The United Arab Emirates and Germany have strong diplomatic and trade relations, which started in April 2004. The United Arab Emirates is Germany’s biggest trading region in the MENA region (the Middle East and North Africa). In 2022, the UAE exported products worth $2.36B to Germany, the biggest exports being raw aluminum, passenger and cargo ships, and crude petroleum. This article will talk about the export and shipping from the UAE to Germany.
Shipping from the UAE to Germany – forms of transportation
Sea freight from the United Arab Emirates to Germany
Sea transport is said to be the cheapest option for delivering goods over long distances. There are two main modes of shipment by ocean freight: the FCL and LCL. FCL (Full Container Load) means that one customer books one full shipping container. It is very convenient, especially if many goods are shipped at once. LCL (Less Container Load) means that every part of the container space is booked by different shippers.
It is crucial to know that the lower price comes with a longer transit time. Even though sea transport is much cheaper compared to air freight, the delivery time can be long. You can expect your goods to arrive in 27 to 33 days. But sea transport will be your best option if you do not plan to transport products with a short expiry date – like food, pharmaceuticals, or flowers.
Main cargo ports in the United Arab Emirates:
- Port of Jebel Ali (Dubai)
- Port of Mina Zayed (Abu Dhabi)
- Mina Rashid Port (Dubai)
- Mina Khalid Port (Sharjah)
- Khor Fakkan Port (Sharjah)
Main cargo ports in Germany:
- Hamburg Port
- Port of Bremen and Bremerhaven
- Port of Wilhelmshaven
- Port of Duisburg
Airfreight from the United Arab Emirates to Germany
The other available shipping method is by air. Air transport is much more expensive and, for this reason, is not as popular as sea freight. However, in case of urgent shipments, air transport is highly recommended as your goods will arrive in only 6 to 8 days. It is the best shipping method for products with a short expiry date or the most valuable ones – jewelry and precious stones. What you need to take into consideration is that air freight has some downsides. Of course, one is the higher freight rate, and the other is limited cargo weight (up to three pallets).
Main cargo airports in United Arab Emirates:
- Dubai Al Maktoum (DWC)
- Dubai International (DXB)
- Abu Dhabi (AUH)
- Sharjah (SHJ)
Main cargo airports in Germany:
- Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
- Leipzig/Halle Airport (LEJ)
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN)
- Frankfurt Hahn Airport (HHN)
- Munich Airport (MUC)
Shipping costs from the United Arab Emirates to Germany
As no rail link connects the UAE to Germany, you must depend on sea and air transport. Before making the final decision, check at least a few offers from different forwarders. You can do this on ShipHub, where you will see options. Each freight operator will offer you a different cost, depending on the transport method and the cargo type. As shown below, you just need to fill in the form and wait for offers from forwarders.
Shipping from the UAE to Germany – summary
- The United Arab Emirates and Germany have strong trade relations.
- The UEA’s top export to Germany is raw aluminum.
- Shipping from the UAE to Germany – the forms of transportation from the UAE to Germany are air and sea freight.
- Sea transport is the cheapest way to deliver your goods, but also the slowest one. You can ship non-perishable foods by sea. You can use either the LCL or FCL method.
- Air transport is the fastest but also the most expensive way to deliver your goods. However, if you want to deliver goods with a short expiry date, you should consider choosing airfreight.
- Before making the final decision, it is best to check a few offers from different freight forwarders. You can easily do this on ShipHub, where you can choose the best offer.