Current Freight Rates
| Volume | Approx. weight | Rate (USD / CBM) | Per-kg equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 CBM | ≈ 167 KG | USD 414.96 | USD 2.49/KG |
| 2 CBM | ≈ 333 KG | USD 373.29 | USD 2.24/KG |
| 3 CBM | ≈ 500 KG | USD 354.78 | USD 2.13/KG |
| 5 CBM | ≈ 833 KG | USD 345.52 | USD 2.07/KG |
| 5 CBM | ≈ 833 KG | USD 342.59 | USD 2.06/KG |
| 8 CBM | ≈ 1,333 KG | USD 349.54 | USD 2.10/KG |
| 12 CBM | ≈ 2,000 KG | USD 372.68 | USD 2.24/KG |
| 20 CBM | ≈ 3,333 KG | USD 363.43 | USD 2.18/KG |
| 30 CBM | ≈ 5,000 KG | USD 331.02 | USD 1.99/KG |
1 CBM = 167 KG
— volume is converted to weight as L × W × H (cm) ÷ 6000,
so 1 CBM of cargo is treated as 167 KG.
The per-kg column is that conversion applied to the rate beside it — useful for comparing this lane against an air quote.
Shipments under 1 CBM are billed at the 1 CBM minimum.
How these prices are calculated — chargeable weight and CBM
Freight is not billed on the number on your bathroom scale. It is billed on chargeable weight: the greater of actual gross weight and volumetric weight, where volumetric weight is L × W × H (cm) ÷ 6000. Denser cargo pays on its weight; light bulky cargo pays on the space it occupies. Whichever is higher is the one you pay — never the lower.
- One cubic metre = 167 kg. That is 1,000,000 cm³ ÷ 6000, the same divisor used for the volumetric check, so both sides of this page agree with each other.
- Per-CBM channels (sea LCL and sea DDP). The published rate buys one cubic metre, not one kilogram. Where this page knows only a weight, it converts at 167 kg per CBM to show an indicative volume — your measured dimensions decide the real figure.
- One CBM minimum. Consolidators bill a one cubic metre floor, so anything that works out under 1 CBM is priced at 1 CBM.
- Freight only. These are published freight rates. Duty, tax and customs charges at destination are not a fixed number we can print: they follow your product's HS code, its declared value and the exchange rate applied on the day of entry, so they are confirmed against your actual goods and quoted separately.
- Indicative only — the real price can be higher or lower. Nothing on this page is a quotation or a commitment. What you finally pay depends on what the product is, how it is packed, the chargeable weight, the declared value, the destination duty position and the exchange rate at the time. Send the product details, weight and dimensions and we will price your specific shipment.
Trade Terms Explained — Who Pays for What EXW, FOB, CIF, DDP and seven more — see which costs sit with us and which sit with you
The rate above is quoted on one specific trade term. Change the term and you change how much of the journey to UAE is already inside the price. The table below maps the eleven common Incoterms® against the twelve cost stages of a door-to-door shipment, so you can see exactly where our responsibility ends and yours begins.
- Seller — Cost and arrangement sit with the seller / shipper.
- Buyer — Cost and arrangement sit with the buyer / consignee.
- Negotiable — Not fixed by the rule — agree it in the contract.
| Term | 1 Loading on truck | 2 Export customs declaration | 3 Carriage to port of export | 4 Unloading at port of export | 5 Loading on vessel / aircraft | 6 Main carriage | 7 Cargo insurance | 8 Unloading at port of import | 9 Loading on truck at import | 10 Carriage to destination | 11 Import customs clearance | 12 Import duties & taxes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXW Ex Works | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck | Buyer Buyer — Export customs declaration | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to port of export | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of export | Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| FCA Free Carrier | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to port of export | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of export | Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| FAS Free Alongside Ship | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| FOB Free On Board | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CFR Cost and Freight | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CIF Cost, Insurance and Freight | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Seller Seller — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CPT Carriage Paid To | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CIP Carriage and Insurance Paid | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Seller Seller — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| DAT Delivered At Terminal (DPU) | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| DAP Delivered At Place | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| DDP Delivered Duty Paid | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Seller Seller — Import customs clearance | Seller Seller — Import duties & taxes |
EXW Ex Works
Buyer takes over at the seller's door and carries every cost from there. Lowest quoted price, highest buyer workload.
FCA Free Carrier
Seller clears the goods for export and hands them to the carrier the buyer nominated.
FAS Free Alongside Ship
Sea and inland waterway only. Seller delivers alongside the vessel; loading is on the buyer.
FOB Free On Board
Sea and inland waterway only. Risk passes once the goods are on board. The most common buying term.
CFR Cost and Freight
Seller pays the main carriage but carries no insurance obligation; risk still passes on loading.
CIF Cost, Insurance and Freight
As CFR, plus the seller must buy and pay for cargo insurance (minimum cover unless you agree more).
CPT Carriage Paid To
Any mode. Seller pays carriage through to the named destination; insurance is not obligatory.
CIP Carriage and Insurance Paid
As CPT, plus the seller must insure the cargo through to the named destination.
DAT Delivered At Terminal (DPU)
Seller delivers unloaded at the named terminal. Renamed DPU (Delivered at Place Unloaded) in Incoterms® 2020.
DAP Delivered At Place
Seller delivers to your address ready for unloading; import clearance and duty stay with the buyer.
DDP Delivered Duty Paid
Seller carries everything through to your door, duty and tax included. Highest quoted price, least buyer workload.
Two things worth flagging. Under CIF and CIP the seller is obliged to buy cargo insurance and pay the premium; under every other term insurance is optional, and we recommend buyers arrange their own cover so a loss or damage in transit is recoverable. And this table is a working summary for planning purposes — the binding definitions are the ones published by the International Chamber of Commerce in the Incoterms® rules, so confirm the exact term wording in your sales contract before you ship.
Service Details
China → UAE Sea Freight – Brand Cargo
Sea freight from China to UAE, quoted per CBM or per KG, whichever bills higher. This is a commercial freight service for cargo moving in volume, not a parcel channel — the rate card below starts where courier pricing stops making sense.
Cargo on this service moves through Jebel Ali (Dubai), Khalifa (Abu Dhabi) and Sharjah. The rate covers the leg to the discharge port; inland delivery beyond the quay is costed against the delivery address, not the country. Expect 2–5 days of dwell at destination before release.
This rate is freight only. Import charges for UAE are assessed separately on arrival — VAT 5%; duty 5% CIF (0% in free zones) — and whoever is named as importer of record is liable for them. If you would rather have one all-in number, ask us for the duty-paid version of this lane.
Space on this lane tightens through Sep–Nov, which is peak season for UAE. Rates published outside that window are not a reliable guide to what you will pay inside it, so if your order lands in peak, book earlier rather than budgeting from an off-peak figure.
Current Rate Card
- 1-5CBM — USD 1,495 per CBM
- 5CBM+ — USD 1,475 per CBM
Last refreshed 2026-08-06.
Ocean consolidation into UAE prices by the cubic metre. One CBM is treated as roughly 166.7 kg, so a pallet of dense goods costs the same to move as a pallet of light ones — the space is what you are buying. The practical consequence is that packing efficiency, not gross weight, is where the money is on this lane, and that a sub-1 CBM shipment pays the 1 CBM floor either way.
Typical cargo on this route: home furniture (HS 94), where clearance turns on timber due diligence (EUTR / EUDR) and UK upholstery fire regulations, engineering plastics (HS 39 / 40) and doors & windows (HS 68 / 69 / 70 / 44). If yours is on that list the commodity page is worth two minutes — it covers how the goods should leave the factory, how they should sit in the container, and the failure mode we see most often on this kind of freight.
If you are working from a weight rather than a measurement, the 100 KG, 300 KG and 500 KG pages do the conversion for you: each one takes the weight, converts it at 166.7 kg per cubic metre, applies the one-CBM minimum where it bites, and shows the landed figure that comes out. Send real dimensions when you have them and the number tightens considerably.
We move sea freight cargo for UAE through Jebel Ali (Dubai), Khalifa (Abu Dhabi) and Sharjah. The quoted rate covers the ocean leg to whichever of those the vessel calls at; the difference between them shows up in the trucking cost beyond the quay, which is why it pays to name the delivery city when you ask for a quote rather than just the country.
The table above prices the lane, but most buyers arrive with a consignment already in mind. If yours has a known weight, the 100 KG, 300 KG and 500 KG breakdowns run this tariff against a fixed shipment so you see a landed number rather than a rate per kilo, and the China to UAE Sea Freight Cost page sets every channel we run on this lane side by side. For the wider picture including documentation and duty, start from shipping from China to UAE.
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Additional Information
What This Rate Covers — and What It Does Not
LCL cargo on this lane bills on the greater of weight and volume, so a dense pallet and a light bulky one of the same size do not cost the same. Past roughly 15 CBM it is worth asking us for an FCL comparison — a full container usually undercuts consolidation at that point, and it removes the co-loading risk that comes with sharing a box.
- General commercial cargo. Battery, magnetic, liquid and powder content must be declared at booking, not on arrival
- Rates are quoted against the current sailing or departure; peak-season surcharges apply where the carrier levies them
- Routing on this lane is via Jebel Ali (Dubai), Khalifa (Abu Dhabi) and Sharjah — inland delivery beyond that point is quoted against the delivery address
- Clearance at destination is handled by Federal Customs Authority (UAE)
- UAE de-minimis: AED 300 — commercial consignments sit above it and are dutiable in full
- Destination conformity: ESMA/ECAS conformity for electronics
On the duty side, the applicable regime is: VAT 5%; duty 5% CIF (0% in free zones). Those are planning references rather than a ruling: the rate that binds is the one assessed against your declared HS code at the moment of entry, and classification is where most landed-cost surprises actually originate. Duty and tax are settled in AED at destination.
Every shipment needs a commercial invoice and a packing list that agree with each other, plus destination certification where the commodity requires it. The most common cause of delay we see is not the freight at all — it is a declared value or a goods description that does not match what is in the cartons, which turns a routine clearance into an inspection.
Where these numbers come from
Treat the landed-cost numbers here as a planning baseline. Dubai Customs sets the rate that actually gets charged, assessed against your HS classification at the moment of clearance, so their own guidance is worth reading before a large order.
If you want to sanity-check a duty figure yourself, start from the heading rather than the product name — the WCO Harmonized System is the underlying nomenclature, and the WTO Tariff & Trade Data portal holds the applied rates by country pair.
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.
On the origin side, export declaration and any commodity inspection requirement fall under China Customs (GACC); we handle that filing as part of the service, but the requirement is theirs, not ours.
For a wider view of how importing into UAE actually works — documentation norms, inspection behavior, the paperwork that tends to hold shipments — the U.S. ITA guide to UAE customs regulations is a useful independent read alongside our own lane notes.
China to UAE — Shipping Reference Data
| Main sea gateways | Jebel Ali (Dubai), Khalifa (Abu Dhabi), Sharjah |
|---|---|
| Destination customs authority | Federal Customs Authority (UAE) |
| De-minimis / duty-free threshold | AED 300 |
| Import tax & duty regime | VAT 5%; duty 5% CIF (0% in free zones) |
| Local currency | AED |
| Typical clearance / dwell time | 2–5 days |
| Peak / busy season | Sep–Nov |
| Conformity & certification | ESMA/ECAS conformity for electronics |
Thresholds and duty bands are buyer-planning references, not formal customs rulings — confirm the exact HS-code rate for your goods before shipping.
Free 3D Loading Tools for This Sea Route
This page covers a Sea freight service from China to UAE. Use the matching tool below to plan your cargo before requesting a quote.
3D Container Loading Planner
Wondering whether your cargo fills a 20GP or needs a 40HQ for this UAE route? The 3D container planner simulates cartons, crates, pallets, and even mixed box sizes in one container.
Open Container Planner →UAE Sea Freight Checklist
- Verify the receiver's customs import capability in UAE for DDP terms before booking.
- Photograph the container number, seal, and loading process for insurance evidence.
- Confirm whether your UAE rate is per CBM or per container before comparing quotes.
- Check pallet vs floor-loading: floor loading typically fits 8-12% more cartons per container.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Sea Freight – Brand Cargo from China to UAE take?
Sea freight on this route runs about 25–45 calendar days door-to-door, plus roughly 2–5 days of clearance/dwell once it reaches the gateway. All times include customs clearance under DDP terms.
What duties and taxes apply when importing into UAE?
Clearance is handled by Federal Customs Authority (UAE). The regime is: VAT 5%; duty 5% CIF (0% in free zones), with a de-minimis position of AED 300. Under DDP these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival.
What certification is needed to import into UAE?
For regulated goods, plan for: ESMA/ECAS conformity for electronics. Missing conformity paperwork is the most common clearance hold with Federal Customs Authority (UAE), so confirm requirements for your HS code before shipping.
When does capacity tighten on the China–UAE lane?
Space and rates tighten around Sep–Nov, plus the China-side windows of Chinese New Year (Jan/Feb) and Golden Week (early Oct). Book 1–2 weeks earlier in these periods.
How is the shipping cost on this route calculated?
This lane is published per cubic metre with a one cubic metre minimum, so the price follows the space the cargo occupies rather than what it weighs. Where only a weight is known we convert at roughly 166.7 kg per CBM (1,000,000 ÷ 6000) to show an indicative figure; measured dimensions decide the final one. Anything working out below 1 CBM is billed at the 1 CBM minimum.
Can you ship special cargo (batteries, branded goods) to UAE?
Yes — battery goods by sea follow UN3480/UN3481 rules with an MSDS; we prepare the dangerous-goods paperwork as part of DDP into Jebel Ali (Dubai), Khalifa (Abu Dhabi), Sharjah. Surcharges apply.
Historical Price Records
All price updates are recorded here. Use the weekly tabs to browse older entries.
| Date | 1-5CBM | 5CBM+ |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-30Latest | USD 414.96 | USD 412.04 |
| 2026-09-30 | USD 415.12 | USD 412.19 |
| 2026-09-30 | USD 414.80 | USD 411.88 |
| 2026-09-17 | USD 412.49 | USD 409.56 |
| 2026-09-15 | USD 411.86 | USD 408.94 |
| 2026-09-15 | USD 399.76 | USD 396.95 |
| 2026-09-07 | USD 307.16 | USD 304.36 |
| 2026-08-31 | USD 307.14 | USD 304.34 |
| 2026-08-17 | USD 304.83 | USD 302.02 |
| 2026-08-17 | USD 304.87 | USD 302.06 |
| 2026-08-06 | USD 304.87 | USD 302.06 |
| 2026-08-03 | USD 304.87 | USD 302.07 |
| 2026-07-30 | USD 304.86 | USD 302.06 |
| 2026-07-20 | USD 304.89 | USD 302.09 |
| 2026-07-17 | USD 302.84 | USD 300.06 |
| 2026-07-14 | USD 302.82 | USD 300.04 |
| 2026-07-07 | USD 302.80 | USD 300.02 |
| 2026-07-03 | USD 302.81 | USD 300.03 |
| 2026-07-02 | USD 302.80 | USD 300.02 |
| 2026-06-30 | USD 302.80 | USD 300.03 |
| 2026-06-23 | USD 302.80 | USD 300.02 |
| 2026-06-15 | USD 302.83 | USD 300.05 |
| 2026-06-08 | USD 302.82 | USD 300.05 |
| 2026-05-14 | USD 302.78 | USD 300.00 |
| 2025-12-29 | USD 302.78 | USD 300.00 |
Price Trend
Shipping UAE cargo by industry
This rate is for the lane. What decides whether the cargo arrives intact is the commodity — how it prices, how it must be packed and loaded, and which compliance step holds it at the border. These guides cover that per industry.
- Tableware Furniture & Home Products
- Display Stands Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Umbrellas Consumer Goods & Gifts
- Bearings Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Solar Panel New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Prefabricated Building Building Materials & Construction Products
- Pallet Wood, Bamboo & Paper Products
- Conveyor Belts Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Hotel Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Textiles Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Restaurant Furniture Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Metal Fabrication Metal Products & Industrial Components