Current Freight Rates
| Volume | Approx. weight | Rate (USD / CBM) | Per-kg equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 CBM | ≈ 167 KG | USD 359.67 | USD 2.16/KG |
| 2 CBM | ≈ 333 KG | USD 318.00 | USD 1.91/KG |
| 3 CBM | ≈ 500 KG | USD 299.48 | USD 1.80/KG |
| 5 CBM | ≈ 833 KG | USD 290.22 | USD 1.74/KG |
| 5 CBM | ≈ 833 KG | USD 287.29 | USD 1.72/KG |
| 8 CBM | ≈ 1,333 KG | USD 294.24 | USD 1.77/KG |
| 12 CBM | ≈ 2,000 KG | USD 317.39 | USD 1.90/KG |
| 20 CBM | ≈ 3,333 KG | USD 308.13 | USD 1.85/KG |
| 30 CBM | ≈ 5,000 KG | USD 275.72 | USD 1.65/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
At a Glance
For shippers sending goods from China to Dubai Warehouse, UAE, Sea Freight General Cargo offers an ocean freight option with door delivery. This is a Delivered Duty Paid service: we settle UAE customs duty and import tax for you, and your consignee pays nothing on arrival.
- 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
Suited to general cargo with no batteries, liquids, powders or third-party branding.
Ocean consolidation into UAE prices by the cubic meter. 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: furniture (HS 94), where clearance turns on timber due diligence (EUTR / EUDR) and UK upholstery fire regulations, conveyor belts (HS 39 / 40) and fasteners (HS 73 / 82 / 83). 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 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.
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
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
Restricted goods may need an import permit at destination; tell us what you are shipping and we will check first.
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.
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
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
- Reserve loading space 5-7 days before the sailing cut-off for this route during peak season.
- Ask whether the quote includes destination port charges in UAE or only ocean freight.
- Photograph the container number, seal, and loading process for insurance evidence.
- Declare accurate gross weight — VGM misdeclaration delays vessels and triggers fines.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Sea Freight General 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.
How is the shipping cost on this route calculated?
This lane is published per cubic meter with a one cubic meter 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.
Which ports or airports does this route use into UAE?
Sea cargo to UAE clears through Jebel Ali (Dubai), Khalifa (Abu Dhabi), Sharjah; air freight clears via DXB/DWC (Dubai), AUH (Abu Dhabi), SHJ. We route through whichever gateway gives the fastest onward delivery to your address and build it into the DDP price.
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 359.67 | USD 356.74 |
| 2026-11-04 | USD 359.54 | USD 356.61 |
| 2026-10-24 | USD 359.51 | USD 356.58 |
| 2026-10-16 | USD 359.46 | USD 356.53 |
| 2026-10-10 | USD 359.41 | USD 356.48 |
| 2026-09-30 | USD 359.38 | USD 356.45 |
| 2026-09-30 | USD 359.51 | USD 356.58 |
| 2026-09-30 | USD 359.25 | USD 356.32 |
| 2026-09-17 | USD 356.93 | USD 354.01 |
| 2026-09-15 | USD 356.41 | USD 353.50 |
| 2026-09-15 | USD 346.44 | USD 343.64 |
| 2026-09-07 | USD 253.85 | USD 251.05 |
| 2026-08-31 | USD 253.84 | USD 251.03 |
| 2026-08-17 | USD 251.52 | USD 248.72 |
| 2026-08-17 | USD 251.56 | USD 248.76 |
| 2026-08-06 | USD 251.56 | USD 248.75 |
| 2026-08-03 | USD 251.57 | USD 248.76 |
| 2026-07-30 | USD 251.56 | USD 248.75 |
| 2026-07-20 | USD 251.59 | USD 248.78 |
| 2026-07-17 | USD 250.06 | USD 247.28 |
| 2026-07-14 | USD 250.04 | USD 247.27 |
| 2026-07-07 | USD 250.02 | USD 247.25 |
| 2026-07-03 | USD 250.03 | USD 247.26 |
| 2026-07-02 | USD 250.02 | USD 247.25 |
| 2026-06-30 | USD 250.03 | USD 247.25 |
| 2026-06-23 | USD 250.02 | USD 247.24 |
| 2026-06-15 | USD 250.05 | USD 247.27 |
| 2026-06-08 | USD 250.05 | USD 247.27 |
| 2026-05-14 | USD 250.00 | USD 247.23 |
| 2025-12-29 | USD 250.00 | USD 247.22 |
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.
- Storage Tanks Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Transformers New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Sanitary Ware Building Materials & Construction Products
- Cartons Wood, Bamboo & Paper Products
- Flexible Packaging Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Home Decor Furniture & Home Products
- Technical Textiles Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Outdoor Products Toys, Sports, Outdoor & Leisure
- Fasteners Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Electric Motors General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Wire & Cable New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Wall Panels 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