Shipping from China to UAE by Air & Sea

China Best Freight provides unique freight forwarding services, eliminating all the trouble of shipping from China to the UAE. Our online freight platform provides a comprehensive transportation solution and can use a wide range of supply chain facilities around the world.

 

Part1. Ocean Freight from China to UAE

Our professional freight forwarding service will help you determine the most suitable option for your shipping needs based on the size and weight of your load and delivery services:

 

• Less-than-container-load (LCL)

Best suited for loads up to 20 cubic meters and more than 500kg (approx), your cargo is consolidated in a container with other shipments which means you don’t have to wait to fill up a container. However LCL generally takes 5 – 7 days more to reach the delivery port and they tend to be handled more often all due to de/consolidation requirements.

 

• Full Container Load (FCL)

Your freight will be transported in a 20 or 40 foot standard container.

The cost of shipping will also be affected by whether you select door-to-door, port-to-door, door-to-port or port-to-port delivery service.

Many other factors will affect the final cost and delivery time, including tariffs and duties, insurance, etc., but the biggest factor is the origin and destination of the shipments, which will determine the port of loading and discharging. China Best Freight provides cargo services from most seaports in China to UAE.

 

Part2. Major cities and seaports in China and UAE

China dominates the global port sector, which shows that they have recently achieved economic success. Seven of the ten busiest ports in the world are in China, and they are also closely related to the other three ports in Singapore, Busan (South Korea) and Hong Kong. Ship Freight provides all ten services with confidence.

The following are some Chinese ports of origin (departure) for shipments to the UAE. Ports are listed according to the 2018 TEU which is Twenty-foot Equivalent Units i.e. the number of standard size shipping containers passing though the port that year.

 

1.  Chinese major cities and seaports

 

• Port of Shanghai

Location: Shanghai Municipality, East Coast China
UN/LOCODE: CNSHA.
Annual Container Volume: 42million TEU
Website: www.portshanghai.com.
This is the busiest port in the world serving the most economically developed hinterland in China. In 2019 it was named “best connected port in the world” by UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) which measures volume as well as technological innovation. It is a free trade zone as stipulated by Chinese customs and as such benefits from preferential trading allowances. It is operated by the Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) which has broken its TEU volume records every year since 2005. Shanghai also boasts the largest automated container terminal; the Yangshan Deep Water Port. Connected to the mainland by Donghai Bridge – the world’s biggest bridge network over water – Yangshan was dredged to a depth of 15 meters. A Chinese developed automated management system maintains safety and efficiency and reduces carbon emissions by up to 10 percent. Shipping reports a rapid turnaround service out of this port.

• Port of Shenzhen

Location: Guangdong Province, South Coast China
UN/LOCODE:CNSZX
Annual Container Volume: 27.7million TEU
Website: www.szport.net
This is the second busiest port in China and third busiest globally. Comprised of several different ports all situated close together along 260km of the province’s coastline, Shenzhen is the hub for the Pearl River Delta and access to Honk Kong. The entire wets port section is included in the Qianhai-Shekou Free Trade Zone, providing easier customs clearance and easy access to overseas markets.

 

• Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan

Location: Zhejiang Province, East Coast China
UN/LOCODE: CNNGB
Annual Container Volume: 26.3million TEU
Website: www.nbport.com.cn
The port is located centrally on the coastline of eastern China and in the highly developed Yangtze River Delta which boasts the fastest growth rate in China. It is only 120 nautical miles from Shanghai. It is a multi-functional modern deepwater port integrating an inner river port, estuary port and sea port. It is a growth area for trade to the Middle East. The port has done extensive construction on the ‘Dry Port’ facilities and improved access to the free port zone. They are also focusing on massively developing the sea-railway intermodal transport links to central and west China to increase volumes of freight and easier access to transport. It is controlled by the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port Authority.

 

• Port of Guangzhou

Location: Guangdong Province, South Coast China
UN/LOCODE: CNCAN
Annual Container Volume: 21.8million TEU
Website: www.gzport.gov.cn

The fourth busiest container port in China was confirmed by Alphaliner as one of the fastest growing ports in the world in 2018. It is situated in the Pearl River Delta which is a historically important trading centre and part of the Maritime Silk Route. It offers an alternative origin port option for cargo handling to UAE and also charges attractive port and berthing fees. The Nansha Terminal Project and the Phase II Xinsha Terminal include specialized deep-water berths and six bridges connect the Nansha Terminal with key areas in Guangzhou City. Transfer between the port to the city is only 1 – 2 hours.

The Port of Guangzhou Shuttle Barge is a public express barge service that serves the Nansha Terminal and other feeder terminals. It provides a cost-effective, dependable transfer service that reduces the operational costs of shipping. Guangzhou port handles the most automobile freight in South China and is one of four ports appointed by China’s General Customs for auto shipping. It is owned by Guangzhou Port Group Co. Ltd

 

• Port of Qingdao

Location: Shangdong Province, North East Coast China
UN/LOCODE: CNTAO
Annual Container Volume: 18.2million TEU
Website: www.qingdaoport.net

This is one of the oldest and busiest ports for Northern China as part of the important regional Bohai Bay Rim port cluster. It is situated on the Eastern shore of Jiaozhou Bay. The region now rivals the Pearl River delta for commercial activity. Due to the many airports, rail links and improved highways, the port has seen exponential growth in recent years. It has natural deep-water capacity and offers top of the range machinery and equipment enabling it to accommodate the world’s largest container ships and other cargo. Maersk shipping ranked Qingdao first internationally for berth efficiency in 2019 highlighting the stevedoring superiority at the port. The port has also seen rapid digital development for automation, data and ecommerce in line with Chinese technological performance. Its ability to handle a diverse cargo mix in deep water with extreme efficiency has made this port the 8th busiest in the world. It is owned by Qingdao Port International Co. LTD which is a China based company with global shareholders.

 

• Port of Tianjin

Location: Tianjin Municipality, North Coast China
UN/LOCODE:CNXIG
Annual Container Volume: 17.3million TEU
Website: www.tianjinportdev.com

Tianjin participates in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei regional development program which account for some of the 8.1percent increase on container throughput in 2019. It ranks 4th in the world for overall tonnage and 11th for container traffic. Since four new rail-sea freight links opened, the rail-sea volume has also increased by 15 percent. The Port of Tainjin is only 160km from Beijing and serves as its maritime gateway. It is connected to the Yangtze River by the Grand Canal and also to an extensive network or road links. At 17.4m, it is also a deep-water port and can handle all sizes of carrier and different cargos. It receives about 160 ships every day. This busy efficient port also benefits from the lower freight transport costs offered by the city.

 

• Port of Dalian

Location: Liaoning Province, North Coast China
UN/LOCODE: CNDLC
Annual Container Volume: 11.1 million TEU
Website: www.portdalian.com

Dalian is China’s second largest transshipment hub but is also a busy port of origin. It is the most northern ice free port in East China. It is in an important strategic position at the entrance to the Gulf of Chihli, and provides maritime access to the Port of Tianjin. After the Liaoning Free Trade Zone was established nearby, its traffic has increased significantly. It has the benefits of a deep-water harbor and access to new multimodal transport systems such as the One Belt, One Road system. Dayaowan is the international deep-water hub port operation located in Dalian’s port area. It comprises economic and technological development zones, export processing zones, and bonded zones and is adjacent to the Port of Dalian’s logistics park. It is also a critical center for collection and distribution of cargoes. Dayaowan is located with comprehensive access to transport links. Dalian Port is owned and managed by Dalian Port Corporation Ltd, a state owned company.

 

• Port of Xiamen

Location: Fujian Province, South Coast
UN/LOCODE: CNXMN
Annual Container Volume: 10million TEU
Website: www.portxiamen.gov.cn

Located on the Taiwan Straits almost 200 nautical miles from the Port of Taipei Taiwan, the Port of Xiamen is made up of various compounds situated on Xiamen Island, on the adjacent mainland and along the estuary of Jiulongjiang River in southern Fujian. Kinmen Island is a natural barrier that protects the harbor from heavy waves and winds. It is an ice free, silt free port and offers deep water berths up to 17 meters. Its southerly location makes it an important stop for carriers traveling to and from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. Xiamen Port is served by a special-use railway line.
The Xiamen Port Development Company, Ltd. provides logistics services and import and export trading services, amongst others. Logistics services include integrated port activities and ship movements, freight-handling and storage, multi-modal transportation, transshipments, and information management.
The Port is part of a Free Trade Zone and was the first mainland port to initiate direct shipments to Kaohsiung in Taiwan. In 2019 it was also the point of departure for the HMM Algeciras, a new generation megaship capable of a 24000 TEU. In May 2020 COSCO Shipping Ports (CSP), the biggest terminal operator in the world, announced the successful completion of a 5G-enabled, automated vehicle trial at the Port of Xiamen. This is the test bed for its new ‘5G Driverless Enabled Smart Ports’. This will speed up and reduce the costs of handling at this port and others in the future.

 

• Port of Hong Kong

Location: Hong Kong, Kowloon Peninsula, China
UN/LOCODE: HKHKG
Annual Container Volume: 19.6million TEU
Website: www.hkmpb.gov.hk/en/port.html

The Port of Hong Kong is located on the Kowloon Peninsula off the South China Sea. It is a major hub in the Southeast and East Asian regions. The port offers 400 container liner services a week to more than 500 destinations worldwide. The development of the port was a key factor in the economic development of Hong Kong. The natural shelter and deep waters of Victoria Harbor provide ideal conditions for berthing and the handling of all types of vessels and cargo. It is one of the busiest ports in the world, according to the amount of cargo handled and passengers carried.

The average turnaround time for container vessels in Hong Kong is about 10 hours. There are currently nine container terminals situated at Kwai Chung, Stonecutters Island and Tsing. Significant container throughput is handled by the River Trade Terminal at Tuen Mun and by mid-stream. The Port operates under a sound legal system with established principals. The Port has well established infrastructure and offers a matchless strategic location with superb connectivity to the shipping world as well as via a world-class international airport. The authority runs a low and simple tax regime with shipping incentives and tax relief. Whether the port of origin or a stop over to the USA, Hong Kong port remains one of the best organizes and most efficient port setups in the world. The port is administered by the marine department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The Hong Kong Port Development Council undertakes planning and development of the port.

Other ports of origin served by China Freight in China for Shipments to USA (with Port Codes):

 Changsha (inland port) – CNCSX
Chengdu – CNCTU
Chongqing (inland port) – CNCQI
 Fuzhou – CNFOC
Lianyungang – CNLYG
Nanjing (inland port) – CNNKG
Qinzhou – CZQZH
Shantou -CNSWA
Tianjin – CNXIG
Wuhan – CNWUH
 Zhongshan – CNZSN
Zhuhai – CNZUH

 

2. Major cities and seaports in the UAE

 

• Jebel Ali port Dubai

Operated by DP World, Jebel Ali Port is the largest gateway hub in the Middle East region. It enables trade between the eastern and western markets: North Africa, South Asia and the Middle East. With a capacity to handle 19.3 million TEU (20-foot equivalent units), Jebel Ali is the world's ninth busiest port, the largest man-made harbour, and the biggest and by far the busiest port in the Middle-East. Owing to its multi-modular facilities it has been voted as the best seaport in the Middle East for 24 consecutive years.

 

• Khalifa Port Abu Dhabi

Khalifa Port is the Abu Dhabi Ports' flagship, deepwater port built to accommodate the largest ships existing when it was built. It is a state-of-the art gateway to Abu Dhabi and handles all of the emirate’s container traffic. The transfer of container traffic from Zayed Port was completed in December 2012. Owned by Abu Dhabi Ports, the port handles general cargo, container, roll-on and roll-off (RoRo) as well as break-bulk activities.

 

• Khalid port Sharjah

Sharjah is home to three of the finest deep water harbours in the United Arab Emirates. The location of the ports of Sharjah offers strategic advantage to ships calling at the ports. Sharjah is unique among the United Arab Emirates ports in that it has ports in both the coasts.
Port Khalid a multipurpose port located in the city of Sharjah serves as a vital entry point to the Industrial heart land of UAE.

 

Part3. How long does it take from China to UAE by sea?

It takes about 13 to 25 days to ship from China to the UAE. It can also be calculated based on estimated transit time. Shipping through the sea out of China occurs on a different schedule and there is only a rough estimate about this.
Door-to-door shipment from China to the UAE usually takes 25 to 35 days. Ocean transportation is a little bit longer, this is because ships move slower than airplanes. In addition, more container ships ships are now slowing down to save fuel. Additionally, port congestion, delays from customs, and bad weather conditions influence ocean freight negatively.

These are obviously not fixed and depend on variables such as weather conditions, port congestion and load size. If you plan to use other methods requiring delivery to and from a seaport you will need to factor this in to the delivery time as well as the time your cargo will take to clear in and out of customs. Accurate paperwork provided by expert forwarders can reduce the amount of time taken up by administrative processes.

POL/POD	Jebel Ali Dubai	Khalifa Abu Dhabi	Khalid Sharjah	Ajman	Umm Al Quwain	Ras Al Khaimah	Fujairah
Guangzhou	14	17	18	20	20	20	20
Shenzhen	14	17	18	20	20	20	20
Shanghai	18	22	24	24	24	24	24
Ningbo	18	22	24	24	24	24	24
Qingdao	22	24	26	26	26	26	26
Xiamen	18	22	24	24	24	24	24
Tianjin	25	28	30	30	30	30	30

 

Part3. Air Freight from China to UAE

China Best Freight provides air freight forwarding solutions for urgent, high-value cargo. Air freight is cost-effective only if the package is not too large, especially not too heavy. The cost is based on a combination of (size) volume and weight (dimensional weight). Goods less than 0.5 cubic meters or less than 150 kilograms may be worth air freight, but depending on the value, safety needs, type of goods (perishable or fragile) or urgency, you may need to air freight larger packages despite the cost. Generally, if the air freight cost is less than 20% of your total cargo value, then this may be a worthwhile option. China Best Freight can provide a competitive air freight rate can use all related resources of air.

 

1. Airports of Origin: China

 

• Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)

Pudong airport located at Shanghai is now the 3rd biggest cargo hub in the world and a leading port for air cargo from China. It handles over 3.6 million tons of cargo each year and has become the largest air cargo hub in China and also Asia. This substantial modern airport is home to several airlines flying cargo to Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports.
UAE Airports Served: Dubai (DXB & DWC), Abu Dhabi (AUH), Sharjah (SHJ)

 

• Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK)

Beijing Capital International Airport is one of two international airports located in the Chinese capital city. The airport handles more than two million tons of air cargo from China during the year.
Air China, Emirates Airline, Etihad Airway fly passengers and freight to the UAE from Beijing.
UAE Airports Served: Dubai (DXB & DWC), Abu Dhabi (AUH), Sharjah (SHJ)

 

• Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN)

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport is located in Guangzhou city in Guangdong province, in the south of China. The airport handled almost 2 million tons of cargo in 2018 making it a leader in air shipping from China to Dubai. It is the third busiest air freight hub in China. The airport is a hub for a number of airline operations including the cargo carrier Longhao Airlines as well as China Southern Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, and Jiuyuan Airlines, large operators for China air freight.
Guangdong is a major manufacturing hub serviced by this airport. Air freight to the UAE will expedite your imports from the region taking into account additional delays for customs clearance and airport to destination transportation.

 

• Qingdao International Airport (TAO)

Qingdao Airport is convenient for high value, low weight goods such as textiles or similar items produced in the Shandong Province. These can be shipped competitively from China to UAE using Qingdao airport. This would be much faster than any ocean freight service. The airport is in the process of being replaced by Qingdao Jiaodong Airport, this will be a much bigger, more modern facility and potentially offer more space and options for air cargo operations.

 

• Wuhan Tianhe International Airport (WUH)

Wuhan handles about 220 thousand tons of cargo each year. It links suppliers in central China with global cargo destinations including those in the UAE. China Southern Airlines flies both passengers and freight to Dubai.

Additional Airports out of China
• Xiamen XMN
• Chengdu CTU
• Shanghai Hongqiao PVG
• Shenzen SZX
• Zhengzhou CGO
• Chongqing CKG
• Dalian DLC
• Tianjin TSN

 

2. Major cities and airports in the UAE

 

• a. Dubai International Airport (DXB)

Dubai International Airport (IATA: DXB, ICAO: OMDB) (Arabic: مطاردبي الدولي) is the primary international airport in Dubai, UAE, and ranks as the busiest airport in the world in terms of international passenger traffic. It is also the world’s fourth busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic, the world’s sixth busiest cargo airport, the busiest airport for Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 movements, and the airport with the highest average number of passengers per flight. In 2017, DXB received 88 million passengers and 2.65 million tons of cargo, and recorded 409,493 aircraft movements. In July 2019, Dubai International Airport installed the largest solar system among airports in the region, as part of Dubai’s plan to reduce urban energy consumption by 30% by 2030.

Emirates Airlines has its hub airport in Dubai International (DXB) and has its own terminal 3, and shares 3 terminals with flydubai. The Emirates hub is the largest airline hub in the Middle East. Emirates handles 51% of all passenger traffic and approximately 42% of aircraft movements at the airport. Dubai Airport is also the base of low-cost airline flydubai, which handles 13% of passenger traffic and 25% of aircraft takeoffs and landings on DXB. The total annual capacity of the airport is 90 million passengers. As of January 2016, more than 140 airlines operated more than 7,700 flights per week to more than 270 destinations on all continents. Among travelers who used the airport in 2018, more than 63% were connecting passengers.

 

• b. Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC)

Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), also known as Dubai World Center, is the international airport in Jebel Ali, located 37 kilometers (23 miles) southwest of Dubai, United Arab Emirates opened on June 27, 2010. It is the main part of Dubai South, a planned residential, commercial and logistics complex.

When fully completed (expected in 2027), the airport will provide transport modes, logistics and value-added services, including manufacturing and assembly, in a free economic zone. It will cover 14,000 hectares (35,000 acres). The airport has an estimated annual capacity of 12 million tons (12,000,000 long tons; 13,000,000 short tons) of freight and can accommodate 160 million to 260 million passengers. As of May 2019, only a few airlines operate passenger services out of Al Maktoum International Airport.

 

• b. Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH)

Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) is the only international airport in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. It is located 30.6 km east of Abu Dhabi City. It is the second largest airport in the UAE after Dubai International Airport and serving approximately 20 million passengers in 2014. The airport has three passenger terminals in operation: Terminal 1 (divided into Terminals 1A and 1B), Terminal 2 and Terminal 3. Abu Dhabi International Airport covers an area of 3,400 hectares (8,500 acres). Its terminal spaces are dominated by Etihad Airways (EY), which is the second largest airline in the UAE after Emirates Airlines. More than 30 airlines provide services to more than 120 destinations in more than 60 countries.

 

• b. Sharjah Airport (SHJ)

Sharjah Airport (SHJ) is 13 kilometers east-southeast of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, covering an area of 15.2 million square meters (3800 acres).

According to the official statistics of the Airports Council InTernational in 2015, Sharjah Airport is the third largest airfreight hub in the Middle East in terms of cargo tonnage. Ground handling company Sharjah Aviation Services handled 586,195 tons in 2015, a year-on-year increase of 16.1%. It has a passenger terminal with an area of 125,000 square meters (1,350,000 square feet). Sharjah International Airport is the base of the low-cost airline Air Arabia. The headquarters of Air Arabia is located in the Sharjah Freight Center, located on the property of the airport in Sharjah, UAE. The center is an old cargo station.

Sharjah Airport has five cargo terminals with a total floor area of 32,000 square metres. The five cargo terminals at Sharjah Airport are equipped for handling up to 16 different types of aircraft and cargo aircraft parking positions. The terminals have facilities for cargo holding, imports, freight forwarders, customs and overflow imports, and exports.

 

 Part4. How long does it take from China to UAE by air?

This table shows some air freight lanes from airports in China to the UAE. Transit times are estimates and include only the airport-to-airport times. Customs clearing and transport to and from either domestic airport should be taken into account. Air freight usually takes up to a week to arrive at the final destination but it may arrive in only a few days.

Airport of Origin	Destination Airport	Est. Transit Time
Beijing	Dubai	10 Hours
Beijing	Abu Dhabi	10 Hours
Beijing	Sharjah	1 Day
Guangzhou	Dubai	8 Hours
Guangzhou	Abu Dhabi	8.5 Hours
Guangzhou	Sharjah	1 Day
Shanghai	Dubai	9 Hours
Shanghai	Abu Dhabi	1 Day
Shanghai	Sharjah	2 Day
Shenzhen	Dubai	10 Hours
Shenzhen	Abu Dhabi	2 Days
Shenzhen	Sharjah	2 Days

The Benefits of China Best Freight for Imports from China to UAE: A truly global freight forwarding partner.

China Best Freight provides you with a complete freight forwarding service of various sizes and speeds. Since we have an extensive logistics network, we are experts in handling imports and exports between China and the UAE. Our efficient online system for quotation request, booking, payment and freight tracking is designed to simplify the freight forwarding part of your business.

 

Customs Clearance Support

We will take away the sleepless nights caused by the worry of customs requirements and regulations. We offer an International Shipping Guide which includes all essential shipping information.
AND
When you make your booking to forward your freight using our services, you can rest at ease since you will be asked for all relevant information we will need to clear your shipment through customs.
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We will advise you ahead of time what to expect in terms of delays and charges so you can plan accordingly. And we will make sure you have the best advice regarding the specifics of your cargo.

China Best Freight will be with you and your freight from enquiry, to booking, to collection and final delivery of your shipment. Simplify your shipping experience with us from China to UAE.