislava	Jebel Ali	57 Days
Slovenia	Koper	Abu Dhabi	43 Days
Slovenia	Koper	Sharjah	42 Days
Slovenia	Koper	Jebel Ali	57 Days
Spain	Vigo	Jebel Ali	37 Days
Spain	Valencia	Sharjah	27 Days
Spain	Bilbao	Jebel Ali	65 Days
Spain	Bilbao	Abu Dhabi	50 Days
Spain	Bilbao	Sharjah	44 Days
Spain	Algeciras	Jebel Ali	23 Days
Spain	Algeciras	Abu Dhabi	48 Days
Spain	Algeciras	Sharjah	30 Days
Spain	Barcelona	Jebel Ali	23 Days
Spain	Barcelona	Sharjah	22 Days
Spain	Barcelona	Abu Dhabi	34 Days
Spain	Valencia	Abu Dhabi	28 Days
Spain	Valencia	Jebel Ali	22 Days
Sweden	Stockholm	Jebel Ali	37 Days
Sweden	Norrkoping	Sharjah	39 Days
Sweden	Norrkoping	Jebel Ali	45 Days
Sweden	Gothenburg	Jebel Ali	40 Days
Sweden	Gothenburg	Sharjah	36 Days
Sweden	Gothenburg	Abu Dhabi	43 Days
Sweden	Helsingborg	Jebel Ali	35 Days
Sweden	Helsingborg	Sharjah	38 Days
Sweden	Helsingborg	Abu Dhabi	43 Days
Switzerland	Basel	Jebel Ali	29 Days
Switzerland	Basel	Sharjah	29 Days
Switzerland	Basel	Abu Dhabi	33 Days
Ukraine	Odessa	Jebel Ali	58 Days
Ukraine	Odessa	Sharjah	42 Days
Ukraine	Odessa	Abu Dhabi	44 Days
United Kingdom	Glasgow	Jebel Ali	58 Days
United Kingdom	Glasgow	Sharjah	38 Days
United Kingdom	Glasgow	Abu Dhabi	42 Days
United Kingdom	Grangemouth	Jebel Ali	58 Days
United Kingdom	Grangemouth	Sharjah	38 Days
United Kingdom	Grangemouth	Abu Dhabi	43 Days
United Kingdom	Grangemouth	Tuticorin	24 Days
United Kingdom	London Gateway	Jebel Ali	35 Days
United Kingdom	London Gateway	Sharjah	42 Days
United Kingdom	London Gateway	Abu Dhabi	46 Days
United Kingdom	Liverpool	Jebel Ali	37 Days
United Kingdom	Liverpool	Sharjah	43 Days
United Kingdom	Liverpool	Abu Dhabi	47 Days
United Kingdom	Manchester	Jebel Ali	37 Days
United Kingdom	Manchester	Sharjah	43 Days
United Kingdom	Manchester	Abu Dhabi	47 Days
United Kingdom	Felixstowe	Jebel Ali	35 Days
United Kingdom	Felixstowe	Sharjah	42 Days
United Kingdom	Felixstowe	Abu Dhabi	46 Days
United Kingdom	Southampton	Jebel Ali	35 Days
United Kingdom	Southampton	Sharjah	42 Days
United Kingdom	Southampton	Abu Dhabi	46 Days

From Asia and Oceania

Country of Origin	Port of Origin	Destination Port	Approximate Duration
Australia	Fremantle	Jebel Ali	20 Days
Australia	Fremantle	Abu Dhabi	25 Days
Australia	Fremantle	Sharjah	21 Days
Australia	Adelaide	Sharjah	31 Days
Australia	Adelaide	Abu Dhabi	28 Days
Australia	Adelaide	Jebel Ali	27 Days
Australia	Brisbane	Sharjah	32 Days
Australia	Brisbane	Abu Dhabi	29 Days
Australia	Brisbane	Jebel Ali	25 Days
Australia	Sydney	Sharjah	32Days
Australia	Sydney	Abu Dhabi	31 Days
Australia	Sydney	Jebel Ali	26 Days
Australia	Melbourne	Abu Dhabi	29 Days
Australia	Melbourne	Jebel Ali	26 Days
Australia	Melbourne	Sharjah	32 Days
China	Nanjing	Jebel Ali	25 Days
China	Nanjing	Abu Dhabi	29 Days
China	Nanjing	Sharjah	29 Days
China	Nansha	Jebel Ali	13 Days
China	Nansha	Abu Dhabi	15 Days
China	Nansha	Sharjah	16 Days
China	Shenzhen	Sharjah	23 Days
China	Shenzhen	Abu Dhabi	19 Days
China	Shenzhen	Jebel Ali	18 Days
China	Foshan	Jebel Ali	18 Days
China	Foshan	Abu Dhabi	23 Days
China	Foshan	Sharjah	18 Days
China	Zhuhai	Sharjah	24 Days
China	Zhuhai	Abu Dhabi	24 Days
China	Zhuhai	Jebel Ali	20 Days
China	Shanghai	Jebel Ali	19 Days
China	Shanghai	Abu Dhabi	23 Days
China	Shanghai	Sharjah	23 Days
China	Guangzhou	Jebel Ali	19 Days
China	Changsha	Abu Dhabi	39 Days
China	Changsha	Jebel Ali	35 Days
China	Dalian	Jebel Ali	34 Days
China	Dalian	Abu Dhabi	34 Days
China	Dalian	Sharjah	29 Days
China	Fuzhou	Sharjah	27 Days
China	Fuzhou	Jebel Ali	28 Days
China	Fuzhou	Abu Dhabi	29 Days
China	Qingdao	Jebel Ali	24 Days
China	Qingdao	Sharjah	28 Days
China	Qingdao	Abu Dhabi	29 Days
China	Xiamen	Sharjah	25 Days
China	Xiamen	Jebel Ali	25 Days
China	Xiamen	Abu Dhabi	21 Days
China	Qinzhou	Jebel Ali	25 Days
China	Qinzhou	Sharjah	27 Days
China	Wuhu	Abu Dhabi	30 Days
China	Wuhu	Jebel Ali	27 Days
China	Jiujiang	Jebel Ali	29 Days
China	Jiujiang	Abu Dhabi	32 Days
China	Jiujiang	Sharjah	32 Days
China	Tianjin	Jebel Ali	31 Days
China	Tianjin	Abu Dhabi	26 Days
China	Tianjin	Sharjah	30 Days
China	Shantou	Jebel Ali	21 Days
China	Shantou	Sharjah	26 Days
China	Ningbo	Sharjah	21 Days
China	Ningbo	Jebel Ali	18 Days
China	Ningbo	Abu Dhabi	19 Days
China	Lianyungang	Abu Dhabi	29 Days
China	Lianyungang	Sharjah	28 Days
China	Lianyungang	Jebel Ali	22 Days
Hong Kong	Hong Kong	Abu Dhabi	20 Days
Hong Kong	Hong Kong	Sharjah	19 Days
Hong Kong	Hong Kong	Jebel Ali	14 Days
Indonesia	Semarang	Abu Dhabi	17 Days
Indonesia	Semarang	Jebel Ali	23 Days
Indonesia	Surabaya	Jebel Ali	19 Days
Indonesia	Surabaya	Abu Dhabi	20 Days
Indonesia	Surabaya	Sharjah	20 Days
Indonesia	Jakarta	Jebel Ali	23 Days
Indonesia	Jakarta	Abu Dhabi	15 Days
Indonesia	Jakarta	Sharjah	19 Days
Indonesia	Belawan	Jebel Ali	19 Days
Indonesia	Belawan	Abu Dhabi	20 Days
Indonesia	Belawan	Sharjah	21 Days
Japan	Tokyo	Jebel Ali	30 Days
Japan	Tokyo	Abu Dhabi	25 Days
Japan	Tokyo	Sharjah	32 Days
Japan	Kobe	Jebel Ali	26 Days
Japan	Kobe	Abu Dhabi	25 Days
Japan	Kobe	Sharjah	28 Days
Japan	Yokohama	Jebel Ali	29 Days
Japan	Yokohama	Sharjah	28 Days
Japan	Moji	Jebel Ali	25 Days
Japan	Moji	Abu Dhabi	27 Days
Japan	Osaka	Sharjah	38 Days
Japan	Osaka	Abu Dhabi	31 Days
Japan	Osaka	Jebel Ali	33 Days
Japan	Shimizu	Abu Dhabi	27 Days
Japan	Shimizu	Jebel Ali	23 Days
Japan	Niigata	Jebel Ali	32 Days
Japan	Niigata	Abu Dhabi	39 Days
Japan	Niigata	Sharjah	38 Days
Japan	Nagoya	Jebel Ali	23 Days
Japan	Nagoya	Abu Dhabi	22 Days
Korea	Masan	Abu Dhabi	28 Days
Korea	Masan	Sharjah	29 Days
Korea	Masan	Jebel Ali	26 Days
Korea	Busan	Abu Dhabi	30 Days
Korea	Busan	Sharjah	30 Days
Korea	Busan	Jebel Ali	25 Days
Korea	Incheon	Sharjah	37 Days
Korea	Incheon	Jebel Ali	27 Days
Korea	Kwangyang	Jebel Ali	24 Days
Korea	Kwangyang	Abu Dhabi	27 Days
Korea	Kwangyang	Sharjah	30 Days
Korea	Pyeongtaek	Jebel Ali	26 Days
Korea	Pyeongtaek	Abu Dhabi	28 Days
Korea	Pyeongtaek	Sharjah	29 Days
Malaysia	Penang	Jebel Ali	20 Days
Malaysia	Penang	Abu Dhabi	19 Days
Malaysia	Penang	Sharjah	23 Days
Malaysia	Pasir Gudang	Jebel Ali	18 Days
Malaysia	Pasir Gudang	Abu Dhabi	19 Days
Malaysia	Pasir Gudang	Sharjah	23 Days
Malaysia	Port Klang	Jebel Ali	13 Days
Malaysia	Port Klang	Abu Dhabi	16 Days
Malaysia	Port Klang	Sharjah	14 Days
Malaysia	Tanjung Pelepas	Jebel Ali	10 Days
Malaysia	Tanjung Pelepas	Abu Dhabi	16 Days
Malaysia	Tanjung Pelepas	Sharjah	15 Days
New Zealand	Lyttelton	Jebel Ali	36 Days
New Zealand	Lyttelton	Abu Dhabi	40 Days
New Zealand	Lyttelton	Sharjah	41 Days
New Zealand	Auckland	Jebel Ali	36 Days
New Zealand	Auckland	Abu Dhabi	43 Days
New Zealand	Auckland	Sharjah	41 Days
New Zealand	Tauranga	Jebel Ali	32 Days
New Zealand	Tauranga	Abu Dhabi	36 Days
New Zealand	Tauranga	Sharjah	36 Days
New Zealand	Wellington	Jebel Ali	34 Days
New Zealand	Wellington	Abu Dhabi	39 Days
New Zealand	Wellington	Sharjah	38 Days
Philippines	Manila	Jebel Ali	26 Days
Philippines	Manila	Abu Dhabi	29 Days
Philippines	Manila	Sharjah	23 Days
Philippines	Cebu	Jebel Ali	27 Days
Philippines	Cebu	Sharjah	23 Days
Philippines	Davao	Jebel Ali	23 Days
Philippines	Davao	Abu Dhabi	25 Days
Singapore	Singapore	Jebel Ali	9 Days
Singapore	Singapore	Abu Dhabi	13 Days
Singapore	Singapore	Sharjah	12 Days
Taiwan	Keelung	Jebel Ali	26 Days
Taiwan	Taipei	Jebel Ali	17 Days
Taiwan	Taipei	Sharjah	22 Days
Taiwan	Taichung	Jebel Ali	27 Days
Taiwan	Taichung	Abu Dhabi	22 Days
Taiwan	Taichung	Sharjah	30 Days
Taiwan	Kaohsiung	Jebel Ali	25 Days
Taiwan	Kaohsiung	Abu Dhabi	19 Days
Taiwan	Kaohsiung	Sharjah	27 Days
Thailand	Bangkok	Jebel Ali	24 Days
Thailand	Bangkok	Abu Dhabi	19 Days
Thailand	Laem Chabang	Jebel Ali	18 Days
Thailand	Laem Chabang	Abu Dhabi	24 Days
Thailand	Laem Chabang	Sharjah	17 Days
Vietnam	Haiphong	Jebel Ali	23 Days
Vietnam	Haiphong	Abu Dhabi	25 Days
Vietnam	Ho Chi Minh City	Jebel Ali	22 Days
Vietnam	Ho Chi Minh City	Abu Dhabi	21 Days
Vietnam	Ho Chi Minh City	Sharjah	22 Days

Air Freight Shipping to the Emirates

In addition to a thriving trade via ocean freight trade lanes from around the world, the seven states of the UAE receive imports via international airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. Therefore, if you wish to bring high-value, urgent, or perishable goods into the UAE, you might prefer to send it as air freight, rather than at the sedate pace of ocean shipping.

In this section of our freight guide, you can find out about the many routes through which you can ship air freight to the UAE. Again, the information relates to shipping from airport to airport. However, on the Shipa Freight platform, you can get quotes and book your cargo door-to-door from your chosen point of origin, regardless of its location.

Air Freight to the UAE: Busiest Inbound Routes

Of the three primary international air cargo terminals in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai is by far the busiest in terms of volume, and receives more passenger and cargo flights than either Sharjah or Abu Dhabi. The top routes for air freight into the UAE all connect Dubai with cities in Asia and Europe, and include the following five:

• London (United Kingdom) to Dubai
• Bangkok (Thailand) to Dubai
• Hong Kong to Dubai
• Singapore to Dubai
• Frankfurt (Germany) to Dubai

Longest and Shortest Routes for Emirates-Bound Air Freight

Some of the furthest air-freight distances into the Emirates are those from North, Central, and South America. However, services from these geographies are few and far between. American businesses wishing to import to the UAE must often send their air freight via multi-leg routes, typically with transshipments in Europe or East Asia.

That said, there are a few direct flights from major airports in the United States, most of which involve transit times of around 14 hours. The longest route of all though, is between New Zealand’s city of Auckland, and Dubai, with a total transit time of 17 hours.

Meanwhile, some of the shortest routes bring cargo in by air from Southern Europe, with one example being Athens, in Greece, to Dubai, which only takes around four hours.

Direct Air Freight Routes to the UAE

Please note that all transit times shown in the list below are for your interest and general guidance. They show flight durations for direct routes only, and your freight may be in transit for more or less time than the charts indicate.

From the Americas

Country of Origin	Airport of origin	Destination Port	Approximate Duration
Brazil	Sao Paulo	Dubai	14 Hours
United States	Houston	Dubai	15 Hours
United States	New York	Dubai	12 Hours
United States	New York	Abu Dhabi	12 Hours
United States	Chicago	Dubai	13 Hours
United States	Chicago	Abu Dhabi	13 Hours
United States	Seattle	Dubai	14 Hours
United States	Los Angeles	Dubai	15 Hours
United States	Dallas	Dubai	14 Hours
United States	San Francisco	Dubai	15 Hours
United States	Boston	Dubai	12 Hours

From Europe

Country of Origin	Airport of origin	Destination Port	Approximate Duration
Austria	Vienna	Dubai	5 Hours
Belgium	Brussels	Dubai	6 Hours
Belgium	Brussels	Abu Dhabi	6 Hours
Czech Republic	Prague	Dubai	6 Hours
Denmark	Copenhagen	Dubai	6 Hours
Finland	Helsinki	Dubai	6 Hours
France	Lyon	Dubai	6 Hours
France	Paris	Dubai	6 Hours
Germany	Dusseldorf	Dubai	6 Hours
Germany	Dusseldorf	Abu Dhabi	6 Hours
Germany	Frankfurt	Dubai	6 Hours
Germany	Frankfurt	Abu Dhabi	6 Hours
Germany	Hamburg	Dubai	6 Hours
Germany	Munich	Dubai	6 Hours
Germany	Munich	Abu Dhabi	6 Hours
Greece	Athens	Dubai	4 Hours
Greece	Athens	Abu Dhabi	5 Hours
Hungary	Budapest	Dubai	5 Hours
Ireland	Dublin	Dubai	7 Hours
Ireland	Dublin	Abu Dhabi	7 Hours
Italy	Milan	Dubai	6 Hours
Italy	Milan	Abu Dhabi	6 Hours
Italy	Rome	Dubai	6 Hours
Italy	Rome	Abu Dhabi	6 Hours
Netherlands	Amsterdam	Dubai	6 Hours
Netherlands	Amsterdam	Abu Dhabi	6 Hours
Netherlands	Amsterdam	Sharjah	7 Hours
Norway	Oslo	Dubai	6 Hours
Poland	Warsaw	Dubai	5 Hours
Portugal	Porto	Dubai	7 Hours
Portugal	Lisbon	Dubai	7 Hours
Romania	Bucharest	Dubai	5 Hours
Spain	Madrid	Dubai	7 Hours
Spain	Madrid	Abu Dhabi	7 Hours
Spain	Barcelona	Dubai	6 Hours
Spain	Barcelona	Abu Dhabi	6 Hours
Sweden	Stockholm	Dubai	6 Hours
Switzerland	Zurich	Dubai	6 Hours
Switzerland	Zurich	Abu Dhabi	6 Hours
Switzerland	Geneva	Abu Dhabi	6 Hours
Switzerland	Geneva	Dubai	6 Hours
Ukraine	Kiev	Dubai	5 Hours
Ukraine	Kiev	Sharjah	5 Hours
United Kingdom	Birmingham	Dubai	7 Hours
United Kingdom	Glasgow	Dubai	7 Hours
United Kingdom	Manchester	Dubai	7 Hours
United Kingdom	Manchester	Abu Dhabi	7 Hours
United Kingdom	London	Dubai	7 Hours
United Kingdom	London	Abu Dhabi	7 Hours

From Asia & Oceania

Country of Origin	Airport of origin	Destination Port	Approximate Duration
Australia	Adelaide	Dubai	13 Hours
Australia	Perth	Dubai	11 Hours
Australia	Sydney	Abu Dhabi	14 Hours
Australia	Sydney	Dubai	14 Hours
Australia	Brisbane	Dubai	14 Hours
Australia	Brisbane	Abu Dhabi	14 Hours
Australia	Melbourne	Dubai	14 Hours
Australia	Melbourne	Abu Dhabi	13 Hours
China	Guangzhou	Dubai	7 Hours
China	Beijing	Dubai	8 Hours
China	Beijing	Abu Dhabi	8 Hours
China	Shenzhen	Dubai	8 Hours
China	Shanghai	Dubai	8 Hours
China	Shanghai	Abu Dhabi	8 Hours
Hong Kong	Hong Kong	Dubai	8 Hours
Hong Kong	Hong Kong	Abu Dhabi	8 Hours
Indonesia	Denpasar	Dubai	9 Hours
Indonesia	Jakarta	Dubai	8 Hours
Indonesia	Jakarta	Abu Dhabi	8 Hours
Japan	Osaka	Dubai	10 Hours
Japan	Tokyo	Dubai	10 Hours
Japan	Tokyo	Abu Dhabi	10 Hours
Korea	Seoul	Dubai	10 Hours
Korea	Seoul	Abu Dhabi	10 Hours
Malaysia	Kuala Lumpur	Dubai	6 Hours
Malaysia	Kuala Lumpur	Abu Dhabi	6 Hours
Malaysia	Kuala Lumpur	Sharjah	7 Hours
New Zealand	Auckland	Dubai	17 Hours
Philippines	Manila	Abu Dhabi	8 Hours
Philippines	Manila	Dubai	8 Hours
Singapore	Singapore	Dubai	7 Hours
Singapore	Singapore	Abu Dhabi	7 Hours
Taiwan	Taipei	Dubai	8 Hours
Thailand	Bangkok	Dubai	6 Hours
Thailand	Bangkok	Abu Dhabi	6 Hours
Vietnam	Hanoi	Dubai	6 Hours
Vietnam	Ho Chi Minh City	Dubai	7 Hours
Vietnam	Ho Chi Minh City	Abu Dhabi	7 Hours

Shipa Your Freight to the United Arab Emirates

You'll find plenty of freight forwarders prepared to help you with cargo shipping into the UAE, but they don't all have specialist knowledge of the region.

Aside from the fact that Shipa Freight has its headquarters in Dubai, our parent company, Agility is a specialist in emerging market supply chain operations. That means we have the expertise and knowledge to help you overcome any shipping challenges you may encounter.

Indeed, we can prevent or circumvent many potential issues, ensuring that your products ship into your UAE markets without a hitch. We’ve developed our service to suit shipments of any size or type, whether you prefer to send them as ocean or air freight.

For a fast, competitive quote to ship air freight or ocean freight into the UAE, visit Shipa Freight’s homepage now and submit your freight information. It only takes a moment, and if you like your quote, you can book, pay, and track your freight online, all via our online forwarding platform.