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Saudi Arabia

Shipping from China to Jeddah: Red Sea routing, clearance and onward trucking

Containers from China reach Jeddah Islamic Port by sea through the Strait of Malacca, the Arabian Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb strait into the Red Sea, on direct Asia to Red Sea services from ports such as Shanghai, Ningbo, Shekou and Nansha. As of November 2026 Jeddah is Saudi Arabia's main gateway, because the Strait of Hormuz is closed to container lines and cargo for Riyadh, the Eastern Province and other Gulf states lands there and moves on by truck. Clearance runs through ZATCA's FASAH platform, with SABER certificates, 5% or higher duty and 15% VAT.

8 min readUpdated: Golden Way · Dubai · Guangzhou

Key points

  • Jeddah Islamic Port handles about 20,000 containers a day and is being expanded in 2026.
  • The sea leg passes Bab el-Mandeb, which is high-risk as of November 2026; China to UAE sailings do not.
  • There is no freight railway from Jeddah to Riyadh yet: cargo moves on by truck.
  • Transit cargo via Jeddah to other Gulf states no longer needs a bank guarantee (ZATCA, April 2026), but carriers set strict conditions.
  • The Saudi importer needs a Commercial Registration on FASAH and SABER certificates before arrival.

Why Jeddah matters for China cargo in 2026

Jeddah Islamic Port, run by the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) with terminal operators including Red Sea Gateway Terminal and DP World, is the largest container port in Saudi Arabia. According to Mawani in July 2026 it handles about 20,000 containers a day, can serve up to 14 container ships at once and had recently added 14 new shipping services. A SAR 641 million expansion adds cranes and 200,000 square metres of yard, and almost doubles reefer plugs from 4,800 to 9,000. Since March 2026, when container lines stopped using the Strait of Hormuz, Jeddah has also become a land bridge hub for Riyadh, Dammam and the other Gulf states, so congestion is a real risk at busy times.

20,000containers a day handled at Jeddah Islamic Port (Mawani, July 2026)
14container ships the port can serve at once
9,000reefer plugs after the 2026 expansion, up from 4,800
15 daysto clear and move transit cargo under one carrier's Jeddah rules
NanshaSingaporeJeddahRiyadh
SeaRoad

The sea leg: Asia to Red Sea services

Several carriers run direct loops from China to the Red Sea. For example, ONE's Red-Sea China Service, launched in January 2026, calls at Shanghai, Qingdao, Nansha and Shekou and then Jeddah, Sokhna and Aqaba. CMA CGM's REX2 loop runs Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Shekou, Nansha, Singapore and Djibouti before Jeddah. Transit time depends on the loop, the loading port and any schedule changes in 2026, so we give the transit for your specific sailing when we quote rather than a generic figure. King Abdullah Port at Rabigh, north of Jeddah, is a privately operated alternative that some lines also use.

Saudi entry pointCoast or borderStatus for China cargo, November 2026
Jeddah Islamic PortRed SeaMain gateway; direct Asia–Red Sea services; congestion risk at peaks
King Abdullah Port (Rabigh)Red Sea, north of JeddahPrivate port; alternative discharge for some carriers
King Abdulaziz Port, DammamArabian GulfInside Hormuz; direct container calls much reduced since March 2026
Batha land borderUAE border (Ghuwaifat)Road entry for cargo landed in the UAE or Oman; long queues reported in 2026

Customs clearance at Jeddah, step by step

  1. Confirm the importerThe consignee must be a Saudi company with a Commercial Registration registered on FASAH. A Chinese seller cannot normally be importer of record.
  2. Classify and check rulesAgree the full HS code and check the ZATCA tariff for the duty rate and for SABER, SFDA, CST or other approvals.
  3. Get SABER certificatesThe importer holds a product certificate for each product and requests a shipment certificate in SABER for this consignment.
  4. Pack and load correctlyPalletise the cargo, as required for containerised imports since 8 May 2025 (phased), and make sure invoice, packing list and marks match.
  5. Book and issue the B/LThe B/L names the Saudi importer as consignee. For transit cargo it must carry the in-transit clause.
  6. File before arrivalThe Saudi broker files the declaration in FASAH at least 48 hours before the ship arrives where possible.
  7. Pay duty and VATDuty (5% or the higher line rate) and 15% VAT are paid through SADAD or the broker's FASAH account.
  8. Inspection and releaseFASAH's risk engine decides release, document check, X-ray or physical inspection; SASO or SFDA may take samples.
  9. Delivery order and truckPay the line's local charges, get the D/O, book the truck appointment and collect the container.
  10. Return the emptyReturn the empty within free time to the depot named on the release; in 2026 some carriers changed return locations.

Moving on from Jeddah: Riyadh, the east and other Gulf states

  • The usual option for buyers in Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah or Riyadh.
  • Duty and VAT are paid in Jeddah, then the cargo moves as domestic freight.
  • There is no Jeddah–Riyadh freight railway yet; the planned Saudi Landbridge line, about 950 km, targets completion before 2034.
  • Plan truck bookings before arrival, because land capacity has been tight in 2026.
  • Foreign trucks generally cannot make domestic deliveries inside Saudi Arabia, so onward delivery is arranged with Saudi trucking.
  • Delays and storage on transit cargo are at the shipper's cost under the carriers' Jeddah transit rules.
  • If a container stays uncleared, a carrier may move it out of Jeddah to ease congestion, again at the shipper's cost.

Documents and approvals for Jeddah

Jeddah import file

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Costs to plan for, and how our team helps

Beyond ocean freight, budget for Red Sea war-risk or emergency surcharges, Jeddah terminal handling and Mawani port charges, the D/O fee, SABER and inspection costs, duty and 15% VAT, inland trucking and any storage, demurrage or detention. Free time at the port is often between 3 and 14 days depending on the carrier and contract, so documents should be ready before the ship arrives. Our Guangzhou office handles supplier pickup, inspection, consolidation, export customs and booking in China; our regular running routes are China to the UAE and Oman, and for Saudi destinations our team confirms with each enquiry how clearance and delivery in the Kingdom are arranged. Our UAE to Saudi Arabia truck service is listed as coming next.

Days over free time–
Estimated charge–

Free time and daily charges differ by line, port and container type. Use the figures on your booking.

Quick check

Are you ready to ship to Jeddah?

Which strait does a ship from China to Jeddah pass that a ship from China to Khor Fakkan does not?
How does most cargo move from Jeddah to Riyadh today?
What did ZATCA remove for transit through Saudi ports in April 2026?

Frequently asked questions

How long does shipping from China to Jeddah take?

It depends on the service and loading port, and in 2026 Red Sea conditions can change schedules. Our team gives the transit time for your actual sailing when quoting, within one working day.

Which shipping lines go from China to Jeddah?

Several carriers run direct Asia to Red Sea loops; examples include ONE's Red-Sea China Service and CMA CGM's REX2, calling at ports such as Shanghai, Ningbo, Qingdao, Shekou and Nansha.

Is the Red Sea safe for shipping to Jeddah in 2026?

As of November 2026 it remains high-risk, with a declared blockade on Saudi-linked shipping and attacks reported in 2026. Ships still call at Jeddah, but surcharges and schedule changes are possible.

What is the import duty at Jeddah?

Generally 5% of the CIF value, but many Saudi tariff lines are higher, and 15% VAT is charged on CIF plus duty. The exact rate depends on the HS code.

Do I need SABER for goods shipped to Jeddah?

Almost all consumer and industrial products need a SABER product certificate and a shipment certificate before customs releases them. Food and cosmetics need SFDA approval instead or as well.

Can I ship to Jeddah and send the goods on to Riyadh or Dubai?

Yes. Clear in Jeddah and truck to Riyadh, or move the cargo in transit to the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain or Iraq under a FASAH transit declaration and the carrier's conditions.

Can a Chinese company be the importer in Jeddah?

Not without a Saudi entity. The importer must hold a Saudi Commercial Registration registered on FASAH, so usually the Saudi buyer is the importer.

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Sources

  1. Arab News – Saudi Arabia invests $171m to expand Jeddah Islamic Port capacity (Jul 2026)
  2. Arab News – Saudi Arabia ready for shipping route shift to Jeddah port (Mar 2026)
  3. Hapag-Lloyd – Saudi Arabia: update on transit shipments via Jeddah to the Upper Gulf (Aug 2026)
  4. Deloitte – GCC supply chain facilitation measures in KSA, UAE and Oman (ZATCA transit guarantee removal, Apr 2026)
  5. ITLN – ONE strengthens Red Sea connectivity with new direct service from China (RCS)
  6. AJOT – CMA CGM REX2 service upgrade between Asia and the Red Sea
  7. Arab News – Saudi Arabia plans Riyadh–Jeddah railway by 2034 (Jan 2026)
  8. US International Trade Administration – Saudi Arabia import requirements and documentation
  9. ZATCA – Customs customer journey (FASAH)

General information checked on the date shown. Rules and rates change: our team confirms the details for your shipment.

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