Shipping from China to Sharjah: Ports, Free Zones, Customs

Key points

Sharjah has three sea ports: Khor Fakkan on the east coast, and Port Khalid and Hamriyah on the Gulf side.
Khor Fakkan is outside Hormuz and is the main UAE gateway as of November 2026.
SAIF Zone (next to Sharjah airport) and Hamriyah Free Zone (with its own port) hold goods with duty suspended.
A Sharjah customs code does not automatically work in Dubai, so plan which emirate clears the goods.
Our China to UAE service runs via Khor Fakkan, with a typical 18–30 days door to door.

Sharjah's three sea ports

Sharjah's ports are run under the Sharjah Ports, Customs and Free Zones Authority. Gulftainer operates two of them under concessions extended in 2023 for another 35 years: the Sharjah Container Terminal at Port Khalid in Sharjah city, described as the first container terminal in the Middle East, and Khorfakkan Container Terminal on the Gulf of Oman, which can take the largest container ships. Hamriyah Port, north of the city, sits inside Hamriyah Free Zone and has its own customs centre for containers, heavy equipment and general cargo.

Port	Coast	What it handles	Status for China cargo, November 2026
Khor Fakkan	Gulf of Oman, outside Hormuz	Deep-sea container ships, transshipment, general cargo	Main discharge port for UAE cargo; capacity being expanded
Port Khalid (Sharjah Container Terminal)	Arabian Gulf, Sharjah city	Containers, bulk, RoRo, general cargo	Inside Hormuz; few direct calls from China; used for regional feeders and the Oman corridor
Hamriyah Port	Arabian Gulf, inside Hamriyah Free Zone	Containers, petrochemicals, general cargo	Inside Hormuz; cargo from China usually arrives by truck from the east coast

3Sharjah sea ports: Khor Fakkan, Port Khalid, Hamriyah

65,000TEUs a week reported Khor Fakkan throughput in October 2026

18–30days typical door to door on our China to UAE route

5%customs duty on the CIF value

SeaRoad

Khor Fakkan in 2026: why it matters

Because Khor Fakkan lies outside the strait, carriers now use it to discharge cargo for Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Gulftainer built a new landside gate complex in 2026 and, according to October 2026 reporting, weekly throughput rose from about 8,000 to about 65,000 TEUs, with phase 1 of an expansion aimed at 5 million TEUs a year. Inland, the Sajaa bonded dry port lets containers leave the port under seal and be cleared closer to the customer, and an Al Dhaid hub is planned with a future Etihad Rail link. All boxes still cross the Hajar mountains by truck for now.

SAIF Zone vs Hamriyah Free Zone vs mainland Sharjah

Sharjah Airport International Free Zone, set up in 1995 next to Sharjah International Airport.
Warehouses, storage yards and container parking for trading and light industry.
Goods imported from China stay duty-suspended while in the zone or when re-exported.
Listed as a VAT designated zone; the VAT rules are technical, so check with a tax adviser.

Customs clearance in Sharjah step by step

Confirm the importerA trade licence with import activity and a customs client code registered with Sharjah Customs. Codes from other emirates are not automatically valid.
Classify and check approvalsConfirm the HS code and duty, and any MOIAT ECAS, TDRA, EDE, MOCCAE or municipality approval before shipping.
Choose the declarationImport for local use, import into SAIF or Hamriyah Free Zone, or transit to another emirate or GCC state.
Arrival at Khor FakkanThe line files the manifest. Pay local charges and get the Delivery Order against the original B/L or telex release.
Declare and payThe broker files the declaration with invoice, packing list, B/L and certificate of origin; duty and VAT are paid or VAT is reverse-charged.
Attest the invoiceCommercial invoices of AED 10,000 or more need MOFA attestation, at the latest within 14 days of the declaration.
Inspection and releaseCustoms may release directly, check documents or inspect. Then the container is gated out.
Truck and empty returnDeliver to your site or free zone, unload, and return the empty to the depot on the release within free time.

Trucking from Sharjah to Dubai and beyond

Many importers use Sharjah because the goods end up in Dubai. There are two clean ways to do it. Either clear in Sharjah and truck duty-paid UAE goods to Dubai, or keep the container under bond from Khor Fakkan and clear it in Dubai through Mirsal 2. Our published China to UAE route works the second way: sea to Khor Fakkan, then a bonded truck to Jebel Ali, where we clear for the customer.

Clear in Sharjah when your warehouse or free zone company is in Sharjah and you hold a Sharjah code.
Use bonded transit to Dubai when you are registered with Dubai Customs or your stock sits in JAFZA.
Moving goods from SAIF or Hamriyah to a Dubai buyer means a free-zone-to-local declaration with duty and VAT at that point.
For Oman, Sharjah opened a logistics corridor on 14 May 2026 linking Port Khalid with Sohar through the Khatmat Malaha and Al Madam crossings.
Trucks to Saudi Arabia leave the UAE through Ghuwaifat under a transit declaration.

Duty, VAT and landed cost

Duty is 5% of the CIF value and import VAT is 5% of CIF plus duty, the same as in every emirate. Add customs fees, MOFA attestation, the line's destination charges, Khor Fakkan terminal charges and the truck across the mountains to get a true landed cost. Freight changes weekly, so our team quotes the sea and truck legs within one working day. The calculator below adds goods, freight, duty and VAT for you.

DestinationDuty rate %Goods value (USD)Freight and insurance (USD)Units

CIF value–

Duty–

VAT–

Duty and VAT–

Landed cost–

Cost per unit–

Most goods from China pay 5% GCC duty on CIF, once, at the first GCC entry. VAT is on CIF + duty. Estimate only.

Before you ship to Sharjah

Sharjah shipment checklist

0/8

Decide: mainland Sharjah, SAIF Zone, Hamriyah Free Zone, or onward to Dubai
Importer holds a customs code in the emirate that will clear
HS code, duty rate and product approvals confirmed
Invoice, packing list, B/L and certificate of origin match each other
B/L consignee or notify party is the UAE importer
Plan MOFA attestation for invoices of AED 10,000 or more
Customs code linked to the TRN for VAT reverse charge
Delivery address, unloading equipment and opening hours confirmed

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Frequently asked questions

How long does shipping from China to Sharjah take?

Our typical door-to-door range China to the UAE is 18–30 days via Khor Fakkan. Port queues, inspections or a carrier changing the discharge port can add days; the team confirms the schedule per booking.

Which port is used for Sharjah in 2026?

Mostly Khor Fakkan, Sharjah's east coast port outside the Strait of Hormuz. As of November 2026 direct calls from China at Port Khalid and Hamriyah are rare.

What is the difference between SAIF Zone and Hamriyah Free Zone?

SAIF Zone is next to Sharjah International Airport and suits trading and light industry. Hamriyah Free Zone has its own port and suits heavier industrial and re-export cargo. Both hold goods with duty suspended.

Can I clear in Sharjah and sell in Dubai?

Yes. Duty is paid once in the UAE, so cleared goods can be trucked to Dubai with the import declaration as proof. Your Sharjah registration covers the clearance; selling in Dubai is a licensing matter.

Is customs duty in Sharjah different from Dubai?

No. All emirates apply the GCC common tariff: generally 5% of CIF plus 5% VAT. Fees and procedures differ slightly between customs authorities.

Does Golden Way deliver to Sharjah free zones?

Yes. We arrange sea freight to Khor Fakkan, bonded trucking and clearance, and deliver to SAIF Zone, Hamriyah or mainland addresses. The team quotes within one working day.

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

Shipping from China to Sharjah: Khor Fakkan, free zones and clearance