Shipping furniture from Foshan to Dubai

Furniture bought in Foshan is collected to our Guangzhou warehouse, checked, consolidated and shipped from Nansha, typically 18–30 days door to door to Dubai. As of November 2026 ships cannot normally reach Jebel Ali through the Strait of Hormuz, so containers land at Khor Fakkan and move to Jebel Ali by bonded truck. In Dubai you pay 5% customs duty on the CIF value plus 5% VAT.

At a glance

How it works

1. Order and document checkYou confirm the order with each Foshan supplier; we check the supplier, invoice and packing list first.
2. Pickup in FoshanOur truck collects from each factory or showroom to our Guangzhou warehouse.
3. Count, photograph, consolidateEvery piece is counted and photographed, damage is reported, and all orders go into one container under one bill of lading.
4. Export clearance at NanshaThe export declaration is filed in China, and the container is sealed and loaded at Nansha port.
5. Sea leg to Khor FakkanAs of November 2026 the vessel discharges at Khor Fakkan on the UAE east coast instead of Jebel Ali, with an update at each port call.
6. Bonded truck and Dubai customsThe container moves to Jebel Ali under customs seal, then our broker files the import declaration and settles duty and VAT for you.
7. DeliveryA local truck delivers to your warehouse or showroom, and you receive the invoice, B/L and customs documents.

Packing furniture for a long, hot voyage

A sofa rides a truck, spends three to four weeks in a container that sweats in the heat, takes a second truck from the east coast and is unloaded again in Dubai. Write the packing standard into your purchase order before production: corner guards on every edge, upholstery wrapped in film plus a breathable outer layer, glass, marble and mirrors in separate wooden crates, and desiccant bags with wood and leather items. Solid wood crates and pallets must be ISPM 15 heat treated and carry the IPPC mark; plywood, particle board and plastic pallets are exempt. Cargo insurance normally excludes loss caused by insufficient packing.

LCL or FCL: the volume decides

Furniture fills space before it gets heavy, so CBM decides how you ship. LCL is charged per W/M, the greater of CBM or tonnes, and usually suits shipments under about 12 CBM. From roughly 15 CBM a 20GP is often better value, and a 40HQ holds about 65–68 CBM of usable space, suiting sofas, wardrobes and mixed orders. LCL also adds handling and roughly 3–7 days for consolidation and unpacking, which matters for fragile pieces. Ask every supplier for per-carton dimensions and weights so the volume is right. Freight rates change weekly, so our team quotes each shipment within one working day.

Customs and duty in Dubai

Furniture cleared into the Dubai mainland pays the GCC common duty of 5% on the CIF value, then 5% VAT on CIF plus duty. A VAT-registered importer whose customs code is linked to its TRN in EmaraTax can use the reverse charge instead of paying VAT at the border. The importer needs a trade licence and a Dubai customs client code. The documents are the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading and a certificate of origin issued in China. Invoices of AED 10,000 or more must be attested through MOFA, reported at AED 150 per invoice, within 14 days of the declaration. Goods kept in a free zone such as JAFZA stay duty-suspended until they enter the mainland.

Common mistakes that cost time

The most frequent problem is untreated solid wood packaging, which can be refused, treated at your cost or destroyed on arrival. Next come vague invoice lines such as furniture: customs needs the actual product, for example 40 sets fabric sofas with wooden frames, with quantity and unit price. Under-valued invoices are reassessed against reference prices and hold up release. In a consolidation, one late supplier can make the whole container miss its vessel, so set a firm delivery date at the warehouse. Finally, note any damage on the delivery receipt and send written notice within 3 days for sea freight; missing that deadline weakens a claim.

Checklist before you book

• Packing standard written into the purchase order
• ISPM 15 mark on every solid wood crate and pallet
• Packing list with dimensions and weight for each carton
• Invoice lines naming each product, quantity and unit price
• Certificate of origin requested from the supplier
• Trade licence and Dubai customs code ready, TRN linked for reverse charge
• Firm warehouse delivery date for every supplier
• Cargo insurance arranged, including war and strikes cover for the Gulf

Questions

Read next

General information checked against the sources below. Our team confirms the route, papers and timing for your shipment before booking; prices are quoted per shipment.

Sources

1. UAE ICP: Customs union for GCC (common external tariff)
2. PwC: UAE attestation fees on commercial invoices for imports (2022)
3. Gulf News: invoice and origin certificate attestations via MOFA eDAS (August 2026)
4. Lloyd's List Intelligence: Strait of Hormuz Brief, 22 October 2026
5. Wikipedia: Lecong, Shunde district, Foshan