Shipping from Dubai to Italy: Ports, Customs and VAT

Container ship leaving Dubai with cargo bound for Italy — Anil Darya

Shipping from Dubai to Italy usually means a container from Jebel Ali to Genoa, La Spezia or another Italian port, with air cargo into Milan Malpensa or Rome Fiumicino for urgent goods. On arrival the goods enter the EU, so an importer with an EORI number clears them with the Italian Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM), pays duty from the EU tariff (TARIC) and 22% import VAT. This guide covers ports, modes, documents, duty, VAT, restricted goods and each step to the consignee.

Shipping from Dubai to Italy at a glance

Item	Detail
Main UAE load port	Jebel Ali (AEJEA), with Khalifa Port and Khor Fakkan as alternatives
Main Italian sea gateways	Genoa (ITGOA), La Spezia (ITSPE), Livorno (ITLIV), Venice (ITVCE), Naples (ITNAP), Ancona (ITAOI), plus Gioia Tauro, Trieste, Salerno and Ravenna
Largest gateway	The Ports of Genoa handle about one third of Italian gateway container traffic
Main cargo airports	Milan Malpensa (MXP) and Rome Fiumicino (FCO)
Modes	FCL, LCL, flat rack and breakbulk, dangerous goods, air cargo
Customs authority	Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM), applying the EU Union Customs Code
Importer ID	EORI number
Duty	EU Common Customs Tariff, looked up in TARIC by commodity code
Trade agreement	None in force between the EU and UAE yet; talks launched in April 2025
Import VAT	22% standard rate, with reduced rates of 10%, 5% and 4%
Advance cargo data	EU ICS2 entry summary declaration, due at least 24 hours before loading for containers
Temporary storage limit	Up to 90 days before the goods must get a customs procedure

Which route and mode should you use?

Most cargo on this lane goes by sea. Air is for urgent, light or high-value goods.

Your cargo	Best mode	Why
A full container or more of general goods	FCL by sea	Lowest cost per unit and the box stays sealed to Italy
A few pallets or cartons	LCL by sea	You pay for the space you use
Machinery, steel or pieces too large for a box	Flat rack, open top or breakbulk	Handles weight and size that a standard container cannot
Chemicals, batteries, paints and other DG	DG container by sea, or air if the class allows	Needs carrier acceptance and IMDG or IATA rules
Samples, spare parts, urgent stock	Air cargo into Malpensa or Fiumicino	Days instead of weeks, priced on chargeable weight

Sea freight from Dubai to Italy: FCL and LCL

Sea freight from Dubai to Italy normally loads at Jebel Ali. DP World lists over 80 weekly services from the port, and our Jebel Ali port shipping guide covers the terminals, cut-offs and export steps there. The Italian port you pick should depend on where the consignee is, not only on the ocean price.

Which Italian port should your cargo go to?

Consignee location	Port to consider	Notes
Milan, Turin, Piedmont, Lombardy, Switzerland	Genoa (Pra', Sampierdarena basin)	Milan is 145 km and Turin 170 km by road from the port; about 100 weekly direct rail services from the Genoa and Savona-Vado ports
Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany	La Spezia or Livorno	Shorter truck leg to Parma, Bologna and Florence
Veneto, Friuli, Central Europe	Venice or Trieste	Adriatic ports for the northeast
Rome and central Italy	Civitavecchia, Naples or Livorno	Check which carrier calls direct
Campania and the south	Naples, Salerno or Gioia Tauro	Check direct calls and the truck leg

Genoa is the default for northern Italy. In the first half of 2026 it handled 1,199,993 TEU. Across Italy, ports handled about 12.8 million TEU in 2025. Gioia Tauro led with 4.49 million TEU, all transshipment, and La Spezia handled 1,217,461 TEU.

FCL or LCL?

FCL (full container load). You book a whole 20ft or 40ft box. It suits larger shipments and cargo you want sealed from origin to destination.
LCL (less than container load). Your cargo shares a container. It is unpacked at a container freight station in Italy, so release also depends on the other shippers' paperwork.

On the Italy lane the break-even is often lower than people expect, and a full box to Genoa or La Spezia also skips the wait at the Italian container freight station while other shippers' paperwork clears. Our guide to FCL vs LCL costs shows how to compare the two, and our sea freight service page explains what we book to Italian ports.

[AMIR-FACT: whether we run our own LCL consolidation to Italy or use a co-loader, and how often LCL cargo leaves Dubai for Italy]

Transit times and sailings

Published figures for this lane vary, mainly because most services transship once. Treat the table as an indication and check the schedule on your booking.

Lane	Published indication	Source type
Jebel Ali to Genoa, one transshipment	About 23 days, departures every 2 to 4 weeks on the quickest listed service	Schedule data compiled by Fluent Cargo
Jebel Ali to Genoa, FCL	About 27 days	Shipa Freight lane guide
Jebel Ali to Livorno	About 25 days on the quickest listed service	Schedule data compiled by Fluent Cargo
Dubai to Milan by air	About 4 days door to door; flights DXB to MXP run 2 to 4 times a day	Shipa Freight; Fluent Cargo

[AMIR-FACT: the carriers we actually book from Jebel Ali to Genoa, La Spezia or Gioia Tauro, direct or transshipped, and our typical port-to-port days on each]

Breakbulk, project cargo and dangerous goods to Italy

Breakbulk and project cargo

Italian ports have terminals equipped for heavy and oversized cargo. In Genoa, for example, several container terminals also handle breakbulk and project pieces, and the port authority issues permits for heavy and oversize vehicles inside the port.

For Italy, start with the flat rack test. A piece that fits a 40ft flat rack by size and weight can ride a container service to Genoa or La Spezia, which gives you more sailings. A piece that does not fit needs a breakbulk or heavy-lift vessel to an Italian terminal that takes it, and that sailing date drives the whole plan, including the port authority permit for moving a heavy or oversize vehicle inside Genoa. We collect drawings, weights and lifting points, agree lashing with the carrier and plan the road move from the UAE plant to the quay. See our break bulk and project cargo service.

Machinery on a flat rack being prepared for sea freight from Dubai to Italy — Anil Darya

Dangerous goods

Dangerous goods move under the IMDG Code by sea and IATA rules by air. Italian ports add their own rules. In Genoa, for example, a temporary stop of dangerous goods in the port needs port authority approval and is allowed only in listed terminals.

For a DG box to Italy, the file starts with the UN number, proper shipping name, class and packing group, then the safety data sheet, the signed DG declaration and UN-approved packaging. If the box will wait in Genoa, it can only stop at one of the listed terminals with port authority approval. Our dangerous goods shipping team gets carrier acceptance for the Italian discharge port before you commit to a sailing.

Air cargo from Dubai to Italy

Dubai International (DXB) has direct flights to Milan Malpensa several times a day, and Abu Dhabi has direct flights to Malpensa and Rome Fiumicino. Cargo is cleared at the arrival airport and trucked on.

Air freight is priced on chargeable weight, which is the higher of actual weight and volume weight. Light, bulky goods cost more than their scale weight suggests. Customs rules in Italy are the same as for sea: the goods need an import declaration, duty and VAT. The airline files ICS2 data before loading. See our air cargo service for what we arrange from Dubai.

Italian customs: ADM, EORI and who can import

How customs clearance works in Italy

Italy applies EU customs law. ADM handles declarations through its electronic system, AIDA. The process follows the same order on every shipment:

Advance data. The carrier files the ICS2 entry summary declaration before the cargo arrives in the EU.
Temporary storage. On arrival the goods sit under customs control for no longer than 90 days.
Import declaration. The declarant lodges the customs declaration for release for free circulation, with the documents below.
Risk checks. ADM selects controls by risk: automatic release, a document check, a physical inspection or a scan.
Payment and release. Duty and import VAT are paid, any licences are shown, and the goods are released.

The ICS2 entry summary declaration starts in Dubai

For containers, the EU requires the entry summary declaration at least 24 hours before loading in the foreign port. On this lane that means before your container is loaded at Jebel Ali. The carrier usually files it, using data from the bill of lading and the commercial invoice, so those details must reach the carrier in time.

In practice this means three things for you as shipper:

Give a precise, plain description of the goods and the commodity code.
Give the real buyer and seller names and addresses, not only the forwarder.
Send shipping instructions before the carrier's documentation cut-off.

Who can import into Italy?

Every importer needs an EORI number. EU companies get one from their own customs authority. A business not established in the EU applies in the EU country where it makes its first customs operation.

Italy adds a rule for non-EU importers. Under ADM circular 40 of December 2021, an importer not established in the EU can only use an EU-established customs representative acting in indirect representation. That representative signs the declaration in its own name and shares liability for the duty. ADM repeated this guidance in October 2022.

In most cases the easiest route is for the Italian buyer to act as importer of record. If you, as a UAE seller, want to deliver duty paid, plan the indirect representative and the Italian VAT position before you agree the price.

What documents do you need to ship to Italy?

Cargo type	Core documents	Usually also needed
General cargo (FCL or LCL)	Commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or air waybill, customs declaration	Certificate of origin, EORI of the importer
Food and feed	Core set	Health or phytosanitary certificates from origin, checks at an EU border control post
Animal products	Core set	Veterinary certificate and border control post inspection
Products under EU safety rules (machinery, electrical goods, toys)	Core set	CE marking and the technical file the importer must hold
Steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers	Core set	CBAM authorisation of the importer above 50 tonnes a year, emissions data from the producer
Dangerous goods	Core set	DG declaration, safety data sheet, carrier acceptance
Dual-use, CITES or other controlled goods	Core set	Import licence or permit shown in TARIC

Names, weights, piece counts and commodity codes must match across the invoice, packing list and bill of lading. A mismatch is one of the most common reasons for a hold.

Shipping documents prepared for Italian customs clearance of cargo from Dubai — Anil Darya

Customs duty and VAT when you ship from Dubai to Italy

Customs duty and the TARIC code

Italy uses the EU Common Customs Tariff. Goods are declared under the 8-digit Combined Nomenclature code, and TARIC adds 2 more digits for EU measures. TARIC shows the duty for goods from the UAE, plus any anti-dumping duty, quota, ban or licence that applies to your product. It does not show VAT or excise, which are national.

There is no EU-UAE free trade agreement in force, so goods of UAE origin pay the standard third-country rate. The EU and UAE agreed to launch negotiations in April 2025, held a fifth round in Dubai, and both aim to conclude during 2026. Until an agreement is signed and in force, do not price on a preferential rate.

Duty is charged on the customs value. That is normally the price paid plus freight and insurance up to the point where the goods enter the EU. If you sell FOB Jebel Ali, the freight and insurance to the Italian port are added.

Import VAT

Italy's standard VAT rate is 22%, with reduced rates of 10%, 5% and 4% for some goods. Import VAT is charged on the customs value plus duty, plus transport and insurance costs up to the first place of destination in the EU.

Step	What is added
1. Customs value	Price of the goods plus freight and insurance to the EU border
2. Duty	Customs value multiplied by the TARIC rate
3. VAT base	Customs value plus duty plus costs to the first destination in the EU, if not already included
4. Import VAT	VAT base multiplied by 22% (or the reduced rate for the product)

CBAM for steel, aluminium and other covered goods

The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism has applied in its definitive regime since 1 January 2026. It covers iron and steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers, hydrogen and electricity. An importer bringing in more than 50 tonnes of covered goods a year (hydrogen and electricity have no threshold) must be an authorised CBAM declarant before importing. For goods imported in 2026, CBAM certificates are surrendered by 30 September 2027.

If you ship UAE steel or aluminium products to Italy, ask your Italian buyer early whether they hold the status, and get emissions data from the producer before the first shipment.

Restricted and prohibited items

TARIC lists the EU import prohibitions and restrictions by commodity code. Check these before you book:

Dual-use goods and goods under EU sanctions or controls need a licence or are banned.
Endangered species and products made from them need CITES permits.
Food, feed, plants and animal products face veterinary or plant health checks at an EU border control post. In Genoa, the Calata Sanita post at the PSA SECH terminal was extended in October 2026 to cover ambient food and feed of non-animal origin.
Products that fall under EU safety directives need CE marking. ADM runs product safety checks at import and can refuse to release goods that do not comply.
Wood packaging and dunnage must be heat treated or fumigated under ISPM 15, debarked and marked with the ISPM 15 stamp. Plywood and wood 6 mm thick or less are exempt.

Personal effects and vehicles have separate rules. Ask us before you ship household goods or a car.

What does shipping from Dubai to Italy cost?

Rates change with every sailing, so we quote per shipment. These are the elements that move the price.

Cost element	What drives it
UAE trucking and export clearance	Distance to Jebel Ali, Dubai Customs export or re-export declaration
Ocean or air freight	Container type, carrier, season, chargeable weight for air
Surcharges	Fuel, peak season, DG and out-of-gauge surcharges
Italian terminal and port charges	Terminal handling, delivery order, storage
Customs in Italy	Representative fees, duty, import VAT, any inspection costs
Inland delivery in Italy	Truck or rail from the port to the consignee
Demurrage and detention	Days beyond the carrier's free time

On an Italy shipment, the Incoterm decides whether the Italian terminal handling, the customs representative's fee and the truck to the buyer sit with you or with the Italian importer. Our guide to Incoterms 2020 for sea freight explains each term. Free days at Genoa or La Spezia and the daily rates after them differ by carrier, so read them on the quote. Our article on demurrage and detention shows how the charges build up.

How to ship cargo from Dubai to Italy: step by step

Confirm the commodity code. Find the 10-digit TARIC code for each item and check duty, licences and any CBAM or CE requirement.
Agree the Incoterm and the importer. Decide who will be importer of record in Italy and who pays duty and VAT.
Check the importer is ready. EORI number, Italian VAT number, customs representative, and CBAM status if needed.
Get a quote and book. We compare carrier services from Jebel Ali to the right Italian port and book space. DG and out-of-gauge cargo need carrier acceptance first.
Prepare documents. Invoice, packing list and certificate of origin, with consistent names, weights and codes.
Send shipping instructions early. Full goods description and buyer and seller details reach the carrier before its ICS2 cut-off.
Stuff, seal and export. We arrange pickup, stuffing, the UAE export declaration and gate-in at Jebel Ali before the cut-off.
Track and pre-lodge. The Italian representative prepares the import declaration before the vessel arrives.
Clear and deliver. Duty and VAT are paid, the goods are released and trucked or railed to the consignee. The empty goes back within free time.

[AMIR-FACT: one real Dubai to Italy shipment we handled (cargo, mode, Italian port, days door to port, any customs issue solved)]

Checklist before you ship to Italy

TARIC code confirmed for every item.
Importer of record named, with an EORI number.
Indirect customs representative appointed if the importer is not established in the EU.
Invoice, packing list and bill of lading show the same weights, piece counts and parties.
Precise goods description ready for the ICS2 filing.
Certificate of origin issued.
CE marking and technical documents in place for regulated products.
CBAM status checked for steel, aluminium and other covered goods.
Health or plant health certificates for food and plant products.
Wood pallets and crates ISPM 15 treated and stamped.
For DG: SDS, DG declaration, packaging and carrier acceptance.
Free time on the container agreed with the carrier.
Cargo insurance arranged.

Common mistakes on the Dubai to Italy lane

Late or vague shipping instructions. A missing ICS2 detail can stop the container from loading at Jebel Ali.
Assuming a preferential duty rate. No EU-UAE agreement is in force yet, so the standard rate applies.
A non-EU seller trying to clear in its own name without an indirect representative. ADM will not accept it.
Forgetting freight in the customs value. Duty and VAT are charged on more than the invoice price when you sell FOB or EXW.
Untreated wood packaging. Pallets without the ISPM 15 stamp can be refused or treated at your cost.
Importing steel or aluminium without checking CBAM. Above the threshold, the importer needs the status before the goods arrive.
Choosing the port on ocean price only. A port far from the consignee can cost more once the truck is added.

Frequently asked questions

Which Italian port is best for cargo from Dubai?

For northern Italy, Genoa is the usual choice. It sits 145 km from Milan and 170 km from Turin and handles about one third of Italian gateway container traffic with the other ports in its group. For the northeast, compare Venice or Trieste, and for the south, Naples, Salerno or Gioia Tauro.

How long does sea freight from Dubai to Italy take?

Published indications for Jebel Ali to Genoa range from about 23 to 27 days port to port, usually with one transshipment. Add time for export, clearance and delivery, and check the schedule on your booking.

Is there customs duty on goods shipped from Dubai to Italy?

Yes, unless the product has a zero rate. Duty comes from the EU Common Customs Tariff and is shown in TARIC by commodity code. No EU-UAE trade agreement is in force yet, so UAE-origin goods pay the standard third-country rate.

What is the VAT rate on imports into Italy?

The standard rate is 22%, with reduced rates of 10%, 5% and 4% for some goods. Import VAT is charged on the customs value plus duty and transport costs to the first destination in the EU.

Do I need an EORI number to import into Italy?

Yes. Every importer needs an EORI number. A business not established in the EU applies in the EU country where it makes its first customs operation.

Can a UAE company clear goods in Italy in its own name?

Only through an EU-established customs representative acting in indirect representation. ADM's circular 40 of December 2021 sets this rule, and the representative shares liability for the duty.

What is ICS2 and does it affect my shipment from Dubai?

ICS2 is the EU advance cargo security system. For containers, the entry summary declaration is due at least 24 hours before loading in the foreign port, so the data must be ready before your container loads at Jebel Ali.

Does CBAM apply to aluminium or steel shipped from the UAE to Italy?

Yes, since 1 January 2026. An importer bringing in more than 50 tonnes a year of CBAM goods must be an authorised CBAM declarant before importing and must later surrender CBAM certificates.

Get a quote for shipping from Dubai to Italy

Send us your cargo details and the Italian delivery city, and we will come back with a routing and price for sea or air. Use our freight rate inquiry form, or contact our team to talk through a DG, project or CBAM-covered shipment first. You can also read about our Dubai freight forwarding team.

Sources

Reviewed: 10 November 2026

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Shipping from Dubai to Italy: ports, customs, VAT and steps