Current rates, transit times, and the weight brackets where the price steps down.
Sea Freight from China to UAE is published at USD 247.3 per cubic metre, with 25-45 days door to door. Figures are indicative freight only; duty and tax through Federal Customs Authority (UAE) follow the commodity and are quoted against your actual goods.
Indicative published rates for planning, not a quotation. Actual cost depends on the product and its HS code, chargeable weight, declared value, duty and tax at destination, and the exchange rate on the day.
| Service | Mode | Rate | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Value Sea Freight – General Cargo | 🚢 Sea Freight | USD 247.3/CBM ≈ USD 1.48/KG | View Details → |
| Sea Freight – Brand Cargo | 🚢 Sea Freight | USD 300.1/CBM ≈ USD 1.80/KG | View Details → |
| Sea Freight – Battery Cargo | 🚢 Sea Freight | USD 352.8/CBM ≈ USD 2.12/KG | View Details → |
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.
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Detailed per-weight pricing for every active route from China to UAE. Each tier reflects the published rate at that exact weight — useful for accurate budgeting at common shipment sizes.
| Volume | Approx. weight | Rate (USD/CBM) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 CBM | ≈ 167 KG | USD 250.06 |
| 2 CBM | ≈ 333 KG | USD 208.39 |
| 3 CBM | ≈ 500 KG | USD 189.88 |
| 5 CBM | ≈ 833 KG | USD 180.62 |
| 5 CBM | ≈ 833 KG | USD 177.84 |
| 8 CBM | ≈ 1,333 KG | USD 184.78 |
| 12 CBM | ≈ 2,000 KG | USD 207.93 |
| 20 CBM | ≈ 3,333 KG | USD 198.67 |
| 30 CBM | ≈ 5,000 KG | USD 166.26 |
| Volume | Approx. weight | Rate (USD/CBM) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 CBM | ≈ 167 KG | USD 302.84 |
| 2 CBM | ≈ 333 KG | USD 261.17 |
| 3 CBM | ≈ 500 KG | USD 242.65 |
| 5 CBM | ≈ 833 KG | USD 233.39 |
| 5 CBM | ≈ 833 KG | USD 230.62 |
| 8 CBM | ≈ 1,333 KG | USD 237.56 |
| 12 CBM | ≈ 2,000 KG | USD 260.71 |
| 20 CBM | ≈ 3,333 KG | USD 251.45 |
| 30 CBM | ≈ 5,000 KG | USD 219.04 |
| Volume | Approx. weight | Rate (USD/CBM) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 CBM | ≈ 167 KG | USD 355.62 |
| 2 CBM | ≈ 333 KG | USD 313.95 |
| 3 CBM | ≈ 500 KG | USD 295.43 |
| 5 CBM | ≈ 833 KG | USD 286.17 |
| 5 CBM | ≈ 833 KG | USD 283.39 |
| 8 CBM | ≈ 1,333 KG | USD 290.34 |
| 12 CBM | ≈ 2,000 KG | USD 313.49 |
| 20 CBM | ≈ 3,333 KG | USD 304.23 |
| 30 CBM | ≈ 5,000 KG | USD 271.82 |
Verified reviews from importers who have shipped with us to UAE.
This was a DDP shipment to UAE for mixed cartons. The customs side was handled professionally. Cartons arrived clean and labels were still readable on delivery. Would use the same line again for general cargo.
We tested this lane to UAE with a mid-volume order. The customs side was handled professionally. Pickup from the supplier was arranged quickly and customs stayed under control. Would use the same line again for general cargo.
This was a DDP shipment to UAE for mixed cartons. Pricing stayed in line with the original quote. Cartons arrived clean and labels were still readable on delivery. A practical option when we need predictable landed cost.
We used this route for a regular replenishment to UAE. Pricing stayed in line with the original quote. The landed price stayed aligned with the quote, which helped our budgeting. Overall a reliable experience for repeat imports.
Booked another door-to-door shipment to UAE through this team. The customs side was handled professionally. Transit was close to the estimate and the destination delivery appointment was handled well. A practical option when we need predictable landed cost. الخدمة كانت ممتازة والمتابعة واضحة.
Booked another door-to-door shipment to UAE through this team. The customs side was handled professionally. Pickup from the supplier was arranged quickly and customs stayed under control. Would use the same line again for general cargo.
Booked another door-to-door shipment to UAE through this team. The customs side was handled professionally. The booking process was straightforward and the team confirmed documents early. Overall a reliable experience for repeat imports.
We used this route for a regular replenishment to UAE. The customs side was handled professionally. Transit was close to the estimate and the destination delivery appointment was handled well. Better coordination than the forwarder we used before.
We tested this lane to UAE with a mid-volume order. Pricing stayed in line with the original quote. The landed price stayed aligned with the quote, which helped our budgeting. Would use the same line again for general cargo. التسليم كان مرتباً بدون رسوم مفاجئة.
We tested this lane to UAE with a mid-volume order. Pricing stayed in line with the original quote. Pickup from the supplier was arranged quickly and customs stayed under control. Better coordination than the forwarder we used before.
This was a DDP shipment to UAE for mixed cartons. The customs side was handled professionally. The booking process was straightforward and the team confirmed documents early. Overall a reliable experience for repeat imports.
We used this route for a regular replenishment to UAE. Pricing stayed in line with the original quote. Cartons arrived clean and labels were still readable on delivery. A practical option when we need predictable landed cost.
Historical freight rates from China to UAE. Data sourced from live carrier price feeds.
The country-specific numbers we plan every UAE booking around:
| Main sea gateways | Jebel Ali (Dubai), Khalifa Port (Abu Dhabi), Sharjah |
|---|---|
| Destination customs authority | Federal Customs Authority (UAE) |
| De-minimis / duty-free threshold | AED 300 |
| Import tax & duty regime | VAT 5%; standard customs duty 5% CIF (0% in free zones) |
| Local currency | AED |
| Typical port/airport dwell time | 2–5 days |
| Peak / busy season | Sep–Nov |
| Conformity & certification | ESMA / ECAS conformity for regulated electronics |
Thresholds and duty bands are buyer-planning references, not formal customs rulings — confirm the exact HS-code rate for your goods before shipping.
| Method | Transit Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Air Freight DDP | 5–10 business days | From China warehouse to UAE door |
| Sea Freight LCL | 30–50 calendar days | Shared container to UAE port + delivery |
| Express Courier | 3–7 business days | DHL/FedEx/UPS door-to-door, high cost for this weight |
At 100 KG you've crossed into commercial freight — heavy enough to earn competitive per-kilo rates, yet still in the window where air can out-perform ocean once you price in inventory time. Typical cargo on this band into UAE is electronics, apparel and general-goods replenishment.
A freight rate is a scope, not just a number. Two quotes for the same lane can differ by a third and still describe the same shipment, because one of them stops at the port and the other reaches the door. Here is where the line falls on the figures published above.
When you compare us against another quote, compare the scope first. Ask what the number stops at, whether duty is inside it or beside it, and who pays the destination terminal. The rate that looks cheapest on an email is frequently the one with the most left out of it.
On the current feed, China-to-UAE rates open at USD 247.28/CBM via Sea Freight – General Cargo. For a 100 KG load that works out to a freight total of approximately USD 247. RateHive can manage the customs entry and import-tax step, while the duty itself follows the VAT 5%; standard customs duty 5% CIF (0% in free zones) set by Federal Customs Authority (UAE).
Entries into UAE are assessed by Federal Customs Authority (UAE), and the regime that applies is: VAT 5%; standard customs duty 5% CIF (0% in free zones). On de-minimis, the position is AED 300. RateHive offers managed clearance and tax processing — a coordination service, not Incoterms DDP — to handle these formalities for you.
Chargeable weight is the greater of actual gross weight and volumetric weight, where volumetric weight is L × W × H in centimetres divided by 6000. One cubic metre therefore equals 167 kg. If a consignment weighs 300 kg but measures out to only 200 kg volumetric, it is charged on the 300 kg — the higher of the two always wins. Sea LCL and sea DDP channels are published per cubic metre rather than per kilogram, with a one cubic metre minimum. Where a page knows only a weight, it converts at 167 kg per CBM to show an indicative volume — 100 kg shows as about 1 CBM. Send real dimensions for a firm figure.
Ocean cargo into UAE generally moves through Jebel Ali (Dubai), Khalifa Port (Abu Dhabi), Sharjah; air clears via DXB / DWC (Dubai), AUH (Abu Dhabi), SHJ (Sharjah). We route through whichever gateway gives the fastest onward leg to your delivery address, with clearance handled as a managed service.
We take the greater of actual gross weight and volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000 for air), rounded up to the next kilo. One cubic metre therefore counts as about 167 kg. A 300 kg consignment that measures out to only 200 kg volumetric is still charged on the 300 kg — the higher of the two always wins. For 100 KG this bites hardest on light-but-bulky cargo, so re-packing or consolidating cartons can pull you into a cheaper band.
Space into UAE gets tight around Sep–Nov, layered on top of the China-side crunch at Chinese New Year (Jan/Feb) and Golden Week (early Oct). Booking a week or two ahead in those windows locks in both capacity and price.
Reckon on these door-to-door windows into UAE: air 5–10 business days, ocean LCL 30–50 days, ocean FCL 28–45 days. Add roughly 2–5 days for clearance and dwell at the gateway, which RateHive can manage end to end.
Federal Customs Authority (UAE) will generally want: a commercial invoice carrying HS codes and value; a packing list with weights and dimensions; the bill of lading or air waybill; a certificate of origin where it can cut duty; and any commodity-specific certification (ESMA / ECAS conformity for regulated electronics). RateHive can prepare and lodge these as part of managed clearance.