FCL ocean freight
Full-container sea freight from China to the UAE, Iraq and the GCC, with one named coordinator, an itemised quote and every stage in your case file.
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Ports, transport modes and typical transit ranges for this lane, taken directly from our lane record.
| Route | United Arab Emirates → Kenya |
|---|---|
| Lane status | Operating |
| Origin ports | Jebel AliAEJEAKhor FakkanAEKLF |
| Destination ports | MombasaKEMBA |
| Transport modes |
| Sea — full container (FCL) · Sea — shared container (LCL) · Sea + road (multimodal) |
| Transit: Sea — full container (FCL) | 12–25 daysTransit times are indicative ranges based on recent sailings. They change with carrier schedules, transshipment and port congestion; your quote states the expected range for your shipment. |
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| Transit: Sea — shared container (LCL) | 18–35 daysTransit times are indicative ranges based on recent sailings. They change with carrier schedules, transshipment and port congestion; your quote states the expected range for your shipment. |
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| Port-to-port time | Indicatively 12–25 days in 2026, depending on feeder or east-coast loading |
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| Kenyan port | Mombasa (KEMBA), run by the Kenya Ports Authority |
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| Before shipment | KRA PIN, Import Declaration Form via KenTrade, KEBS PVoC certificate for regulated goods |
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| Import duty | East African Community Common External Tariff, by HS code |
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| VAT and levies | 16% VAT, plus the IDF fee and Railway Development Levy on customs value |
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| 2026 routing | Feeder from Jebel Ali, or truck to Khor Fakkan or Fujairah for loading |
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| Facts as of | 1 November 2026 |
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As of 1 Nov 2026
Most lanes can be served in more than one way. The right choice depends on your deadline, budget and destination documents.
| Option | Transit (indicative) | Advantages | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| FCL from Jebel Ali on a feeder, then a mainline service to Mombasa | Indicatively 14–25 days | No road leg in the UAE; documents issued as usual at Jebel Ali | Feeder capacity and transshipment can add days and change the schedule |
| Truck to Khor Fakkan or Fujairah, FCL to Mombasa | Indicatively 12–20 days, plus 1–3 days for the road leg | Loads outside the Strait of Hormuz, often with fewer schedule changes | Trucking cost, an earlier cut-off and customs-transit paperwork for free-zone goods |
| LCL consolidated in JAFZA | Add about 1–2 weeks for consolidation | Pay per cubic metre and combine goods from several suppliers | More handling, Mombasa warehouse charges and less predictable dates |
| Through Mombasa to Uganda or Rwanda (Northern Corridor) | The inland leg adds days to weeks | One sea route serves several East African markets | Transit bond and border formalities; inland cover confirmed case by case |
FCL from Jebel Ali on a feeder, then a mainline service to Mombasa
Truck to Khor Fakkan or Fujairah, FCL to Mombasa
LCL consolidated in JAFZA
Through Mombasa to Uganda or Rwanda (Northern Corridor)
Transit times are indicative ranges based on recent sailings. They change with carrier schedules, transshipment and port congestion; your quote states the expected range for your shipment.
Status and facts as of 1 November 2026. Conditions change quickly: check our lane status board before you book.
Most cargo leaves from Jebel Ali or Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) in Dubai and is discharged at Mombasa, Kenya's main seaport and the gateway to the Northern Corridor.
| Leg | Main points (UN/LOCODE) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| UAE origin | Jebel Ali (AEJEA) and JAFZA warehouses; Khor Fakkan (AEKLF) on the east coast | In 2026 many East Africa sailings load outside the Gulf, at Khor Fakkan or Fujairah |
| Kenyan port | Mombasa (KEMBA) | Run by the Kenya Ports Authority |
| Inland Kenya | Nairobi Inland Container Depot | Linked to Mombasa by the Standard Gauge Railway; road for other destinations |
| Transit | Northern Corridor to Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and eastern DR Congo | Destination-country rules apply; inland legs are confirmed case by case |
Jebel Ali lies inside the Gulf, and since about 1 March 2026 most mainline container ships have not transited the Strait of Hormuz, so Kenya-bound boxes either leave Jebel Ali on a feeder or regional shuttle, or are trucked to Khor Fakkan or Fujairah and loaded there.
Which option applies depends on the carrier and the week. Before you book, we confirm in writing the loading port, the cargo cut-off, who arranges and pays for any truck to the east coast, and where the empty container is collected. Goods stored in JAFZA for re-export move to the loading port under customs control, so the re-export declaration must be ready before the truck leaves. See our Hormuz advisory.
The Kenyan importer needs a KRA PIN, an Import Declaration Form (IDF) lodged through KenTrade before shipment and, for regulated products, a KEBS certificate of conformity issued before loading.
Rates and procedures change with Kenya's Finance Acts, so confirm them with the Kenya Revenue Authority and see our Kenya import checklist.
It does not change the origin: goods made in China that are stored or consolidated in Dubai remain Chinese origin, so keep each supplier's certificate of origin.
The commercial invoice and packing list are issued for the sale to the Kenyan buyer, and their descriptions, HS codes, quantities and values must match the IDF. When goods from several suppliers are consolidated in JAFZA, we prepare one packing list for the container and check it against every supplier's invoice before loading. See re-export from Jebel Ali to East Africa.
In 2026 the routing out of Dubai and the Kenyan clearance can move your landed cost as much as the ocean freight itself.
Jebel Ali–Mombasa rate tables published in earlier years predate the 2026 routing and surcharges and are not a basis for budgeting. Your quote lists every line separately with a validity date.
Most delays on this lane come from documents that are not ready, customs-system outages at Mombasa and free time, and each has a simple control.
| Risk | How we reduce it |
|---|---|
| IDF or PVoC certificate missing on arrival | We check both before the container is booked |
| Consignee name or PIN differs between documents | We compare the draft bill of lading with the IDF and the invoice |
| iCMS outage: in February 2026 planned 36-hour maintenance ran beyond 72 hours (Business Daily) | We record it as an external blocker on your case and keep a buffer before free time ends |
| Change of loading port or cut-off in the UAE | We confirm both in writing and recheck them before the truck leaves |
| New or changed surcharges | Any new charge needs your approval in the portal before it is billed |
We don't publish fixed prices because rates change every week. These are the charges that commonly appear on this lane; your quote shows which ones apply to your shipment.
The price we quote is the price you pay. If a carrier, port or authority adds a charge later, we show it in your case file and ask for your approval before billing.
Common questions about Shipping from the UAE to Kenya.
Indicatively about 12–25 days port to port in 2026, depending on whether the container sails on a feeder from Jebel Ali or is trucked to Khor Fakkan or Fujairah for loading, and on any transshipment. Clearance at Mombasa and inland delivery come on top. We confirm the schedule on your booking.
Only if the products are covered by the KEBS PVoC programme. In that case the certificate of conformity must be issued before shipment by a KEBS-appointed inspection company, so we align the inspection date with the booking while the goods are still in Dubai or at the factory.
The Import Declaration Form is the importer's declaration of intent to import, lodged through the KenTrade single window before the goods are shipped, usually on the supplier's proforma invoice. The IDF number is needed for the customs entry, and a fee is charged on the customs value.
Yes. Goods from several suppliers in China or the Dubai market can be received in a licensed JAFZA warehouse, checked and loaded together, then shipped to Mombasa as one LCL or FCL shipment with one set of documents. We coordinate the storage through partner warehouses.
Cargo can move from Mombasa along the Northern Corridor under transit procedures, and the destination country's import rules then apply. Inland coverage depends on the destination and the cargo, so ask your coordinator before booking; we confirm it case by case.
Many sellers in Dubai quote CFR or CIF Mombasa, which means the seller pays the ocean freight and the buyer pays Mombasa charges, duty and taxes. Agree in writing who pays destination charges and any container deposit. See our Incoterms 2020 guide for the full split of costs and risk.
Full-container sea freight from China to the UAE, Iraq and the GCC, with one named coordinator, an itemised quote and every stage in your case file.
Ship smaller volumes by sea in a shared container from China to Dubai, and consolidate goods from several suppliers in Jebel Ali for the UAE, Iraq, the GCC or East Africa.
Hold goods duty-suspended in Jebel Ali, combine purchases from China and the UAE, and re-export them to Iraq, the GCC or East Africa with the destination paperwork ready.
Short- and medium-term storage, consolidation and re-export handling in Jebel Ali Free Zone or on the Dubai mainland, coordinated through licensed partner warehouses.
We prepare and check your customs documents, estimate duties by HS code and coordinate licensed customs brokers at origin and destination, with every step visible in your case file.
Next step
Share the cargo, volume and ready date. Your coordinator will compare the route options and send an itemised quote.
This lane is operating normally
Open. Jebel Ali lies inside the Gulf, and most mainline container ships have avoided the Strait of Hormuz since about 1 March 2026, so Kenya cargo leaves on a feeder from Jebel Ali or is trucked to Khor Fakkan or Fujairah for loading. Cut-offs and surcharges vary; we confirm the loading port in writing before you ship.
United Arab EmiratestoKenya
Cargo from Dubai to Kenya goes by sea to Mombasa, either as a full container or as LCL consolidated in Jebel Ali Free Zone. In 2026 port-to-port time is indicatively 12–25 days, depending on whether the box sails on a feeder from Jebel Ali or is trucked to Khor Fakkan for loading. Before shipment the Kenyan importer needs a KRA PIN, an Import Declaration Form and, for regulated goods, a KEBS certificate of conformity.
From
United Arab Emirates
To
Kenya
Transit time (indicative)
