If you’re moving goods from China to the UAE, this guide gives you the fastest path to a reliable delivery date and a clear landed cost. We compare ocean, air, and express, show realistic timelines, and explain customs duty, VAT, and free‑zone rules in plain English. Where it helps, we include simple examples—and we point out exactly where our team can take work off your plate.
Quick answer:
- Ocean is the best value for bulky, non‑urgent freight; air and express win when speed or product value matters.
- UAE customs duty is typically 5% of CIF for most goods; 50% on alcohol and 100% on tobacco (exceptions apply).
- The standard VAT rate is 5%, with special treatment in Designated Zones (certain free zones) when conditions are met.
Methods at a Glance
express shipping from China — 1–3 business days door‑to‑door — best for samples and small urgent orders — choose when you need time‑definite delivery and minimal paperwork.
air freight from China — ~3–7 days door‑to‑door — best for high‑value or time‑sensitive pallets (≈100–5,000 kg) — choose priority air for hard deadlines, deferred air for savings.
sea freight from China — LCL ~24–40+ days door‑to‑door for 2–12 CBM; FCL ~22–35+ days door‑to‑door for 13–68 CBM (20’/40’) — fastest ocean legs typically route to Jebel Ali in Dubai; always confirm the week’s rotation.
DDP via express/air/sea — Express 1–3d • Air 4–8d • Sea 28–45+d — best when you want landed pricing and one accountable partner — we confirm DDP fit by HS code via Compare options / request a dated quote.
Sea Freight from China to the UAE
FCL vs LCL: how to decide
Below ~12 CBM, LCL often wins on total spend; above that, FCL usually delivers a lower $/CBM with fewer handlings.
Gateways that matter
Jebel Ali (Dubai) is the region’s main hub with high‑frequency Asia calls and deep capacity across multiple terminals—one reason it’s the default UAE entry for China origin.
Khalifa Port (Abu Dhabi) is a strong alternative depending on buyer location and carrier rotation.
Typical transit times to plan against
Shanghai → Jebel Ali: fast strings around ~18–19 days port‑to‑port.
Ningbo → Jebel Ali: fast strings around ~16–17 days port‑to‑port.
Cost drivers you control
Cut‑offs and paperwork (CI/PL/HS, VGM), packaging density (chargeable volume), buyer’s consolidation at origin to reach FCL break‑even, and routing (Jebel Ali vs Khalifa Port + inland).
Air Freight from China to the UAE
Key airports
DXB (Dubai International), DWC (Al Maktoum International), and AUH (Abu Dhabi). DWC connects directly to Jebel Ali by bonded road, enabling fast sea‑air or air‑sea moves; Emirates SkyCargo and dnata operate large dual‑hub infrastructure.
What affects time and price
- Service level: priority vs deferred air.
- Chargeable weight: we calculate volumetric vs actual and show the break‑even vs LCL/FCL.
- Terminals & screening: allow for export screening in China and import handling in the UAE.
Express Courier to the UAE
Express suits small, urgent B2B shipments and samples. In Dubai, Customs Notice 05/2022 lowered the duty‑free threshold to AED 300 effective 1 Jan 2023; Dubai Customs later communicated reinstatement of the former GCC threshold (≈SAR 1,000 ≈ AED 980) from 1 Mar 2023. Policies can differ by emirate and channel—confirm the current threshold and VAT treatment for your consignee before shipping.
DDP Shipping to the UAE
Importer of Record in Dubai
Mainland imports require a Dubai Customs client code (importer code) tied to a valid UAE trade licence. You register through Dubai Trade → Request Business Registration; approval issues your company registration and customs code.
When to choose DDP vs DAP
Choose DDP for compliant, non‑restricted goods when you control documents and taxes. Choose DAP if your items likely need local conformity approvals that the buyer must hold. Many regulated products require ECAS/EQM certification from the Ministry of Industry & Advanced Technology (MoIAT).
Customs, VAT and Excise in the UAE
Duty basics
For most tariff lines, customs duty = 5% of CIF. Some categories (e.g., alcohol, tobacco) carry higher rates.
VAT at import
The standard VAT rate is 5%. VAT is normally charged on imports; check if you qualify for any reliefs or if reverse charge applies under your setup.
Designated Zones (free‑zone VAT treatment)
Only free zones listed as Designated Zones receive special VAT treatment (they are treated as outside the UAE for movement of goods if conditions are met). Moving goods from a Designated Zone into mainland usually triggers import VAT. Always verify whether your specific zone is on the FTA list.
VAT registration thresholds
UAE‑resident businesses must register when taxable supplies and imports exceed AED 375,000; voluntary registration is available from AED 187,500. Non‑resident businesses making taxable supplies in the UAE often must register regardless of threshold.
Excise tax (selected goods)
UAE excise applies to: 100% on tobacco products, electronic smoking devices and their liquids, and energy drinks; 50% on carbonated drinks and sweetened drinks. If you trade these items, factor excise into your landed‑cost and labelling plan.
Example Routes and Indicative Times
- Sea — Shanghai to Jebel Ali: fastest schedules around ~18–19 days port‑to‑port; add origin/destination handling and any inland legs for door‑to‑door.
- Sea — Ningbo to Jebel Ali: fast strings around ~16–17 days port‑to‑port; confirm your carrier’s rotation for the week.
- Air — PVG/CAN/SZX/HKG to DXB/DWC/AUH: flight time <1 day; typical door‑to‑door ~3–5 days including terminals and customs.
- Express — South/East China pickup to UAE: 1–3 business days time‑definite; check the Dubai/other emirate low‑value rules for your consignee.
What It Costs—and Five Ways to Reduce It
Spot rates move with capacity and season. We’ll quote a dated, all‑in comparison across FCL/LCL/air/express (THC, documentation, inland where needed) so you can compare apples‑to‑apples.
- Mode & service level — Above volume break‑even, FCL almost always beats LCL on $/CBM; use deferred air when timelines allow.
- Routing — Compare Jebel Ali vs Khalifa Port plus inland to your delivery city.
- Consolidation — Combine suppliers at our China hubs to hit FCL sooner and cut unit cost.
- Packaging density — Right‑size cartons/pallets to reduce chargeable volume (critical for LCL/air).
- Cargo‑ready discipline — Align CI/PL/HS, labels, and VGM with cut‑offs to prevent rollovers and storage.
How ZGGship Handles Your China to UAE Cargo
We compare sea freight from China, air freight from China, and express shipping from China on a single, dated sheet with realistic door‑to‑door ETAs, so you can choose speed vs. cost without guessing.
Origin control & consolidation.
We pick up from multiple suppliers across South/East China, consolidate at our origin hubs, and help you reach FCL break‑even sooner. For LCL, we optimize cartonization to reduce chargeable volume and handling risk.
Schedule‑first routing.
We plan the week’s rotation (direct vs. transshipment) into Jebel Ali or Khalifa Port and lock cut‑offs (docs, VGM) early to avoid rollovers. If a deadline tightens, we switch to deferred/priority air or a limited express uplift for critical SKUs.
DDP execution where appropriate.
When your HS codes and paperwork fit DDP, we coordinate Importer‑of‑Record requirements, pre‑calculate duty/VAT, and handle customs clearance and final delivery as one accountable workflow.
Free‑zone & Designated Zone handling.
For JAFZA/Khalifa industrial zones, we manage inbound procedures, zone‑to‑mainland transfers, and—when needed—rework, relabeling, and palletization that preserve VAT treatment until goods enter the mainland.
Compliance‑first paperwork.
We quality‑check commercial invoice, packing list, HS codes, and any required conformity docs (e.g., ECAS/EQM for regulated products) before booking. This prevents holds and surprise fees.
Visibility and exception management.
You get milestone tracking from factory pickup to POD, a single point of contact, proactive delay alerts, and clear next steps when plans change.
Cost & risk controls.
We design a container load plan, advise on packaging density, arrange cargo insurance on request, and pre‑book local delivery windows to minimize storage and truck wait fees.
Two common playbooks we run for clients
- Launch‑date playbook: ship a small portion by air (or express) to meet the sales date; move the balance by sea to protect margin.
- Cost‑leadership playbook: consolidate POs at origin to secure FCL, route to Jebel Ali, and sequence last‑mile deliveries by postcode to cut drayage and waiting time.
Next step: Compare options / request a dated quote and tell us your HS code(s), cargo‑ready date, pickup address, and UAE delivery city. We’ll design the plan and lock the timeline.