Service

Sea Freight from China to Middle East

LCL and FCL ocean freight from the main South and East China ports to Jebel Ali, Jeddah, and Dammam.

What's included

Our sea freight quotes cover every stage from origin pickup to destination port arrival.

  • Origin trucking from your supplier or our Guangzhou warehouse to the loading port
  • Origin terminal handling and bill of lading issuance
  • Ocean freight on weekly direct sailings from major carriers
  • Cargo insurance at 0.15% of invoice value (optional)
  • Destination terminal handling at Jebel Ali, Jeddah, or Dammam
  • Documentation: bill of lading, certificate of origin, packing list, commercial invoice
  • Optional customs clearance and last-mile delivery

How it works

  1. You send packing list with CBM, weight, HS codes, and ready-cargo date.
  2. We quote within 24 hours with two carrier options.
  3. You confirm; we book the slot and arrange origin trucking.
  4. Cargo loads at the port. Bill of lading issued 2-3 days after departure.
  5. You receive online tracking with weekly position updates.
  6. On arrival we hand over to customs clearance or release documents to your broker.

Pricing

Indicative 2026 rates, port-to-port, ex-China. Update fortnightly.

OriginDestinationLCL ($/CBM)20ft ($)40HQ ($)Transit
Shenzhen / YantianJebel Ali451,7502,10018-22 days
NingboJebel Ali481,8002,20022-26 days
ShanghaiJebel Ali481,8002,20022-26 days
ShenzhenJeddah582,0502,45023-27 days
ShenzhenDammam622,1502,60026-32 days

What you get

  • Original or telex-released bill of lading within 3 days of vessel departure
  • Online tracking with weekly position
  • One point of contact at origin and one at destination
  • Optional cargo insurance and customs clearance bundled into the same invoice
  • Demurrage and detention monitoring with proactive alerts before free time expires

When to use this vs. alternatives

Use sea freight for any cargo above ~150 kg or 1 CBM that can wait 20-35 days. For smaller or urgent shipments use air freight. For door-to-door pricing without managing the customs side yourself, see DDP service. For container-load orders shipping monthly to the same destination, ask for an annual contract; rates can drop 10-15% below spot.

Frequently asked questions

Should I ship LCL or FCL? +
Below ~12 CBM, LCL is cheaper. Between 12-18 CBM the cost is roughly equal and FCL gives faster turnaround and less handling damage. Above ~18 CBM, FCL 20ft is always cheaper. Above ~58 CBM, use a 40HQ.
How long is the transit? +
Shenzhen to Jebel Ali: 18-22 days. Ningbo or Shanghai to Jebel Ali: 22-26 days. To Jeddah add 5-7 days; to Dammam add 7-10 days. LCL adds 5-10 days for consolidation and de-consolidation at both ends.
What are the indicative 2026 rates? +
LCL approximately $45 per CBM to UAE, $55-65 to KSA. FCL 20ft from $1,750, FCL 40HQ from $2,100 to Jebel Ali. Rates fluctuate with bunker, GRI, and peak season. We re-quote every 14 days.
What are the LCL minimum charges? +
LCL is billed at the higher of actual CBM or weight tonne (1 CBM = 1,000 kg equivalence). Minimum chargeable is 1 CBM. Below 1 CBM, courier or air consolidation is cheaper.
Are destination charges included? +
Our quotes are clearly marked as port-to-port, port-to-door, or door-to-door. Destination terminal handling charges (THC) at Jebel Ali and Jeddah are $120-180 per container plus $45 per LCL CBM. We always show these as separate line items.
Do you handle hazardous cargo? +
IMO Class 2-9 (excluding Class 1 explosives and Class 7 radioactive) yes. Lithium batteries (UN3480, UN3481) require IMO declaration and add $200-400 per shipment. Class 1 and Class 7 we do not handle.
What if my goods are time-sensitive? +
Use air freight for anything that cannot wait 20+ days. For mid-urgency cargo, sea-air via Dubai (sea Shenzhen-Dubai, then trucked or air-forwarded onward) cuts 5-7 days off pure ocean.

Ready to ship from China to the UAE or KSA?

Get a same-day quote with rates, transit time, and a clear list of what is included.

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