Current Freight Rates
| Volume | Approx. weight | Rate (USD / CBM) | Per-kg equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 CBM | ≈ 167 KG | USD 470.95 | USD 2.83/KG |
| 2 CBM | ≈ 333 KG | USD 429.29 | USD 2.58/KG |
| 3 CBM | ≈ 500 KG | USD 410.77 | USD 2.46/KG |
| 5 CBM | ≈ 833 KG | USD 401.51 | USD 2.41/KG |
| 5 CBM | ≈ 833 KG | USD 398.58 | USD 2.39/KG |
| 8 CBM | ≈ 1,333 KG | USD 405.52 | USD 2.43/KG |
| 12 CBM | ≈ 2,000 KG | USD 428.67 | USD 2.57/KG |
| 20 CBM | ≈ 3,333 KG | USD 419.41 | USD 2.52/KG |
| 30 CBM | ≈ 5,000 KG | USD 387.01 | USD 2.32/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 meter = 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 meter, 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 meter 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
How This Lane Works
For shippers sending goods from China to Dubai Warehouse, UAE, Sea Freight Battery Cargo offers an ocean freight option with door delivery. Import duty, taxes and customs clearance in UAE are built into the rate, so the price you see is the price delivered.
- Ships from: Shenzhen (Yantian/Shekou), Guangzhou (Nansha) or Ningbo
- Delivers to: Dubai Warehouse, UAE
- Terms: DDP (duty and tax included)
- Chargeable weight: greater of gross kg or L×W×H (cm) ÷ 6000
- Prices quoted in USD
This channel accepts goods with built-in lithium batteries (UN3481/UN3091) when declared with an MSDS and UN38.3 report.
Because this lane is quoted per CBM, the arithmetic runs the opposite way to an air quote: we measure the space and convert at about 166.7 kg per cubic meter only when a weight is all we have been given. Cargo denser than that rides well on this service; cargo lighter than that is usually cheaper consolidated up to a full cubic meter than shipped loose.
In practice the cargo we move on this lane clusters into a few recognisable shapes — exhibition display equipment (HS 94 / 39 / 76), where clearance turns on cE on electrical assemblies and fire classification on display materials, injection molded parts (HS 39 / 40) and fasteners (HS 73 / 82 / 83). Each behaves differently against the rate: one fills the payload before it fills the space, the next does the reverse, and the packing brief we send back with the quote is written to the one you are actually shipping.
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 meter, 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.
Discharge for UAE on this service is at Jebel Ali (Dubai), Khalifa (Abu Dhabi) and Sharjah. Transit time in the rate table is measured to the port, not to the door: the inland days on top depend on which gateway the box clears through and how far inland the delivery address sits.
Rate cards are hard to read against a real order, so we also publish worked examples at fixed weights: 100 KG, 300 KG and 500 KG, each showing what that shipment actually costs door to door on this lane. If you are still choosing between transport modes the China to UAE Sea Freight Cost comparison is the better starting point, and shipping from China to UAE covers the whole journey rather than just the freight.
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Ocean cargo is tracked by container number, not by a parcel barcode. Enter yours below: we check it is a valid number, identify the line that owns it, and take you straight to that line's tracking page for this ocean service.
A container number is four letters and seven digits, for example MSKU6090510. The last digit is a check digit, so a typo can be caught here rather than by an empty result on the carrier's site. We validate it in your browser — the number is not sent to us or to anyone else.
Additional Information
Documents for Booking
- Commercial invoice with unit values in USD
- Packing list with carton count, weights and dimensions
- HS code for each product line
- Consignee name, full address, postal code and phone number
- MSDS and UN38.3 test summary
Send documents before the goods reach our warehouse and the booking usually goes out on the next departure.
Where these numbers come from
We publish these figures so you can budget, but the assessment that binds is the one Dubai Customs makes on your declaration. Where a shipment is large enough that a percentage point matters, check their current tariff guidance rather than ours.
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 UAE, the UAE 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.
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
Maximize every CBM on this route: load your carton list into the 3D container planner, check space and payload utilization, and download the loading plan for your forwarder.
Open Container Planner →UAE Sea Freight Checklist
- Photograph the container number, seal, and loading process for insurance evidence.
- Ask whether the quote includes destination port charges in UAE or only ocean freight.
- Reserve loading space 5-7 days before the sailing cut-off for this route during peak season.
- Declare accurate gross weight — VGM misdeclaration delays vessels and triggers fines.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Sea Freight Battery 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 does DDP shipping to UAE include on this route?
DDP means we quote the freight, the customs entry with Federal Customs Authority (UAE) and last-mile delivery in UAE together, so you settle once. The duty and tax portion depends on your product's HS code, declared value and the exchange rate at entry, so it is confirmed against your actual goods — the figures on this page are indicative and can move either way.
In what currency is this route priced and paid?
Freight is quoted and invoiced in USD; the destination-side currency is AED. Payment is typically due before departure, and DDP means you settle the full landed cost once.
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.
What documents are required for customs clearance in UAE?
Federal Customs Authority (UAE) typically requires a commercial invoice with HS codes, a packing list, the bill of lading/air waybill, a certificate of origin (may lower duty), and any product certification (ESMA/ECAS conformity for electronics). We file these under DDP.
Historical Price Records
All price updates are recorded here. Use the weekly tabs to browse older entries.
| Date | 1-5CBM | 5CBM+ |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-11-05Latest | USD 470.95 | USD 468.02 |
| 2026-11-04 | USD 470.77 | USD 467.84 |
| 2026-10-24 | USD 470.73 | USD 467.80 |
| 2026-10-16 | USD 470.65 | USD 467.73 |
| 2026-10-10 | USD 470.58 | USD 467.65 |
| 2026-09-30 | USD 470.54 | USD 467.62 |
| 2026-09-30 | USD 470.73 | USD 467.80 |
| 2026-09-30 | USD 470.35 | USD 467.43 |
| 2026-09-17 | USD 468.04 | USD 465.12 |
| 2026-09-15 | USD 467.30 | USD 464.38 |
| 2026-09-15 | USD 453.07 | USD 450.26 |
| 2026-09-07 | USD 360.47 | USD 357.67 |
| 2026-08-31 | USD 360.45 | USD 357.64 |
| 2026-08-17 | USD 358.13 | USD 355.33 |
| 2026-08-17 | USD 358.17 | USD 355.37 |
| 2026-08-06 | USD 358.17 | USD 355.36 |
| 2026-08-03 | USD 358.18 | USD 355.37 |
| 2026-07-30 | USD 358.17 | USD 355.36 |
| 2026-07-20 | USD 358.20 | USD 355.39 |
| 2026-07-17 | USD 355.61 | USD 352.83 |
| 2026-07-14 | USD 355.60 | USD 352.82 |
| 2026-07-07 | USD 355.58 | USD 352.80 |
| 2026-07-03 | USD 355.59 | USD 352.81 |
| 2026-07-02 | USD 355.58 | USD 352.80 |
| 2026-06-30 | USD 355.58 | USD 352.80 |
| 2026-06-23 | USD 355.58 | USD 352.80 |
| 2026-06-15 | USD 355.60 | USD 352.83 |
| 2026-06-08 | USD 355.60 | USD 352.82 |
| 2026-05-14 | USD 355.56 | USD 352.78 |
| 2025-12-29 | USD 355.56 | USD 352.78 |
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.
- Bolts Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Industrial Boilers General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Building Materials Building Materials & Construction Products
- Plumbing Products Building Materials & Construction Products
- Engineering Plastics Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Home Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Garden Products Furniture & Home Products
- Illuminated Signs Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Metal Products Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Storage Tanks Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Transformers New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Sanitary Ware Building Materials & Construction Products
About China Ocean Freight
China Ocean Freight is a China-based freight forwarder for importers who buy from Chinese factories. We handle the whole move: pickup from your supplier, warehouse consolidation, export customs, the main sea, air or rail leg, import clearance and delivery to your door.
On this lane we consolidate at our China warehouse, load at Shenzhen, Guangzhou or Ningbo, and coordinate the destination port, customs entry and final delivery in UAE.
- One coordinator owns your shipment from booking to delivery
- Prices taken from current carrier tariffs, not index averages
- Supplier pickup, inspection, repacking and labeling in China
- DDP or DAP terms, with every charge stated before you book