Freight Forwarder in Dubai

We are a freight forwarding company and shipping agency, members of FIATA and NAFL, and an IATA-approved air cargo agent. Most of what we move starts or ends at Jebel Ali, and most of our customers are traders, distributors and project contractors based in Dubai and its free zones.

What a freight forwarder in Dubai does for you

A forwarder organises the whole move, so you deal with one company instead of a shipping line, an airline, a customs broker and a trucking firm. In practice we choose the route and the carrier and book the space. We check the commercial documents before anything moves, arrange pickup, export clearance, loading and import clearance, and keep you posted until the cargo is delivered and the paperwork is closed.

You get one quote, and one person to call when a vessel is delayed or a document is queried.

Sea freight through Jebel Ali and Port Rashid

Jebel Ali is Dubai's container and general cargo port and the largest in the Middle East. Nearly every sea shipment we handle in Dubai loads or discharges there. Lines call directly from Asia, the Indian subcontinent, East Africa, Europe and the Americas. The port sits next to the Jebel Ali Free Zone, so cargo can move between the quay and a free zone warehouse without entering UAE customs territory.

Port Rashid (Mina Rashid), near the old city, now mostly handles cruise ships and smaller vessels. For commercial freight, plan on Jebel Ali unless we tell you otherwise.

At the port we book container or vessel space with the line that fits your dates and budget, pay terminal charges, collect delivery orders, and truck the cargo to your warehouse, factory or site. When the cargo needs it, we also supervise loading and arrange surveys.

Each type of cargo has its own page with the details: container sea freight, break bulk and project cargo, dry and liquid bulk and dangerous goods.

Air cargo from DXB and DWC

Dubai has two cargo airports. Dubai International (DXB) carries freight in passenger aircraft holds and on freighters. Dubai World Central (DWC) at Al Maktoum, close to Jebel Ali, was built for freighter traffic.

Because the seaport and DWC are so close, sea-air works well from Dubai. Cargo arrives by sea, crosses to the airport by road and flies out. It costs less than flying the whole way and arrives sooner than shipping the whole way. Our air cargo page covers direct and multimodal options.

UAE customs and the documents you need

Dubai Customs clears goods through its Mirsal 2 system. The importer or exporter needs a customs code, which comes with a trade licence. For most shipments you will need:

• a commercial invoice showing the value, currency and Incoterms;
• a packing list with weights and dimensions;
• the bill of lading for sea freight, or the air waybill for air cargo;
• a certificate of origin;
• permits for controlled goods such as food, medicines, chemicals and some electronics.

Most goods entering the UAE pay 5% customs duty on the CIF value under the GCC common tariff, plus 5% VAT. Some goods are exempt and a few pay more. Transit cargo and goods going into a free zone are treated differently. In our experience, a wrong HS code or a missing permit is the most common reason cargo gets held on arrival, so we check the paperwork before we book.

Who pays for what: Incoterms

The Incoterms on your sales contract decide where the seller's costs and risk stop and the buyer's begin, so they decide what goes into our quote. If you buy EXW or FCA, we collect from the supplier and handle the whole journey. If you buy CIF or CFR, the seller pays the freight to Jebel Ali and we take over at the port: terminal charges, clearance and delivery. If you sell DAP or DDP, we deliver to your buyer's door, and under DDP we also pay the import duty and taxes at the destination on your behalf.

Tell us the Incoterm when you ask for a price. It is the single detail that most often turns a cheap-looking quote into an expensive invoice, because charges nobody quoted still have to be paid at the other end.

Free zones: JAFZA, DAFZA and DMCC

Many of our customers trade from a Dubai free zone, and the zone changes how cargo is cleared and moved.

JAFZA, the Jebel Ali Free Zone, sits beside the port and near DWC. It suits importers, re-exporters and distributors that move containers in and out every week.

DAFZA, the Dubai Airport Free Zone, is next to DXB. It suits high-value, time-sensitive goods that travel by air.

DMCC is a business free zone in Jumeirah Lakes Towers, known for commodities trading. It has no port of its own, so physical cargo still moves through Jebel Ali or the airports.

Moving goods from a free zone to the mainland, or between free zones, needs its own customs declaration. We prepare it as part of the shipment.

Sea or air: typical transit times

The right mode depends on how urgent the cargo is, what it weighs and what it is worth. These are typical door-to-door times from Dubai:

These are ranges, not promises. Schedules depend on the carrier, the season, transhipment and customs at both ends, so we confirm the transit time with every quote.

How freight pricing works

There is no fixed price list for freight. Rates move with fuel, the season and the space left on each route. A quote is built from:

• the freight charge, per container, per tonne or per chargeable kilogram;
• terminal handling at origin and destination;
• documents and customs clearance;
• trucking at each end;
• surcharges, such as fuel, peak season or security;
• extra handling for hazardous, oversized or temperature-controlled cargo;
• cargo insurance, if you want it.

To quote accurately we need the origin and destination, a description of the cargo, its weight and dimensions, the number of pieces or containers, the ready date and the Incoterms. The quickest way to send them is the freight rate inquiry form.

How we work

1. You send the details through the inquiry form, email or WhatsApp.
2. We reply within one working day with the route, the transit time and what the price includes.
3. We book the space and check the documents before the cargo moves.
4. We follow the cargo until it is delivered and send you the closing documents.

The office is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 16:00 Dubai time. We work with 95 partner agents in 50 countries, so someone we know handles your cargo at the other end too.

Comparing a few companies before you decide? Our guide on how to choose a forwarder lists the questions worth asking first. You can also contact us directly.

Frequently asked questions