UK to UAE Shipping · 2026 Guide
Shipping to Dubai from the UK.
Door-to-door sea and air freight from the UK to the UAE — built for high-end fit-out contractors shipping British construction materials into Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the wider Emirates. Export packing, customs, duty, live tracking and site delivery, all handled by one UK team.
UK to Dubai shipping — the quick answer.
Shipping to Dubai from the UK by sea freight takes 28–35 days port-to-port and starts from around £180 per m³ for shared-container (LCL) loads. Full containers (FCL) sit between £1,900 and £3,800 depending on size. Air freight is 5–7 days door-to-door at £4–£7 per kg — the right choice for smaller, urgent or fragile shipments.
All goods entering the UAE clear through Jebel Ali (Dubai Customs) with 5% import duty + 5% VAT on most construction materials, and any timber packing must be ISPM 15 heat-treated and stamped. CORDA handles every one of these steps as a single fixed quote.
Freight Options
Sea freight vs air freight: UK to UAE.
Sea freight
The default for construction materials, stone, joinery, tiles, ironmongery, lighting and any large-volume order. Sails weekly from Felixstowe, Southampton and London Gateway direct to Jebel Ali Port.
- 28–35 days port-to-port
- LCL from £180–£280 / m³
- 20ft FCL £1,900–£2,800
- 40ft FCL £2,600–£3,800
- Cheapest per cubic metre for heavy goods
Air freight
Reserved for urgent, small or high-value cargo — sample boards, brassware, bespoke ironmongery, snagging replacements — flown daily from London Heathrow to Dubai International (DXB) or Al Maktoum (DWC).
- 5–7 days door-to-door
- £4–£7 per kg standard
- Priority express in 48–72 hours
- Ideal for <0.5 m³ or <200 kg
- Full airway bill & clearance handled
2026 Cost Guide
How much does UK to Dubai shipping cost?
Indicative freight-only prices for shipments moving through Jebel Ali Port. Excludes UK collection, export packing, insurance and UAE duty.
| Service | Best for | Transit | Indicative cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| LCL sea freight | 1–14 m³ | 28–35 days | £180–£280 / m³ |
| 20ft FCL | 15–28 m³ | 28–35 days | £1,900–£2,800 |
| 40ft FCL | 30–58 m³ | 28–35 days | £2,600–£3,800 |
| 40ft HC FCL | Oversized / tall goods | 28–35 days | £2,800–£4,200 |
| Standard air freight | Under 200 kg | 5–7 days | £4–£7 / kg |
| Express air freight | Urgent snagging | 48–72 hrs | £8–£12 / kg |
Container Options
LCL, FCL and consolidated container shipping.
LCL — Less than Container Load
Your goods share a 20ft or 40ft container. Best for 1–14 m³ where a full container isn't yet cost-effective. Priced per cubic metre.
FCL — Full Container Load
You take the whole 20ft (28 m³) or 40ft (58 m³) box. Faster port clearance, sealed at origin, opened by you or us on arrival. Cheapest per m³ from ~15 m³.
Consolidated project loads
For live fit-out projects: we collect from multiple UK suppliers, consolidate at our facility, and ship as one packing list against one commercial invoice.
End-to-End Service
Everything in one UK to Dubai shipping service.
ISPM 15 export packing
Heat-treated crates, foam-lined cases and stamped timber built for a 35-day sea voyage. Full detail on our export packing page.
UK & UAE customs docs
Commercial invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin, HS-code classification and UAE clearance at Jebel Ali.
Sea freight to Jebel Ali
Weekly sailings from Felixstowe, Southampton and London Gateway direct to Jebel Ali Port, Dubai. LCL, FCL and consolidated.
Door-to-door UAE delivery
Final-mile delivery to your site, warehouse, showroom or free-zone address anywhere in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE.
Live shipment tracking
GPS tracking from UK collection to UAE arrival — vessel ETA, container status, customs progress and delivery ETA in one dashboard.
Fully insured cargo
All-risk marine insurance on every shipment. Your goods are covered end-to-end from UK collection to Dubai delivery.
UAE Customs & Duty
UAE import duty on UK goods.
The UAE applies a 5% customs duty on the CIF value (cost + insurance + freight) of most imported goods, plus 5% VAT. For high-end construction materials — natural stone, porcelain tiles, ironmongery, brassware, lighting, glass partitions — the standard 5% + 5% applies. A small number of categories are zero-rated or exempt (medical equipment, some raw materials).
To keep clearance clean at Jebel Ali, every shipment needs an accurate HS code, a matched commercial invoice and packing list, and — where relevant — a Certificate of Origin. CORDA handles all of this in-house and confirms the total landed cost before the container leaves the UK.
The Process
United Kingdom → Jebel Ali Port → your Dubai site.
Specification & quote
Send the spec — sizes, weights, incoterms. We come back within 24 hours with a full landed-cost quote.
UK collection & pack
Nationwide UK collection, ISPM 15 crating and export documentation at our packing facility.
Sea or air to UAE
Booked onto weekly sailings to Jebel Ali or daily flights to DXB / DWC with live tracking.
Customs & site delivery
UAE customs clearance, duty settled, and door delivery to your fit-out project or warehouse.
FAQ
Shipping from the UK to Dubai — common questions.
How long does shipping from the UK to Dubai take?+
Sea freight from the UK to Dubai typically takes 28–35 days port-to-port from Felixstowe or Southampton to Jebel Ali Port, plus 5–7 days for UK collection, export packing and UAE customs clearance. Air freight is 5–7 days door-to-door and suits smaller, higher-value or urgent shipments.
How much does it cost to ship from the UK to Dubai?+
As a 2026 guide: LCL sea freight starts around £180–£280 per cubic metre, a 20ft FCL container is typically £1,900–£2,800, and a 40ft FCL is £2,600–£3,800 — all excluding export packing, insurance and UAE duty. Air freight sits at £4–£7 per kg for standard cargo. Every project quote is bespoke and depends on volume, weight, incoterms and destination in the UAE.
What is the difference between LCL and FCL shipping to Dubai?+
LCL (Less-than-Container-Load) means your goods share a container with other shipments — best for 1–14 cubic metres. FCL (Full-Container-Load) gives you the whole 20ft or 40ft container, is faster through the ports, and works out cheaper per cubic metre from around 15 m³ upwards.
Do you handle UAE customs clearance at Jebel Ali?+
Yes. We manage full UK export declarations and UAE import clearance through Jebel Ali (Dubai Customs), including HS code classification, commercial invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin and any product-specific certificates. Goods arrive at your Dubai site ready to install.
What UAE import duty will I pay on UK goods?+
The UAE standard customs duty on imported goods is 5% of CIF value (cost + insurance + freight) for most construction materials, plus 5% VAT. Some categories are zero-rated. We advise per HS code before shipping so there are no surprises at Jebel Ali.
Is ISPM 15 export packing required for shipping to the UAE?+
Yes. The UAE enforces ISPM 15 for all solid wood packaging (crates, cases, pallets) entering the country. All CORDA crates are heat-treated and stamped to ISPM 15 — non-compliant timber is refused entry at Jebel Ali.
Do you ship anywhere in the UAE beyond Dubai?+
Yes — door-to-door delivery covers Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain, as well as free zones (JAFZA, DMCC, Dubai South, Masdar City) and job-site fit-out projects across the country.
Is there a minimum shipment size for UK to Dubai shipping?+
No strict minimum. We ship single crates through to multi-container consolidations. For very small orders (under 0.5 m³) air freight is often more cost-effective than LCL sea freight.
Related resources.
Export packing (UK)
ISPM 15 crating and case making at our UK facility.
UK–Dubai cost guide 2026
Full breakdown of shipping costs, container sizes and duty.
Sea vs air freight
How to choose the right mode for your UAE shipment.
UAE import duty explained
How the 5% + 5% CIF calculation actually works.
ISPM 15 explained
Why every timber crate to the UAE must be heat-treated.
Sourcing UK materials for Dubai
The full playbook for fit-out contractors.
Need a quote for shipping to Dubai from the UK?
Send your spec — sizes, weights and destination. We'll respond within 24 hours with a full landed-cost breakdown: packing, freight, customs and duty as one line-itemised quote.