Port of Xiamen shipping covers the main container gateway of Fujian province, which handled a record 12.5 million TEU in 2025. Most export boxes load at the Haicang and Songyu terminals on the mainland side of the bay or at Haitian on Xiamen island. This guide explains the terminals, the cargo Fujian sends, China's export rules at the port and how to ship from Xiamen to Dubai. We ship both ways: from Xiamen to Dubai, and from Dubai to Xiamen.
Port of Xiamen: key facts at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Xiamen, Fujian province, southeast China |
| UN/LOCODE | CNXMG |
| Port authority | Xiamen Port Authority, part of the Xiamen municipal government |
| Main container operator | Xiamen Container Terminal Group (XCTG), part of Xiamen Port Holding Group |
| Container throughput 2025 | 12,507,700 TEU, up 2.1% |
| Container throughput 2024 | 12,254,700 TEU |
| World ranking | 15th in the Lloyd's List Top 100 Ports 2026 |
| XCTG network | 8 container terminals, 32 container berths, about 9 km of shoreline, 71 gantry cranes |
| XCTG design capacity | About 20 million TEU a year |
| Deepest container berths | 17 m alongside at Xiamen Songyu Container Terminal |
| Main container areas | Haicang (incl. Songyu, Haitong, Ocean Gate), Haitian, Dongdu |
| Sea-rail hinterland | Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei and northern Fujian |
| Export customs | China Customs (GACC); export declared 24 hours before loading |
| Usual UAE discharge port | Jebel Ali, Dubai |
| Dubai to Xiamen (import into China) | Consignee or its customs broker declares within 14 days of the ship's arrival declaration |
Where is the Port of Xiamen and what does it serve?
Xiamen sits on the coast of Fujian, between Shanghai and Shenzhen. The port wraps around Xiamen Bay. Some terminals are on Xiamen island itself, and the newer deep-water terminals are on the mainland side in Haicang district. Wikipedia lists twelve port areas in all, with about 30 km of harbour coastline and water depth up to 17 m.
In 2010 Xiamen Port merged with the neighbouring port of Zhangzhou, so the port authority now manages both sides of the bay. For your booking, the port is still simply Xiamen, code CNXMG.
The port's natural hinterland is Fujian: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Putian, Longyan and Fuzhou. Its rail links reach further inland. In the first seven months of 2025 the port moved 89,100 TEU by sea-rail, up 24.54%, mostly on routes from Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei and northern Fujian, according to the Xiamen Port Authority.
A simple rule for buyers in Dubai: if your supplier is in southern or central Fujian, Xiamen is almost always the right load port. Trucking Fujian cargo to Shenzhen or Ningbo only makes sense when Xiamen has no suitable service for your cargo.
Should you load at Xiamen or another Chinese port?
| Supplier location | Usual load port | When to compare another port |
|---|---|---|
| Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou | Xiamen | Rarely; the truck leg to any other port is long |
| Fuzhou and northern Fujian | Fuzhou or Xiamen | Compare sailings and trucking to both |
| Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei | Xiamen by sea-rail, or a Yangtze or South China port | When the rail link is cheaper than trucking to the coast |
| Guangdong | Shenzhen or Guangzhou | Only for a special service from Xiamen |
| Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shanghai | Ningbo or Shanghai | Almost never Xiamen |
Compare the full cost to your door in Dubai. Inland trucking in China, the number of sailings to Jebel Ali and the total transit time all count, not only the ocean rate.
Which terminals does the Port of Xiamen have?
Xiamen Container Terminal Group runs most of the container business. It operates 8 container terminals with 32 dedicated container berths, about 9 km of shoreline and 71 gantry cranes, and can berth several 200,000 DWT container ships at the same time. In May 2026 its parent offered a 30% stake in XCTG to PSA International. The deal was still under statutory review at that time, so check the operator name on your paperwork if it changes.
Songyu and Haitong: the deep-water mainline berths
The Songyu operational area, made up of the Songyu and Haitong terminals, is Xiamen's main deep-water container facility. It handles mainline services and regional distribution, and can work three vessels of over 20,000 TEU at once. In June 2025 two MSC ships of 150,000 and 200,000 tons berthed there together. In December 2025 the 399.7 m MSC SIXIN started loading at Haitong.
Xiamen Songyu Container Terminal (XSCT) is a joint venture of Xiamen Container Terminal (75%) and APM Terminals (25%). It sits in southeast Haicang, at the junction of two channels and the open sea, which gives ships a short steam in and out.
| Xiamen Songyu Container Terminal | Detail |
|---|---|
| Berths | 3 |
| Quay length | 1,246 m |
| Depth alongside | 17 m |
| Area | 64 ha |
| Annual capacity | 1.8 million TEU |
| Largest vessel | 18,000 TEU |
| Hours | 24 hours a day, 365 days a year |
| Hazardous cargo yard | 7,000 m², added in 2022, for goods such as photoresist, batteries and alcoholic drinks |
Haitian terminal on Xiamen island
Haitian handled 2.86 million TEU in 2025. It focuses on near-sea and Southeast Asia services: its 50 Southeast Asia routes make up over 96% of the port's network to that region. When reporters visited in 2025, 12 ships were alongside at once and its 21 quay cranes were all working. Cargo for Dubai can load here when it moves on a feeder to a hub port, so the terminal on your booking matters.
Xiamen Ocean Gate, the automated terminal with a rail line
Xiamen Ocean Gate Container Terminal, a COSCO Shipping subsidiary in the western Haicang Bonded Port Area, began operating in March 2016 as China's first fully automated container terminal. A rail spur of over 1.5 km runs into the terminal, with three loading lines that each take 40 wagons. The rail yard is designed for 300,000 TEU and 250,000 tonnes of breakbulk a year. This is the link that brings inland cargo from Jiangxi and Hunan to the quay.
| Terminal or area | Location | What it means for your shipment |
|---|---|---|
| Songyu and Haitong | Haicang, southeast | Large mainline ships, deep water, DG yard at Songyu |
| Ocean Gate (COSCO) | Haicang Bonded Port Area, west | Automated, direct rail access for inland cargo |
| Haitian | Xiamen island | Near-sea and Southeast Asia services, feeders to hubs |
| Dongdu | Xiamen island | Older urban area; check the berth with the carrier |
The terminal on the booking decides where the truck goes and when the cut-off falls. Haicang and the island terminals are on opposite sides of the bay, so a truck sent to the wrong one can miss the vessel.
Which carriers call at Xiamen?
The world's top 20 container lines run services through Xiamen. MSC alone moved over 1 million TEU through the port in 2025 on 11 calling routes, including services to the Middle East. Cogoport's March 2026 snapshot of deployed capacity gives a feel for who is strongest at the port.
| Carrier | Share of tracked capacity, March 2026 |
|---|---|
| COSCO | 30.9% |
| MSC | 23.9% |
| CMA CGM | 9.1% |
| Evergreen | 6.6% |
| ONE | 6.4% |
| Yang Ming | 5.0% |
| Maersk | 3.8% |
These shares change with each schedule. What matters is whether your service calls Jebel Ali directly or transships at a hub, which changes the transit time.
[AMIR-FACT: our real transit time from Xiamen to Jebel Ali (direct and via transshipment) and the carriers or services we usually book for Xiamen cargo]
What cargo moves through the Port of Xiamen?
Xiamen's export mix follows Fujian's factories. Ships leaving the Songyu area for Europe carry mechanical parts, timber, marble, garments, footwear and food products, according to the Xiamen free trade zone. For buyers in Dubai the most common Fujian goods are building materials and consumer goods.
| Cargo | Where it comes from | What to plan |
|---|---|---|
| Granite, marble and stone slabs | Xiamen and Quanzhou stone clusters | Weight limits, A-frames or crates, treated wood packaging |
| Ceramic tiles and sanitary ware | Quanzhou and southern Fujian | Heavy boxes, breakage, pallet strength |
| Footwear, sportswear and garments | Jinjiang, Quanzhou, Putian | LCL consolidation, carton marks, UAE trademark checks |
| LED lighting and electronics | Xiamen | Lithium batteries inside products are DG |
| Machinery and parts | Xiamen, Fuzhou, inland by rail | Flat rack or breakbulk for oversized pieces |
| Tea and food products | Fujian | UAE food registration and labelling |
Shipping heavy stone and ceramics from Xiamen
Stone slabs, tiles and sanitary ware are dense. A 20ft box often reaches the carrier's weight limit long before it is full, which is why most stone moves in 20ft containers rather than 40ft. Ask the carrier for the maximum payload on your booking and check the road weight rules for the truck leg in both China and the UAE.
Slabs should travel on wooden A-frames or in crates, braced so they cannot shift. Use wood packaging that is ISPM 15 treated and marked. Granite and marble buyers should also inspect a sample slab before loading, because a claim for cracked or mismatched slabs is hard to settle after arrival.
Shipping from Xiamen to Dubai: FCL and LCL
Most cargo from Xiamen to Dubai moves in containers into Jebel Ali. You have two main choices.
- FCL (full container load). You book a whole 20ft or 40ft box, stuffed at the factory or a warehouse near the port. It suits stone, tiles and larger orders.
- LCL (less than container load). Your cartons share a box with other shippers and are unpacked in Dubai. It suits small orders of footwear, garments or lighting.
Buying from several Fujian suppliers? Ask us to consolidate their cargo into one FCL at a Xiamen warehouse, so you clear one shipment. Our article on FCL vs LCL costs shows how to compare, and our sea freight service covers container options.
What a Xiamen to Dubai shipment timeline includes
| Stage | Where | What can delay it |
|---|---|---|
| Cargo ready and packed | Supplier's factory | Production delays, weak packing for stone or tiles |
| Trucking or rail to port | Factory to Haicang or Haitian | Wrong terminal, overweight truck, rail slot |
| Export clearance | China Customs at Xiamen | Missing data, inspection, DG packaging results |
| Sailing | Xiamen to Jebel Ali | Transshipment at a hub, rolled bookings in peak season |
| Import clearance | Dubai Customs | Late declaration, missing permit, mismatched papers |
| Delivery | Jebel Ali to your site | No truck slot, site not ready to unload heavy cargo |
Port data sites also track how long boxes wait in the Xiamen yard. Cogoport showed export dwell of 6.7 days and import dwell of 4.7 days in February 2026, a month that includes the Lunar New Year shutdown. Plan around that holiday: factories close, and cargo bunches before and after it.
Breakbulk and project cargo from Xiamen
Fujian makes machinery, steel structures and plant equipment as well as consumer goods. Pieces slightly over height or width usually go on open tops or flat racks on container ships, which gives you more sailings. Pieces too large for a flat rack move as breakbulk, and the vessel date then drives the whole plan. The Ocean Gate rail yard's breakbulk capacity also means some inland pieces can reach the port by train.
For project cargo from Xiamen we plan in this order:
- Get drawings, dimensions, weights and centre of gravity for each piece from the supplier.
- Choose flat rack, open top or breakbulk, and confirm the berth with the carrier.
- Agree lifting points, lashing and securing with the carrier and terminal.
- Prepare a piece-by-piece packing list that matches the invoice and bill of lading.
- Plan discharge, road permits and delivery in the UAE.
Our break bulk and project cargo service handles the UAE end of these moves.
Dangerous goods through the Port of Xiamen
Xiamen exports a lot of lithium battery products, LED fittings with batteries, paints, adhesives and chemicals. These are dangerous goods and need extra steps before a carrier accepts them.
At the port, Xiamen Songyu Container Terminal opened a 7,000 m² hazardous cargo yard in 2022 for goods such as photoresist, batteries and alcoholic drinks. Each terminal and carrier still decides which classes it accepts and how long a DG box may sit in the yard, so get acceptance before the supplier books a truck.
China Customs inspects the packaging used for exported dangerous goods. Since July 2024 a nationwide pilot lets qualified exporters ship several lots of the same batch after one on-site check. Classes 6.2 and 7 are excluded. Sea DG moves under the IMDG Code, 2024 edition (Amendment 42-24), mandatory since 1 January 2026.
- UN number, proper shipping name, class and packing group.
- Safety Data Sheet for each product.
- China Customs packaging inspection results.
- Signed DG declaration and container packing certificate.
- Labels on packages and placards on the container.
At Jebel Ali some DG classes have strict time limits in the port, so prepare the Dubai declaration before the vessel arrives. Our dangerous goods shipping team checks papers and carrier acceptance before you commit to a sailing.
Export customs at the Port of Xiamen
Exports through Xiamen are cleared by China Customs under the same national rules as Shanghai or Shenzhen. In short:
- The consignor, usually your supplier, files the export declaration itself or through a customs broker.
- The declaration is made once the goods reach the customs supervision area and 24 hours before loading.
- The exporter must be registered as a foreign trade operator, which can be done through the China International Trade Single Window.
What is specific to Xiamen is the free trade zone. The Haicang Bonded Port Area and the bonded zone at Xiamen airport sit inside the Xiamen area of the Fujian pilot free trade zone. If your supplier ships out of a bonded warehouse, ask which declaration it will file and make sure the value matches the invoice you give Dubai Customs.
Documents for a Xiamen to Dubai shipment
| Document | Prepared by | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | Supplier | China export declaration and Dubai Customs |
| Packing list | Supplier | Both customs authorities, the terminal and weight checks |
| China export declaration | Supplier or its broker | Export clearance before loading |
| Bill of lading | Carrier or forwarder | Title to the goods and release in Dubai |
| Certificate of origin | Issuing body in China | Dubai Customs declaration |
| DG papers, if any | Supplier | Carrier acceptance and port rules |
| UAE permit, if restricted | Consignee | Release of restricted goods in Dubai |
What happens when Xiamen cargo arrives in Dubai?
Dubai Customs charges 5% duty on the CIF value of most goods, with 50% on alcohol and 100% on cigarettes, and import VAT also applies. To file a declaration you need a Dubai Customs business code, or a licensed clearing agent can file with your authorisation. Our Jebel Ali port guide covers terminals, trucking and declaration types at the Dubai end.
How to ship from Xiamen to Dubai: step by step
- Agree the Incoterm with your supplier. FOB Xiamen is usually simplest, because the supplier handles Chinese export clearance. Our Incoterms guide explains the options.
- Send us the cargo details: commodity, HS code, weight, volume or dimensions, supplier address, ready date and any DG.
- Get a quote and routing. We confirm the load terminal, the sailing and whether it goes direct or via a hub.
- Check UAE permits for restricted goods and apply before the cargo sails.
- Book space. For DG, heavy stone or out-of-gauge cargo we get carrier acceptance first.
- Release the empty, stuff and seal the container. For LCL, the supplier delivers cartons to the consolidation warehouse.
- The supplier or its broker files the export declaration, and the truck gates in at the right terminal before the cut-off.
- We check the draft bill of lading against the invoice and packing list.
- We prepare the Dubai declaration before arrival, so clearance is ready when the vessel berths.
- Duty, VAT and local charges are paid, the delivery order is issued and the cargo is delivered.
Our Dubai freight forwarding team runs the UAE end and works with your supplier on the Xiamen side.
Air cargo from Xiamen
For samples and urgent orders, Xiamen Gaoqi airport is the usual departure point. LED products with batteries are dangerous goods by air too. See our air cargo service for what we book as an IATA-approved agent.
How to ship from Dubai to Xiamen
Cargo also moves the other way: re-exports from UAE free zones, machinery going back for repair, samples and project materials for Fujian buyers. Shipping from Dubai to Xiamen means loading at Jebel Ali, Khalifa or Sharjah, usually with a transshipment on the way. Ask for a bill of lading that shows Xiamen as the port of discharge, and confirm whether the box lands at Haicang, Songyu or Haitian.
The UAE export side
We book the space, arrange pickup and trucking in the UAE, and prepare the UAE export declaration, or the free zone exit papers for a re-export. For DG cargo we get acceptance from every carrier on the route before the box is stuffed.
The China import side
- The import consignee files the declaration with China Customs itself or entrusts a customs broker.
- The declaration is due within 14 days from the date the ship's arrival is declared.
- The consignee must be registered as a foreign trade operator. A consignee may only entrust a broker that is registered with China Customs.
- Import duty and import VAT depend on the HS code and the origin of the goods, so the consignee's broker should confirm them before you ship.
- If the consignee takes the cargo into a bonded zone such as the Haicang Bonded Port Area, its broker decides which declaration applies.
- Send us the cargo details, the HS code, the consignee in Xiamen or Fujian and the Incoterm.
- We book space to Xiamen and confirm the discharge terminal.
- We arrange pickup in the UAE, or delivery of LCL cargo to the consolidator before the cut-off.
- We file the UAE export declaration and check packing and labels on DG cargo.
- We check the draft bill of lading against the invoice and packing list.
- We send the consignee the bill of lading, invoice, packing list and certificate of origin before the ship arrives.
- The consignee or its broker declares the cargo to China Customs and pays duty and import VAT.
- The consignee or its trucker collects the box and returns the empty inside free time.
We do not clear cargo in China ourselves. We work with the consignee's customs broker in Xiamen.
[AMIR-FACT: the carriers we actually use from Jebel Ali, Khalifa Port or Sharjah to Xiamen and our real transit days in this direction]
What affects the cost of shipping from Xiamen?
| Cost part | What moves it |
|---|---|
| Origin trucking or rail | Distance from the factory, Haicang or island terminal, cargo weight |
| Origin port and export charges | Terminal handling, export declaration, LCL consolidation |
| Ocean freight | Direct or transshipment service, container type, season, surcharges |
| Heavy cargo | Overweight surcharges, extra bracing for stone and tiles |
| DG and out-of-gauge | DG surcharges, packaging inspection, flat rack premiums |
| Dubai charges and duty | Terminal handling, delivery order, 5% duty on CIF value |
| Delays | Demurrage and detention when free time runs out |
Ask every forwarder to quote the same scope from the same Incoterm to the same delivery point. Our article on demurrage and detention explains the charges that build up when free time runs out.
Checklist before you ship from Xiamen
- Incoterm agreed and written in the contract.
- Load terminal confirmed: Haicang (Songyu, Haitong, Ocean Gate) or Haitian.
- Maximum payload confirmed for heavy stone, tile or sanitary ware boxes.
- Wood packaging ISPM 15 marked.
- HS code confirmed and UAE duty checked.
- Invoice, packing list and draft bill of lading match on weights, pieces and consignee.
- Supplier able to file the export declaration, or a broker appointed.
- Certificate of origin requested.
- For DG: SDS, packaging inspection results, DG declaration and carrier acceptance.
- Lunar New Year closures built into the plan.
Common mistakes when shipping through Xiamen
- Trucking to the wrong side of the bay. A Haicang booking sent to an island terminal misses the cut-off.
- Overloading a box of stone or tiles. The terminal or the road checks catch it and the box is held.
- Weak bracing for slabs. Cracked granite is hard to claim once it reaches Dubai.
- Undeclared batteries in LED or electronic goods. The carrier can reject or fine the shipment.
- Assuming a direct sailing. Many Xiamen services transship, which adds days and handling.
- Values that do not match. The Chinese export value and the Dubai invoice should agree.
Frequently asked questions
What is the port code for Xiamen?
The UN/LOCODE for the Port of Xiamen is CNXMG. It appears on bookings, bills of lading and tracking systems.
How big is the Port of Xiamen?
Xiamen handled 12,507,700 TEU in 2025, up 2.1% on 2024, and ranked 15th in the Lloyd's List Top 100 Ports 2026.
Which terminal does my Xiamen cargo load at?
Your carrier's service decides. Mainline ships usually use the Songyu and Haitong terminals in Haicang, while Haitian on Xiamen island focuses on near-sea and Southeast Asia routes. Check the terminal on the booking before you book a truck.
How deep is the water at the Xiamen terminals?
Xiamen Songyu Container Terminal has 17 m of water alongside its three berths and takes ships of up to 18,000 TEU. The Songyu area can work three vessels of over 20,000 TEU at once.
Can I ship dangerous goods from Xiamen?
Yes. You need the UN number and class, an SDS, China Customs packaging inspection results, a DG declaration and carrier acceptance under the IMDG Code. Xiamen Songyu Container Terminal has a dedicated hazardous cargo yard.
Is Xiamen a good port for stone and tiles to Dubai?
Yes. It is the closest port to the Xiamen and Quanzhou stone and ceramics clusters. Plan for weight limits, strong A-frames or crates, and ISPM 15 wood packaging.
Who files the export declaration in Xiamen?
The consignor, usually the supplier, files it with China Customs directly or through a customs broker. The goods must be in the customs area, and the declaration made 24 hours before loading.
How does shipping from Xiamen to Dubai work?
Your supplier, or its broker, files the China export declaration and delivers the box to the terminal. We book space to Jebel Ali, check the bill of lading, file the Dubai Customs declaration before arrival and arrange delivery.
How does shipping from Dubai to Xiamen work?
We book space from Jebel Ali, Khalifa or Sharjah to Xiamen and file the UAE export declaration. In China, the consignee or its customs broker declares the cargo within 14 days of the ship's arrival declaration and pays duty and import VAT by HS code.
Should I ship from Xiamen or Shenzhen?
Use the port nearest your supplier. Xiamen suits Fujian and, by rail, parts of Jiangxi and Hunan. Shenzhen suits Guangdong. Compare the total cost to your door, not only the ocean rate.
Get a quote for Port of Xiamen shipping
Send us your supplier's location, cargo details and ready date, and we will come back with a routing and price from Xiamen to Dubai. Use our freight rate inquiry form, or contact our team to talk through a stone, DG or project shipment first.
Sources
- Lloyd's List: 15 Xiamen (China), Top 100 Ports 2026 (2025 and 2024 throughput)
- Xiamen FAO / China Daily: 12.51 million TEU in 2025, Haitian terminal volume and Southeast Asia routes
- Worldports: Xiamen Port Authority figures for January to July 2025 (sea-rail, Haitian)
- Xiamen FTZ / China Daily: PSA stake in Xiamen Container Terminal Group (May 2026)
- APM Terminals: Xiamen Songyu Container Terminal
- Xiamen FTZ: Songyu operational area handles dual mega ship berthing (June 2025)
- Xiamen FTZ / China Daily: MSC passes 1 million TEU at Xiamen in 2025
- China Daily: Xiamen Ocean Gate automated terminal and sea-rail yard (July 2026)
- Wikipedia: Port of Xiamen (port areas, depth, 2010 merger, port authority, carriers)
- Cogoport: Xiamen port statistics (dwell times, operator capacity)
- iContainers: Port of Xiamen (UN/LOCODE CNXMG, terminal areas)
- Shanghai Municipal Government: China customs registration and declaration rules (export 24 hours before loading; import within 14 days of arrival)
- CIRS: China customs batch inspection pilot for DG packaging (July 2024)
- IMO: IMDG Code 2024 edition (Amendment 42-24)
- General Administration of Customs of China: customs broker responsibilities and limits on entrusting declarations
- General Administration of Customs of China: registration of consignees and consignors of imported or exported goods
- Dubai Customs: FAQ (duty, business code, clearing agents)
- UAE Government portal: Customs duty
Reviewed: 10 November 2026