Sea Freight from China to Irbid
China → Irbid · via AMM air / Aqaba sea · clearance by Jordan Customs Department
We move sea freight cargo from South China into Irbid through AMM air / Aqaba sea. Irbid is northern regional center, which shapes the kind of cargo that moves on this lane and how it should be packed.
The clearing authority is Jordan Customs Department. Historical dwell on this gateway is around 3–8 days, and it lengthens in Sep–Nov.
What the routing looks like in practice
Aqaba is Jordan's only seaport and also the transit gateway for cargo continuing to Iraq and, historically, the wider Levant. The Aqaba Special Economic Zone offers reduced duty for goods consumed inside it, which is worth checking before assuming standard rates apply.
| Sea gateways used | Aqaba |
|---|---|
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 20–28 calendar days |
| Gateway serving Irbid | AMM air / Aqaba sea |
| Inland leg to Irbid | +2 days from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 3–8 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Duty, tax and clearance into Irbid
Imports into Jordan are cleared by Jordan Customs Department. The headline position is: General sales tax 16%; customs duty 0–30%. The de-minimis threshold is JOD 200 for personal consignments.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: JSMO conformity for regulated goods; Arabic labeling for consumer products. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Jordan: Aqaba Special Economic Zone rules differ from the rest of the country. Transit cargo to neighboring markets needs bonded documentation. Arabic labeling required for retail goods.
Pre-shipment checklist for Irbid
- Get the conformity paperwork moving early: JSMO conformity for regulated goods; Arabic labeling for consumer products.
- Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front — retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Irbid take?
China to the Jordan gateway is 20–28 calendar days. On top of that, allow 3–8 days of clearance with Jordan Customs Department and a +2 days inland leg to Irbid.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Irbid?
Jordan Customs Department applies: General sales tax 16%; customs duty 0–30%. The de-minimis position is JOD 200 for personal consignments. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Irbid.
Can you deliver door-to-door in Irbid?
Yes. Delivery to a Irbid address is quoted as one figure covering freight, duty and tax owed to Jordan Customs Department, and the +2 days inland leg. Confirm whether your consignee wants the goods at a warehouse, a marketplace fulfillment center or a shop front, because the last-mile requirement differs.
When is the busiest time on the China–Jordan lane?
Space and rates tighten around Sep–Nov, plus the China-side windows of Chinese New Year in January or February and Golden Week in early October. Book one to two weeks earlier in those periods.
Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into Irbid?
Per kilo, yes — usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: 20–28 calendar days by sea versus 3–6 business days by air to the Jordan gateway, before clearance and the +2 days inland leg. The crossover point is normally somewhere between 100 and 300 kg depending on the density of your cargo.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for Irbid?
We compare actual gross weight against volumetric weight — length × width × height in centimeters divided by 6000 for air — and bill the greater of the two, rounded up to the next kilogram. Light, bulky cargo is almost always billed on volume.
Other delivery cities in Jordan
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Jordan change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling — confirm the current position for your own HS code with Jordan Customs Department or your broker before you ship.
- Jordan Customs
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IMO — IMDG Code for dangerous goods by sea
- IATA — Lithium battery shipping guidance (PI 965–970)
- World Bank — Logistics Performance Index
Page data last reviewed: 10 月 2026.
Shipping by industry
This page covers the route and clearance picture for the destination. Packing, classification and the compliance step that actually holds a shipment depend on what you are sending — these guides cover that by commodity.
- Home Storage Products Furniture & Home Products
- Exhibition Display Equipment Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Aluminum Coils Steel & Metal Materials
- Pipe Fittings Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Generators New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Ceramic Tiles Building Materials & Construction Products
- Paper Packaging Wood, Bamboo & Paper Products
- Packaging Materials Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Laboratory Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Fabric Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Salon Furniture Beauty, Personal Care & Wellness
- Sheet Metal Metal Products & Industrial Components
Checking the Jordan duty position yourself
Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Jordan Customs Department against your declared HS code at the time of entry; where the amount is material, verify the current rate through ITC Market Access Map before committing to an order.
Classification drives everything downstream: the same carton can attract very different duty depending on the heading it lands in, and the structure those headings come from is the World Customs Organization Harmonized System. If your product sits near a boundary between two headings, resolve it before shipping rather than at the border.
For ocean cargo, restricted commodities move under the IMO's IMDG Code, and the container has to be declared and stowed accordingly. Batteries, flammables and corrosives all have a compliant ocean path; what causes rolled bookings is finding out about them after the container is packed.
If this is your first shipment into Jordan, the Jordan Country Commercial Guide covers the practical import environment in more depth than a rate page reasonably can, and it is written by a party with no stake in your booking.
Watch: the process behind this route
This guide covers routing and clearance for Irbid. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
How to Ship Internationally via Ocean Freight | Step-by-Step Process, Documents & Cost Explained — 10 Min For Supply Chain. Published on YouTube by a third party; we link it because it explains the process well, not because we produced it or endorse the provider.
Customs clearance in Jordan
Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border — plus who files the entry.
Jordan clearance requirements →