If your Moroccan family is leaving Dubai to settle back home for good, the usual way to move the household is by sea: we collect everything from your Dubai apartment, pack it and write the contents list with you, then the container sails from Jebel Ali to Casablanca or Tanger Med in roughly three to five weeks port to port, plus customs clearance and trucking to your city. Al Basmah International Shipping is a shipping company from Dubai to Morocco with its branch in Deira, on Port Saeed Street, taking orders on WhatsApp +971557643821 around the clock. Send us the details on WhatsApp and you will get the price.
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Papers for returning to Morocco for good
- The key document is usually the change-of-residence certificate, issued by the competent Moroccan consulate or the municipality of your last residence, stating your status (employee, trader, student…).
- Proof that you lived in the UAE: your residence card or employment contract.
- A detailed contents list, dated and signed by you; we write it with you item by item while packing.
- The exemption on used furniture and effects is usually granted once per family, and for one appliance of each type.
- If you ship in two lots, both usually have to clear at the same customs office within six months of the change-of-residence certificate date, and every item must appear on the first list.
- Cars follow separate rules; we never book one before checking eligibility, and the team reviews your case before booking because the instructions change from time to time.
What do we ship from Dubai to Morocco?
We ship complete or partial household furniture, used appliances, clothes, books and children’s things, the family car once its eligibility is checked, commercial goods with their paperwork, and urgent parcels by air. Most of the people who contact us from Dubai are Moroccan families who have finished their years of work and are heading back to Rabat, Casablanca or Fes; then employees sending a few cartons; then traders sending stock to their shops in Morocco.
- Apartment furniture: bedrooms, sofas, dining tables, wardrobes taken apart.
- Appliances: fridge, washing machine, TV, portable AC, small ovens.
- Kitchenware, rugs, curtains, bedding, children’s things and bicycles.
- The family car by RoRo or container, after checking its entry conditions.
- Commercial goods from Dubai’s markets: clothing, fabrics, sealed perfumes with papers, accessories, spare parts.
- Documents and small urgent parcels by air freight.
Family returning for good
Full apartment packing, a customs contents list, and a 20 ft container or groupage depending on volume.
Employee or student
A few cartons and suitcases in groupage priced per cubic metre, or by air if urgent.
Trader in Dubai
Goods with a commercial invoice, packing list and certificate of origin, delivered to a registered importer in Morocco.
The family car
We check its conditions in Morocco first, then book RoRo or a container.
Definitive-return papers: what to prepare before we seal the container
Moroccans living abroad (known by the French initials MRE) can usually bring their used furniture and personal effects in duty-free when they return for good, once per family, under conditions set by Morocco’s customs and indirect tax administration. Those conditions come down to three things: proving you lived outside Morocco, proving you have come back to settle, and presenting a clear list of what is in the shipment. That is why, with families leaving Dubai, we start with the paperwork before the cartons.
The first document is the change-of-residence certificate. It is usually requested from the Moroccan consulate covering where you live, or from the municipality of your last residence, and it states your occupation. Make sure you hold the original: clearance in Morocco is built on it, and the window for any second lot is counted from its date. Next comes proof of residence in the UAE: your residence card or employment contract. If you worked in a trade and are bringing used tools or equipment, a separate list of those may be requested.
Note that the exemption covers used items for personal and family use. Customs instructions usually accept one appliance of each type, so two fridges or two washing machines are not treated as one, and new items in quantities that look like trade may fall outside the exemption. Foreigners moving to Morocco with a residence permit have different conditions, which the team reviews case by case.
The contents list: how we write it with you
The list is what the customs officer in Casablanca or Tangier compares against what they see inside the container, so the more precise it is, the faster the inspection. We write it during packing, not afterwards, preferably in Arabic or French, and you date and sign it.
- A number for every carton and item, written clearly on the carton itself.
- The room it came from: kitchen, children’s room, living room.
- A plain description: “used cooking pots”, “winter clothes”, “school books”.
- Appliances by name and type: one fridge, one washing machine, one TV.
- The word “used” next to everything that is used.
Warning: Do not book the loading date before the change-of-residence certificate is in your hands, or at least its collection date is confirmed. A container that reaches Morocco before its papers sits in the port, and every day of waiting there costs money.
Groupage or a 20 ft container?
If your things come to less than about 12 to 15 cubic metres, groupage (LCL) is usually cheaper because you pay only for the space you use. For a two- or three-bedroom apartment, a full 20 ft container, with roughly 33 cubic metres of usable space, is usually the better and safer choice: it is loaded outside your building, sealed, and not opened until it arrives.
| Home size in Dubai | Approx. volume | Usual choice |
|---|---|---|
| Room or studio | 5 – 12 m³ | Groupage (LCL) |
| One-bedroom apartment | 12 – 20 m³ | LCL or 20 ft after comparing |
| Two- or three-bedroom apartment | 20 – 33 m³ | 20 ft container |
| Large apartment or villa | Over 35 m³ | 40 ft or 40 ft HC |
Price is not the only difference. In groupage your things wait in a warehouse until the shared container fills, and in Morocco they are unloaded at the customs warehouse with other people’s shipments, so they pass through more hands and take a little longer. A full container leaves your building in Dubai sealed, on a date set for you alone. If your volume sits close to the line, we measure and give you both prices to choose from. For a large villa, the details on 40 ft containers and how they are loaded are in our Abu Dhabi to Morocco shipping guide.
Pickup areas in Dubai
We collect from every part of Dubai and plan the truck and packing crew around the building. Towers usually require a move-out permit from building management and a booked service lift, so request both a few days ahead.
- Deira and around: Al Rigga, Al Muraqqabat, Al Qusais, Al Nahda, Al Mamzar, Al Twar.
- Bur Dubai: Al Karama, Al Mankhool, Satwa, Jafiliya.
- New Dubai: Dubai Marina, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Al Barsha, Jumeirah Village Circle, Discovery Gardens, Business Bay, Downtown Dubai.
- East Dubai: Mirdif, Al Warqa, International City, Dubai Silicon Oasis.
- Free zones and industrial areas: Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai South, Al Quoz.
If you live in Sharjah or Ajman near the Dubai border, we collect the same way; see the Sharjah to Morocco guide and the Ajman to Morocco guide.
The sea route from Dubai to Morocco
There is no practical road route from the UAE to Morocco, so shipments go by sea or air. The container leaves Jebel Ali, crosses the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, then the Mediterranean, arriving at Casablanca or Tanger Med, and sometimes Agadir. Some sailings are direct and some call at a transshipment port, which explains why transit times vary between sailings.
- Casablanca: closest to Rabat, Kenitra, Marrakech and El Jadida; most family shipments arrive here.
- Tanger Med: better for Tangier, Tetouan and the north.
- Agadir: used for some shipments heading south.
How long does shipping from Dubai to Morocco take?
Times are approximate: about three to five weeks port to port by sea, then a few days for clearance and inland trucking; or two to five days door to door by air.
| Method | Approx. time | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea – full container (FCL) | 3 – 5 weeks port to port + clearance | A full apartment, a villa, a car with furniture | Loaded at your door and sealed; cheaper for large volumes |
| Sea – groupage (LCL) | About 4 – 6 weeks + clearance | Cartons and a little furniture | Priced per m³; waits for the shared container to fill |
| Air | 2 – 5 days door to door | Documents and urgent parcels | Not for furniture; charged on actual or volumetric weight |
Air freight from Dubai to Morocco
Air freight from Dubai to Morocco leaves Dubai International or Al Maktoum airport and usually lands at Mohammed V International in Casablanca, sometimes Marrakech, Rabat or Tangier. It normally takes two to five days door to door including clearance. It suits the family that needs school records, certificates and some clothes before the container arrives, and the trader waiting for samples.
The charge is based on actual weight or volumetric weight, whichever is higher. Volumetric weight = length × width × height in cm ÷ 6000. A 60 × 50 × 50 cm carton counts as 25 kg even if it actually weighs 12 kg, so we pick compact cartons with you for air.
- Lithium batteries and devices containing them are restricted and checked before booking.
- Liquids and perfumes are restricted by air; they are better off in the sea container, tightly packed.
- Furniture does not go by air; the cost is far higher than sea.
Shipping your car from Dubai to Morocco after an eligibility check
We do not book a car to Morocco until we have checked that it can enter the way you want. Morocco distinguishes between temporary admission for cars of Moroccans living abroad and definitive import, which carries duties and taxes, and each has its own conditions. Moroccan customs instructions also provide a large duty reduction on a passenger car for MRE retirees aged sixty or over who have lived outside Morocco for at least ten years, once in a lifetime, with a cap on the car’s value, and the owner must appear in person. We will not quote you a rate or a figure until the team has checked your case against the instructions in force.
Once eligibility is clear, we choose the method. On RoRo the car is driven aboard and secured on the vessel’s deck, uncovered. In a container the car is fixed with straps and wooden blocks, and a family can sometimes share the container with part of the furniture if the volume allows. Before handover in Dubai we ask for a low fuel tank, a healthy battery and no personal items inside.
- The Dubai-issued registration (mulkiya) and the export certificate after the plates are handed in.
- Passport and residence card.
- Retirement papers and proof of residence abroad if you apply for the reduction; any document not in Arabic or French needs a sworn translation.
Preparing and packing
The voyage to Morocco is long and the container goes through swings in heat and humidity, so packing is what really protects your things.
- Double-wall cartons for dishes and books, with paper between pieces.
- Beds and large wardrobes taken apart, with screws in numbered bags taped to each piece.
- Sofas and tables wrapped in bubble wrap, then moving blankets.
- A wooden crate for a large TV, glass and marble, using ISPM-15 treated wood.
- The fridge emptied and dried a day before; the washing machine drum locked with its transit bolts.
- A “first week” carton with essentials, loaded last so it comes out first.
Documents required
Personal effects and furniture
Passport, residence card, the change-of-residence certificate for definitive returns, and the dated, signed contents list. We prepare the bill of lading and export papers on our side.
Commercial goods
Commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, and the Moroccan importer’s details and ICE company identifier. Arab-origin goods may benefit from the Greater Arab Free Trade Area agreement with the right certificate of origin. Moroccan VAT (TVA) applies, at a standard rate of 20%, plus customs duty by tariff line, declared electronically through the clearing agent.
Cars
Registration, export certificate, the owner’s passport, proof of residence abroad, and whatever the chosen import regime requires.
Prohibited and restricted items
- Narcotics, weapons and ammunition are prohibited.
- Counterfeit goods are seized.
- Drones are banned or need prior authorisation.
- Some medicines need a prescription or permit, and some wireless and electronic devices need approval.
- By air: lithium batteries, liquids and perfumes are restricted.
Warning: Do not tuck a drone into the children’s toy carton hoping it will go unnoticed. Containers are inspected, and one prohibited item can hold up the whole shipment.
Shipping prices from Dubai to Morocco
Shipping prices from Dubai to Morocco start from the groupage rate per cubic metre for small loads and rise with container size, packing and delivery inside Morocco. We do not publish a general figure because an apartment in Karama is not a villa in Al Barsha, and Rabat is not Agadir. Send the details on WhatsApp and you will get the price, or use our quote request page.
What decides the price?
| Factor | How it affects the price |
|---|---|
| Sea FCL, sea LCL or air | Air costs most per kilo; groupage is per m³; a full container has one price for the box |
| Container size | 20 ft, 40 ft or 40 ft HC |
| Volume | Number of cubic metres in groupage |
| Arrival port and city | Casablanca or Tanger Med, and the trucking distance to your city |
| Packing, dismantling and reassembly | Number of rooms and items needing wooden crates |
| Papers and clearance | Definitive-return exemption or commercial goods with duties |
| Car | RoRo or container, and the size of the car |
Delivery in Morocco: Rabat and other cities
After clearance a truck brings your things from the port to your home. Most families returning from Dubai arrive through Casablanca, and Rabat is about an hour and a half away on the motorway, so deliveries to apartments in Agdal, Hay Riad and Souissi usually happen the same day. Salé and Kenitra are served the same way.
Many Rabat apartment buildings have small lifts, so we plan ahead: either an external furniture lift that brings large pieces in through the balcony, or dismantling before carrying up. We also need a spot nearby for the truck. In the old medinas, where the lanes are too narrow for a truck, the last stretch is done with a small vehicle or hand carts.
| City | Usual arrival port | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Casablanca (Maarif, Anfa, Ain Diab, Bouskoura) | Casablanca | Delivery right after clearance |
| Rabat and Kenitra | Casablanca | Truck on the motorway; furniture lift for apartments if needed |
| Tangier and Tetouan | Tanger Med | Closest for the north |
| Fes and Meknes | Casablanca or Tanger Med | Depends on the sailing; small vehicle in the medina |
| Marrakech | Casablanca | Inland trucking after the port |
| Agadir | Agadir or Casablanca | Depends on the shipping line |
| Oujda | Tanger Med or Casablanca | Longest inland distance, added to the price |
The difference between Casablanca and Tanger Med is practical: Tanger Med is a large transshipment hub close to the north, while Casablanca is closer to the centre and west of the country. We pick the port that cuts the road distance to your home, and the team sends you a WhatsApp update at each stage: loading, sailing, arrival, clearance and the truck leaving for your door.
How to ship from Dubai to Morocco, step by step
- Send your Dubai area, your Moroccan city and photos of the rooms on WhatsApp +971557643821.
- We estimate the volume, suggest groupage or a container, and send you the price.
- You prepare the change-of-residence certificate and proof of residence, and we review the car case if there is one.
- The packing crew arrives on the agreed day and we write the contents list together.
- The container is loaded and sealed and the seal number recorded, or your things go to the groupage warehouse.
- The shipment sails from Jebel Ali, and you get an update at each stage on WhatsApp.
- Clearance at the Moroccan port, then the truck to your home and unloading.
Tips before leaving Dubai
- Book the loading a few days before handing back the apartment, not on handover day.
- Settle electricity and water bills and close the tenancy so the move-out permit is not held up.
- Keep gold, cash and original documents in your hand luggage, not in the container.
- Photograph valuable pieces before packing, and ask the team about optional insurance.
- Do not buy several new appliances before leaving to ship with the furniture; they may fall outside the exemption.
- If your home in Morocco is not ready yet, ask about temporary storage rather than unloading into a stopgap place.
A tip from the field: label each carton with the room it goes to in your new home in Morocco, not the room it left in Dubai. The unloading crew in Rabat has no idea where the “guest room” was in Dubai.
If you are comparing departure emirates, the overall picture of routes and ports is in our UAE to Morocco shipping guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can I ship my furniture from Dubai to Morocco without customs duty?
Moroccans living abroad who return for good usually get an exemption on used furniture and effects once per family, with a change-of-residence certificate, a detailed contents list and proof of residence abroad. The team reviews your case before booking.
Where do I get the change-of-residence certificate while in Dubai?
It is usually requested from the Moroccan consulate covering where you live, or from the municipality of your last residence. Ask the consulate about the documents needed and the collection date before booking the container.
Can I send my things in two lots?
Two lots are usually allowed if every item is on the first list and both clear at the same customs office within six months of the change-of-residence certificate date.
When should I choose a 20 ft container over groupage?
When your volume approaches or passes 15 cubic metres. A two- or three-bedroom apartment usually fills a 20 ft container, which arrives sealed without being unloaded alongside other shipments.
How long does a shipment from Dubai to Rabat take?
Roughly three to five weeks by sea to Casablanca, then a few days for clearance, then about an hour and a half by truck to Rabat.
Can I ship my car with the furniture?
Yes, if it is eligible to enter, either separately by RoRo or inside a container with part of the furniture if the volume allows. We check its conditions before booking.
How do I know where my shipment is?
The team sends you a WhatsApp update at each stage: loading in Dubai, sailing, arrival at the Moroccan port, clearance and the truck leaving for your home.
Do you deliver into the old medina of Fes or Marrakech?
Yes. The truck stops at the nearest permitted point, and the last stretch through the narrow lanes is done with a small vehicle or hand carts.
Ready to move back to Morocco?
Send your Dubai area, your city in Morocco and photos of the rooms, and you will get the price along with help on the papers.
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