Should you ship FCL, LCL or air from China?
A full container, called FCL, suits a load big enough to fill a 20 or 40 foot container. You pay for the whole container and no other cargo travels in it.
A shared container, called LCL, suits a smaller load. Your cargo travels with other shipments and you pay for the space it takes, by the cubic metre.
Air freight suits urgent or high value goods. It leaves on the next available flight and is charged on chargeable weight, which is the greater of the actual weight and the volume weight.
What happens to sea cargo at Jebel Ali?
Sea cargo from China arrives at Jebel Ali Port. Our Dubai team files the import declaration and collects the container once Dubai Customs releases it.
A shared container is unpacked at a container freight station first. We collect your cargo from there after release.
The port sits beside the Jebel Ali Free Zone. Cargo for a company in the zone is delivered there under the free zone procedure.
What happens to air cargo at DXB?
Air cargo from China can land at Dubai International Airport, known as DXB. We clear it at the cargo terminal and deliver it to your warehouse or office.
What happens to air cargo at DWC?
Some cargo flights use Al Maktoum International Airport, known as DWC, in Dubai South. We clear cargo there in the same way and deliver it anywhere in the UAE.
You do not need to choose the airport. We book the flight and tell you where the cargo will land.
Which documents do you need to import from China?
A commercial shipment from China needs the papers below. We check the full set before the cargo leaves, so problems are fixed before it sails.
- Import code for the UAE consignee
- Commercial invoice
- Packing list
- Bill of lading or airway bill
- Certificate of origin
- Import permit where the goods need one
Can every product be imported from China?
No. Some goods cannot enter the UAE, and others need approval from a UAE authority before they arrive. Check the list of prohibited and restricted goods before you place the order.
How much duty and VAT do you pay on goods from China?
Most goods pay 5 percent of the CIF value in duty, then 5 percent VAT on the CIF value plus duty. The CIF value is the cost of the goods plus insurance and freight to the UAE.
Some goods carry a different rate, and goods held in a free zone follow a different procedure. We confirm the rate for your goods before you ship.
Which trade terms should you agree with a Chinese supplier?
The trade term on your order, called an Incoterm, decides who books the freight. Under EXW and FOB, you as the buyer choose the forwarder. Under CIF, the supplier books the freight to the UAE port and you arrange clearance and delivery from there.
Buying on FOB terms lets you choose the forwarder and deal with one company from the Chinese port to your door. Tell us the term on your order and we quote the part that is yours.
What do we need to quote a shipment from China?
Send these five details and we reply within one business day.
- Pickup city in China and delivery address in the UAE
- What the goods are, with the HS code if you have it
- Weight and dimensions, or the number of containers
- The trade term on your order
- The date the goods will be ready
Written by the Gxpress Dubai team on 10 October 2026.
