Port of Felixstowe Shipping: Terminals, Customs, Dubai

Container vessel being worked at the Port of Felixstowe — Anil Darya

Port of Felixstowe shipping is how most deep-sea containers reach the UK: the port in Suffolk was Britain's first container port and has been its biggest for over 40 years. It has nine container berths on two terminals, berths up to 18 m deep and Britain's largest intermodal rail facility. This guide covers the terminals, cargo types, customs and port health checks, and how we move your cargo from Dubai to Felixstowe. We ship both ways: from Dubai to Felixstowe, and from Felixstowe to Dubai with clearance on arrival in the UAE.

Port of Felixstowe at a glance

Item	Detail
Location	Felixstowe, Suffolk, on the Harwich Haven estuary, east coast of England
UN/LOCODE	GBFXT
Operator and harbour authority	Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company, part of Hutchison Ports
Container terminals	Two (Trinity Terminal, and Berths 8&9)
Container berths	9
Quay cranes	28
Yard capacity	152,000 TEU
Approach channel	16 m below chart datum, maintained by Harwich Haven Authority
Depth alongside	Up to 18 m (Berths 8&9)
Mega-vessel berths	4 berths (6, 7, 8, 9) for 24,000 TEU ships
Pilot to berth	About 2 hours
Rail	3 rail terminals, 54 daily trains, 15 inland destinations, about 1 million TEU a year
Ro-Ro	Dooley Terminal, trailer services to Vlaardingen (Rotterdam)
Trade reach	Over 200 countries and territories a year
Customs and border	HMRC declarations on CDS; Border Control Post with three inspection facilities
Freeport	Part of Freeport East, one of 12 UK freeports
Felixstowe to Dubai (import)	UK export declaration by the exporter or its agent; Dubai Customs declaration, 5% duty on CIF for most goods, 5% import VAT

A short history of the port

The port began in 1875 as the Felixstowe Railway and Pier Company, founded by Colonel George Tomline, and the dock opened for trade in 1886. On 1 July 1967 it opened the New South Quay, later renamed Landguard Container Terminal, which was the UK's first purpose-built container terminal. Trinity Terminal, the UK's first post-panamax facility, was built in phases through the 1980s and 1990s, with the final phase completed in 2004. Berths 8&9 followed in 2011 and were extended in 2015, partly on the site of the original 1967 quay.

The same company, the Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company, is still the statutory and competent harbour authority. It provides marine services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, while Harwich Haven Authority pilots ships in and maintains the approach channel, which it deepened from 14.5 m to 16 m in 2023.

Where is the Port of Felixstowe and how does cargo move inland?

Felixstowe sits at the mouth of the Harwich Haven estuary in Suffolk. The port says it is closer than any other UK port to the main shipping lanes and the ports of Northern Europe, with minimum deviation for ships on North European rotations. That is why so many deep-sea services include it.

Once the box is landed, you have three ways to move it:

Inland mode	What the port offers	Best for
Road	Direct link to the UK strategic road network, haulier visits booked on the Container Booking System (CBS)	London, East Anglia and the South East
Rail	3 rail terminals, 54 daily trains to 15 inland destinations	The Midlands, the North and Scotland
Coastal feeder	Feeder services to east coast and Scottish ports	Consignees near a smaller port

Rail matters more here than at most UK ports. Felixstowe moves about 1 million TEU a year by rail, and rail carries around 29% of the port's UK domestic throughput, rising to 50% of traffic to the North and West Midlands. Rail operators at the port include DB Cargo (UK) and Maritime Transport, Freightliner and GB Railfreight. If your consignee is near an inland rail terminal, ask for a rail-plus-truck price as well as a straight truck price.

Which terminals does the Port of Felixstowe have?

The port has nine container berths across two container terminals, served by 28 quay cranes, plus a Ro-Ro terminal and three rail terminals. The berth on your vessel's call decides where your container is worked, but the haulier books collection through one system.

Trinity Terminal

Trinity Terminal is the largest container handling facility in the UK. Its 2,354 m quay is one of Europe's longest continuous quays, the developed area is 137 hectares, and it has seven deep-water berths from 11.6 m to 16.5 m deep. That range lets it take everything from feeder ships to large ocean vessels.

Berths 8&9

Berths 8&9 are the newest and deepest berths at the port, with 920 m of quay and 18 m alongside, which makes them the deepest container berths in the UK. They opened in 2011 and were extended in 2015, and can take two of the largest container ships afloat at the same time.

Key terminal figures

Facility	Quay	Depth	Notes
Trinity Terminal	2,354 m	11.6 m to 16.5 m	7 berths, 137 ha
Berths 8&9	920 m	18 m	2 mega-vessel berths
Four deepest berths (6 to 9)	Not stated	Up to 18 m	22 quay cranes, for 24,000 TEU ships
Yard	Not applicable	Not applicable	152,000 TEU capacity, 88 rubber-tyred gantry cranes
Ro-Ro Berth 3	208 m	7.3 m minimum	Dual-lane bridge, 120 t load capacity
Ro-Ro Berth 4	Not stated	9.75 m minimum	Floating linkspan, 360 t load capacity

Dooley Terminal (Ro-Ro)

The Dooley Terminal handles roll-on/roll-off trailers, mainly DFDS services to Vlaardingen near Rotterdam, with 1,035 trailer bays. This matters to Dubai shippers in one case: cargo that lands in Rotterdam and moves to the UK by trailer arrives through a Ro-Ro terminal like this one, with its own booking rules.

What cargo can you ship through Felixstowe?

Cargo type	How it moves	What to plan
General goods	FCL or LCL containers	Commodity code, customs agent, CBS haulier slot
Chilled and frozen food	Reefer containers	IPAFFS notice, port health checks, temperature settings
Machinery and steel	Flat racks, open tops, or non-unitised cargo worked alongside container operations	Breakbulk booking with the port, lifting plan, road permits
Heavy project pieces	Specialist lifting by the port's container division	Drawings, weights, lift plan, delivery route
Dangerous goods	IMDG containers declared by the carrier	DG declaration, SDS, placards, carrier acceptance
Trailers	Ro-Ro through Dooley Terminal	Trailer booking, driver ID

FCL and LCL shipping to Felixstowe

Most cargo from Dubai reaches Felixstowe in containers.

FCL. You book a whole 20ft, 40ft or 40ft high cube box. It is collected from the terminal once customs and the shipping line release it.
LCL. Your goods share a container that is unpacked at a container freight station after arrival. Release waits for the whole box, and for every consignee in it to be cleared.

If you ship more than about half a container, price both. Our guide to FCL vs LCL costs shows the maths, and our sea freight service books both from Jebel Ali.

Breakbulk and project cargo at Felixstowe

Felixstowe is a container port, but its container division also handles non-unitised cargo alongside standard container work, including heavy project and breakbulk pieces, with the port's specialist lifting equipment. The port asks for a breakbulk booking form for this cargo.

For a piece from Dubai, the choice is usually between a flat rack or open top on a container service into Felixstowe, or a conventional breakbulk ship to a port that suits the piece. Our guide to flat rack, open top and out-of-gauge cargo explains the options. We plan it in this order:

Collect drawings, dimensions, weights and centre of gravity.
Check the carrier accepts the piece on a flat rack or open top, and confirm the port's breakbulk booking.
Agree lifting and lashing at Jebel Ali and discharge at Felixstowe.
Plan the UK road move with the consignee's haulier, including any abnormal load notice.
Line up customs so the piece leaves the port quickly.

Our break bulk and project cargo service handles the Dubai side of this plan.

Cargo lifted by a quay crane at the Port of Felixstowe — Anil Darya

Dangerous goods through Felixstowe

Dangerous goods in containers follow the IMDG Code. The carrier must accept your DG booking and pass the details to the port before arrival. From Dubai you need:

UN number, proper shipping name, class and packing group.
A Safety Data Sheet for each product.
A signed dangerous goods declaration.
UN-approved packaging, labels and container placards.
Any UK import licence for controlled chemicals.

Plan DG collection close to arrival and avoid long dwell in the yard. Our dangerous goods shipping team checks documents and carrier acceptance before you book.

Customs clearance at Felixstowe

Felixstowe has no customs rules of its own. HMRC rules apply to every UK port. What changes is who does what at the port.

Step	What happens	Who
Before arrival	Entry summary declaration on S&S GB	Carrier or its agent
Before or on arrival	Import declaration on CDS	Importer's customs agent
Port inventory	Cargo status held in the port community system, linked to customs	Port, carrier, agent
Checks	Documentary, X-ray or physical checks; port health or plant health exams	Border Force, SCPHA, APHA and others
Payment	Duty and VAT paid, deferred or VAT postponed	Importer
Collection	Haulier books a CBS slot and collects	Haulier

The port lists Maritime Cargo Processing plc among its port links. MCP describes itself as the UK's leading port community systems provider, and its Destin8 service includes a customs-approved inventory that gives real-time cargo status.

What does the UK importer need?

An EORI number starting with GB.
A customs agent appointed in writing, directly or indirectly. Anyone dealing with customs for you must be established in the UK.
The 10-digit commodity code: 8 digits in data element 6/14 and 2 in data element 6/15 of the CDS declaration.
Commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading and, for Dubai cargo, a certificate of origin.
Any licence or certificate for controlled goods.

Duty and VAT on goods landed at Felixstowe

Duty is the UK Global Tariff rate for your commodity code, charged on the customs value. For sea cargo, that value includes transport and insurance to the port of importation, here Felixstowe. Import VAT is charged at the same rate as a UK sale (20% standard, 5% reduced, 0% zero) on the customs value plus duty and incidental costs.

A VAT-registered importer can use postponed VAT accounting to account for import VAT on its VAT return instead of paying at the port. Regular importers can also use a duty deferment account, collected on the 16th of the following month.

The UK-GCC free trade agreement was concluded on 20 May 2026 but is not in force until ratified, so goods from the UAE pay standard rates for now.

Inspections and port health checks at Felixstowe

Felixstowe has a Border Control Post with three purpose-built facilities that serve both container terminals and the Ro-Ro terminal. Several authorities can examine cargo at the same time.

Facility	What is examined
71 Shed, temperature-controlled	Mainly products of animal origin; five bays for food for human consumption, two bays for items such as fishmeal and pet food
70 Shed, ambient	Products of animal origin such as honey and canned tuna, and food not of animal origin such as nuts, fruit and spices
72 Shed, ambient and temperature-controlled	Plant health inspections and products of animal origin, mainly Ro-Ro trailer traffic
X-ray scanner	Containers and trailers selected by Border Force

Agencies at the port include Suffolk Coastal Port Health Authority (SCPHA), the Animal and Plant Health Agency, UK Border Force, the Forestry Commission, the Environment Agency and Trading Standards. SCPHA enforces health controls at Felixstowe and says non-compliant high-risk imports may be destroyed at the importer's cost.

If your container is selected, the port moves it to the right facility and works to a daily plan agreed with the authorities, so cargo is not held longer than needed. Exam handling and storage while the box waits are extra costs, which is why clean documents and early notices pay off. The cost and delay of one exam usually outweigh the effort of checking a packing list twice in Dubai.

Food, feed, animal products and medium or high-risk plants must be pre-notified on IPAFFS before arrival. Solid wood packaging must meet ISPM 15 and carry the mark, or it can be rejected or destroyed. Both rules catch Dubai shippers who usually send to markets without them.

Collecting containers: CBS, security and free time

Hauliers book every container delivery and collection on the port's Container Booking System, a real-time appointment system. CBS checks the customer's details at booking, which cuts wasted trips. The port records about 4,000 haulier movements in and out each day and is compliant with ISPS and AEO rules, so drivers need valid ID and may be searched.

Free time is set by the shipping line for the container and by the port for storage. Charges start once it runs out, so clear the goods before arrival and book the haulier early. Our article on demurrage and detention shows how the costs add up.

Container train leaving the Port of Felixstowe for an inland terminal — Anil Darya

Freeport East: does it help your cargo?

Felixstowe is part of Freeport East, one of 12 freeports in the UK, centred on Felixstowe and Harwich International. Goods entering a freeport customs site can use simplified customs documentation and delay paying tariffs. A business inside the site can process goods and re-export them without paying the tariff. This only helps if your UK buyer or its logistics partner operates inside a freeport customs site. For most imports, normal clearance applies.

How to ship from Dubai to Felixstowe: step by step

Share the cargo details. Commodity, weight, volume or dimensions, pickup address in the UAE, UK delivery address and Incoterm.
Check the UK side. The importer has a GB EORI number, a customs agent and the 10-digit commodity code.
Choose the service. We compare carrier services from Jebel Ali that discharge at Felixstowe, and FCL against LCL.
Book space. For DG, reefer and out-of-gauge cargo we get carrier acceptance first.
Prepare documents and packaging. Invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, ISPM 15 pallets, and any licence or IPAFFS notice.
Export from Dubai. We truck the cargo to Jebel Ali, file the Dubai Customs export declaration and meet the cut-off. See our Jebel Ali port shipping guide for the export side.
Release the bill of lading. We check the draft and release it as agreed with the buyer.
Pre-lodge in the UK. The UK agent files the CDS import declaration before or on arrival.
Clear and collect. Duty and VAT are settled or deferred, checks are completed, and the haulier collects on a CBS slot or the box goes by rail.
Return the empty within free time to the depot named by the line.

[AMIR-FACT: the carriers or services we actually book from Jebel Ali to Felixstowe, whether they are direct or transshipped, and our typical port-to-port days]

How to ship from the Port of Felixstowe to Dubai

We also handle the other direction: shipping from Felixstowe to Dubai, with arrival at Jebel Ali, Khalifa Port or Sharjah port. We book the space with the carrier and run the UAE side. The UK export papers stay with the shipper or its UK agent.

The UK export side

EORI. The exporter needs an EORI number that starts with GB to export from England, Wales or Scotland.
Declaration. The exporter or its representative submits the export declaration and gets clearance from customs, using the 8-digit commodity code in data element 6/14 on CDS. Many exporters hire an agent, who makes the declaration and gets the goods through the UK border.
Timing. For most containerised sea cargo, the declaration is due at least 24 hours before loading. A few short-sea regions have a 2-hour limit instead.
Licences. Controlled goods such as chemicals, drugs, firearms and animals need a licence or certificate. The invoice and any licence travel with the goods.
Gate-in. The haulier delivers the full container to the terminal on a CBS slot before the carrier's cut-off.

The UAE import side

On arrival, the declaration goes to Dubai Customs with the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin and any permit for restricted goods. The importer needs a Dubai Customs business code, or a licensed clearing agent with the owner's authorisation files for it. Customs duty in Dubai is 5% of the CIF value for most goods, with 50% on alcohol and 100% on cigarettes. Import VAT is 5%, charged on the customs value including freight and insurance. A VAT-registered importer that has linked its customs registration number with the Federal Tax Authority accounts for it on its VAT return instead of paying at the border.

Send us the shipper's details in the UK, the cargo, the commodity code and the UAE delivery address.
We book space from Felixstowe and send the booking and cut-off to the shipper.
The shipper or its haulier collects the empty, stuffs it and delivers it on a CBS slot.
The shipper or its UK agent files the export declaration at least 24 hours before loading.
We check the draft bill of lading against the invoice and the certificate of origin.
We file the UAE declaration before the vessel arrives.
We arrange payment of the duty and VAT and collect the delivery order.
We truck the cargo to your site in the UAE.
We return the empty container inside the carrier's free time.

[AMIR-FACT: the carriers we actually use from Felixstowe to Jebel Ali/Khalifa/Sharjah and our real transit days in this direction]

Checklist before you ship to Felixstowe

UK importer has an EORI number starting with GB.
Customs agent appointed and has the shipment data before arrival.
Commodity code and duty checked in the UK Trade Tariff.
Postponed VAT accounting chosen, if the importer is VAT-registered.
IPAFFS notification for food, feed, animal or plant products.
Pallets and crates ISPM 15 marked.
DG documents and carrier acceptance, if relevant.
Breakbulk booking form sent to the port for non-unitised cargo.
Haulier with CBS access, or a rail booking, lined up.
Container free time agreed with the line.

Common mistakes at Felixstowe

No customs agent in place before arrival. The box sits while the importer looks for one.
Unmarked wooden pallets. Non-ISPM 15 packaging can be rejected or destroyed.
Missing IPAFFS notice for food, so the container is held for port health.
Duty calculated on the FOB price instead of the value including freight and insurance to Felixstowe.
Booking a truck without a CBS slot, which means a wasted trip.
Choosing Felixstowe for a consignee in South West England without pricing Southampton too.
Assuming the UK-GCC deal already gives zero duty.

Felixstowe or another UK port?

Your situation	Port to compare	Why
Consignee in the Midlands, the North or Scotland	Felixstowe with rail	Daily trains to 15 inland destinations
Consignee in London or Essex	London Gateway (GBLGP)	Shorter truck leg to London
Consignee in the South or South West	Southampton (GBSOU)	Shorter truck leg
Northern England or Northern Ireland	Liverpool, Teesport, Belfast	Often reached by feeder from a hub

The best port depends on the carrier's rotation, the delivery address and the cargo type. We can price more than one so you compare the cost to the door.

Frequently asked questions

What is the port code for Felixstowe?

The UN/LOCODE for Felixstowe is GBFXT. You will see it on bookings, bills of lading and tracking.

Which company runs the Port of Felixstowe?

The Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company, part of Hutchison Ports. It is also the statutory harbour authority for the port.

How deep is the water at Felixstowe?

The approach channel is maintained at 16 m below chart datum by Harwich Haven Authority, and Berths 8&9 have 18 m alongside, the deepest container berths in the UK.

How many berths does Felixstowe have?

There are nine container berths across two terminals, with 28 quay cranes. Four of them, Berths 6 to 9, take the largest 24,000 TEU container ships.

Can you handle shipping from Felixstowe to Dubai?

Yes. We book the space with the carrier, the shipper or its UK agent files the export declaration, and we clear the cargo through Dubai Customs and deliver it in the UAE. Most goods pay 5% duty on the CIF value plus 5% import VAT.

What documents do I need to clear cargo at Felixstowe?

A commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin for Dubai cargo, the importer's GB EORI number, and any licence for controlled goods. The customs agent files the import declaration on CDS.

Is there an inspection facility at Felixstowe?

Yes. The Border Control Post has three facilities for port health, plant health and other checks, and Border Force runs an X-ray scanner at the port.

Is Felixstowe a freeport?

Felixstowe is part of Freeport East, one of 12 UK freeports. Goods entering a freeport customs site can use simplified customs paperwork and delay tariffs, but only businesses operating inside the site benefit.

Which UK port is best for cargo from Dubai going to the Midlands?

Felixstowe is often the strongest choice, because rail carries about half of its traffic to the North and West Midlands. Compare a rail-plus-truck price with a direct truck price from the port.

Can I ship dangerous goods from Dubai to Felixstowe?

Yes, as IMDG containers declared by the carrier. You need the UN number, SDS, a signed DG declaration, approved packaging and carrier acceptance before loading in Dubai.

Get a quote for Port of Felixstowe shipping

Send us your cargo details and UK delivery address, and we will come back with a routing and price from Dubai to Felixstowe. Use our freight rate inquiry form, or contact our team about DG, breakbulk or project cargo. You can also read about our Dubai freight forwarding team.

Sources

Reviewed: 10 November 2026

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Port of Felixstowe shipping: terminals, customs and how to ship from Dubai