Freight from China
We move freight from China into the UAE every week, both sea (Jebel Ali clearance) and air (Dubai International clearance), with customs handled and duties passed through at cost. Below is the practical detail sellers actually need before they commit a PO. Monthly AED invoicing, no contracts, no minimums on the freight side either.
What is the difference between sea and air freight?
Section titled “What is the difference between sea and air freight?”Sea freight is cheaper per kg but slow: 25 to 40 days door to door from major Chinese ports to our Dubai warehouse. Air freight is fast (5 to 10 days door to door) but several times more expensive per kg. Sea fits planned restock cycles where you ordered 30 to 60 days ahead. Air fits launches, replenishment of best-sellers that sold faster than your sea PO, and small high-AOV shipments where the per-kg cost matters less than the time-to-shelf. Service detail in sea freight and air freight.
How long does sea freight from China take?
Section titled “How long does sea freight from China take?”25 to 40 days door to door from major Chinese ports to our Ras Al Khor warehouse, depending on the port (Shenzhen and Shanghai are typically faster than Qingdao or Xiamen on the UAE lane), the vessel schedule (transhipment via Singapore adds days), and the customs clearance speed at Jebel Ali. LCL adds 3 to 5 days for origin and destination consolidation. FCL sits at the faster end of the range because the container moves end to end without de-stuffing in transit. Headline rate from AED 499 per cbm.
How long does air freight take?
Section titled “How long does air freight take?”5 to 10 days door to door from major Chinese airports to our Ras Al Khor warehouse, depending on the flight schedule out of origin, transit at Dubai International, and customs clearance speed. Express air on dedicated lanes from Shenzhen and Hong Kong can land in 3 to 5 days at a meaningful cost premium, useful for replenishing a best-seller mid-promotion. Headline rate from AED 35 per kg. Service detail in air freight.
Which Chinese ports do you operate from?
Section titled “Which Chinese ports do you operate from?”Sea: Shenzhen (Yantian, Shekou), Shanghai, Ningbo, Guangzhou (Nansha), Qingdao, Xiamen. Air: Shenzhen (SZX), Guangzhou (CAN), Shanghai Pudong (PVG), Hong Kong (HKG). If your supplier sits in a smaller origin city (Yiwu, Foshan, Dongguan, Suzhou), we run a trucking leg to consolidate at the nearest of these ports through our Guangzhou consolidation facility. The supplier never has to deal with international shipping themselves; they hand cargo to our truck and that is their last step.
Do you handle factory pickup in China?
Section titled “Do you handle factory pickup in China?”Yes. We arrange pickup from your supplier’s factory anywhere in mainland China and consolidate at our Guangzhou consolidation facility. The flow: you send us the supplier address, the cargo-ready date, the packing list, and the commercial invoice. We coordinate the truck pickup, the consolidation at our facility, and the loading onto the vessel or aircraft. You see milestones on the dashboard from “picked up at factory” through “loaded on board” through “arrived UAE”. One operator, no Chinese-side loose ends.
Do you offer LCL consolidation for small shipments?
Section titled “Do you offer LCL consolidation for small shipments?”Yes. LCL (Less than Container Load) is the right call when your volume per shipment is below ~15 cubic metres. We consolidate your cargo with other shippers at our Guangzhou facility, ship in a shared container, then de-consolidate at our destination warehouse in Dubai. LCL is slower than FCL by a few days because of the consolidation steps at both ends, but it is much cheaper than air for the same volume. Pricing in freight pricing.
Do you offer FCL for full containers?
Section titled “Do you offer FCL for full containers?”Yes. FCL (Full Container Load) for 20ft (~28 cbm usable) and 40ft (~58 cbm usable) standard and high-cube containers. FCL is the right call from ~20 cubic metres of cargo upward; below that LCL is usually cheaper. The container is sealed at origin and only opened at our destination warehouse, so there is no risk of mixed cargo or in-transit re-handling. Faster transit than LCL because there is no consolidation at either end.
Is customs clearance included in the freight rate?
Section titled “Is customs clearance included in the freight rate?”Standard freight quotes include customs clearance at Jebel Ali (sea) or Dubai International (air): the broker work, the entry filing, the document review, the release coordination. Duties and VAT are pass-through at cost on your invoice (we do not mark them up), with the customs receipt attached for your records. Specialised clearance (food and beverage, cosmetics, medical devices, regulated electronics like radios and drones) may carry an additional handling fee for the extra paperwork and inspections. See customs.
How do duties and VAT work in the UAE?
Section titled “How do duties and VAT work in the UAE?”Standard UAE customs duty is 5% of CIF (Cost + Insurance + Freight) value, with category exceptions: 0% on most food items, certain medical equipment, and a few protected categories; higher specific rates on tobacco, alcohol, sugary drinks. UAE VAT is 5% on top of the CIF + duty value, recoverable on your VAT return if you are VAT-registered. We handle the clearance, pay on your behalf at Customs, and pass through the actual amounts on your invoice with the receipts attached so your accountant has clean documentation.
Can you ship directly from China to Amazon FBA?
Section titled “Can you ship directly from China to Amazon FBA?”Yes. We handle factory-to-FBA shipments to Amazon UAE FBA centres, including the FBA labelling at origin or at our Dubai warehouse, the inbound booking on Seller Central, and the appointment scheduling at the FBA destination. We also coordinate FBA-bound shipments to KSA and the wider region. Prep can happen in China at our Guangzhou consolidation facility before loading, or at our Dubai warehouse on arrival, depending on which side gives the cleaner control surface for your SKUs. Service detail in Amazon prep.
Do you handle hazardous goods?
Section titled “Do you handle hazardous goods?”Selective. Sea freight DG: yes for most IMO/IMDG classes with proper MSDS on file, an IMDG declaration filed at origin, and approved UN-rated packaging. Air freight DG: tighter, IATA-class dependent, with several classes (most lithium configurations, certain aerosols, oxidisers) restricted or off-limits regardless of fee. Always disclose DG content upfront, never hide hazardous cargo on a regular shipment; that is a fast way to get cargo seized at customs and your account reviewed. See restricted items.
Do you offer cargo insurance?
Section titled “Do you offer cargo insurance?”Yes. All-risk cargo insurance at a small percentage of CIF value, optional but recommended on every freight shipment. Covers in-transit damage, partial loss, total loss, general average, and the standard institute clauses. We can also arrange named-peril cover if your finance team prefers a narrower (and slightly cheaper) policy. Quote per shipment so you can decide insurance line by line for higher-value cargoes. Liability without insurance defaults to standard freight forwarder limits, which are low.
Can you store goods at Dubai arrival before final delivery?
Section titled “Can you store goods at Dubai arrival before final delivery?”Yes. Cleared cargo lands at our Ras Al Khor warehouse and can stay there as live inventory at our standard storage rates. There is no separate “import storage” fee or arrival surcharge; once cleared, your stock is part of your inventory pool, ready to fulfil orders, ready to redirect to FBA, or ready to sit until you want it on the shelf. This is the natural fit for sellers who use us for both freight and fulfilment, since the cargo never moves between two warehouses.