Looking for a shipping company from UAE to Europe that collects your furniture, cargo or car from home in any emirate and delivers it to your city in Europe? Al Basmah International Shipping collects from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah and Al Ain and ships to every European country in two ways: by sea in a full or shared container from Jebel Ali, Khalifa Port or Khor Fakkan to Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg, Felixstowe, Genoa and Valencia, or by air from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah airports for urgent, light shipments. Sea freight usually takes about 3 to 6 weeks port to port depending on the European port, plus clearance and road delivery; air takes roughly 3 to 7 days door to door. Send the details on WhatsApp and you will receive the price.
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Before shipping to Europe
- There is no road route from the UAE to Europe in our services: shipments go by sea or air, then by truck inside Europe.
- Northern ports (Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg, Felixstowe) serve central and northern Europe; Mediterranean ports (Genoa, Valencia, Marseille) are closer to the south.
- Used personal effects of someone moving their main home are usually relieved of duty if you lived 12 months outside the EU and used the items for at least 6 months.
- Commercial goods need the importer’s EORI number, and VAT is paid in the country of arrival.
- The UK and Switzerland are outside the EU customs union and have their own procedures.
- The team sends you updates on WhatsApp at every stage: collection, loading, sailing, arrival and delivery.
What we ship from the UAE to Europe
Most people who contact us about Europe fall into one of three groups: a family finishing its time in the UAE and moving home to a European country, an employee starting a new job contract who needs their things before temporary housing drags on, or a trader sending goods to a customer or warehouse in Europe. Each needs different packing and paperwork, so we always start with three questions: what are you shipping, to which city, and in what capacity?
- Complete household furniture: bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, appliances, rugs and books, dismantled, wrapped and numbered.
- Personal effects: clothes, household items, toys and family belongings in strong cartons.
- Commercial goods: pallets, cartons and packed stock for a trader or company, by full container or per cubic metre.
- Cars: by RoRo (driven aboard the vessel) or inside a container, once the team confirms the car is accepted in the destination country.
- Urgent parcels and documents: by air, for papers, samples and light items.
Collection from every emirate
We collect from homes, warehouses and free zones in any emirate. A full container is usually loaded at your door; for a shared shipment we pack your items and move them to the consolidation warehouse before the port.
| Emirate | Collection notes |
|---|---|
| Dubai | Towers need a service-lift booking and building management approval; Jebel Ali is the nearest export port. |
| Abu Dhabi | Collection from the island, suburbs and free zones, through Khalifa Port or Jebel Ali depending on the shipping line. |
| Sharjah | Our branch in Industrial Area 18 is close to the warehouses; export through Jebel Ali or Khor Fakkan. |
| Ajman and Umm Al Quwain | Items are collected and taken to the export port, usually the same day. |
| Ras Al Khaimah | We schedule collection in advance because of the distance, especially for full containers. |
| Fujairah | Fujairah or Khor Fakkan may be the closer port depending on the line. |
| Al Ain | One appointment for packing and loading, then transfer to Khalifa Port or Jebel Ali. |
Sea freight from the UAE to Europe
Sea is the normal route for furniture, cargo and cars to Europe because it costs far less than air and takes large volumes. The container leaves Jebel Ali, Khalifa Port or Khor Fakkan, sails through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal or takes a longer routing depending on the line schedule, and arrives at one of Europe’s major ports.
Full container (FCL)
A container for you alone, loaded at your home, closed and sealed, and not opened until customs inspection in Europe. A 20 ft container usually fits a two- to three-bedroom flat, a 40 ft a villa or large apartment, and a 40 ft high cube (HC) suits tall pieces such as wardrobes and big mirrors. It is faster and safer for furniture because your things are not moved between warehouses.
Shared container (LCL)
You pay for the cubic metres your items take up in a container shared with other shipments going to the same port. It suits around ten cubic metres or less, or anyone sending only part of their belongings. It usually adds one to two weeks for consolidation in the UAE and unloading in Europe, and packing has to be stronger because the items are handled and stacked more than once.
Main arrival ports in Europe
The arrival port decides a large part of the time and cost. The simple rule: a port close to your city means a shorter road leg after arrival.
- Rotterdam (Netherlands): Europe’s largest port, serving the Netherlands, Belgium and western Germany, with many trucks leaving for Switzerland and beyond. Details in our Netherlands shipping guide.
- Antwerp (Belgium): a close alternative to Rotterdam, good for Belgium, northern France and Luxembourg.
- Hamburg and Bremerhaven (Germany): the usual gateway for Germany, Poland and the Nordic countries; Bremerhaven is also known for car shipping. See the Germany shipping guide.
- Felixstowe (UK): Britain’s largest container port, alongside Southampton and London Gateway.
- Genoa (Italy): the closest Mediterranean port to northern Italy, Switzerland and southern Germany.
- Valencia (Spain): the usual gateway to Spain, together with Barcelona and Algeciras.
Northern port or Mediterranean port?
A vessel coming from the Gulf reaches the Mediterranean ports first, so Genoa, Valencia and Marseille are roughly a week shorter at sea than Rotterdam and Hamburg. A shorter voyage does not always mean faster delivery, though. A family living in Düsseldorf has its container landed in Rotterdam and then trucked about two hundred kilometres, whereas landing in Genoa would mean more than a thousand kilometres of mountain roads. The reverse is true for someone living in Milan or Barcelona. That is why we work out the whole route from your door in the UAE to your door in Europe: sailing time, the number of transhipment calls, the usual clearance days at each port, then the final road leg. Sometimes a direct service to a further port beats a service that calls at two ports before arriving, because every call adds days and handling.
Commercial goods have one more calculation: if the warehouse is in one country and the customer in another inside the EU, where you clear affects who pays VAT and where. We review this with the trader before booking, not after the container arrives.
Shipping time from the UAE to Europe
The times below are approximate port to port and change with sailing schedules, transhipment calls and port congestion. Add roughly 3 to 10 working days for customs clearance in Europe, then the road leg to the address.
| Method | Approximate time | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea, full container (FCL) | 3–5 weeks to Mediterranean ports, 4–6 weeks to northern ports | A full household, large cargo volumes, a car with furniture | Loaded at your door and not opened until inspection |
| Sea, shared container (LCL) | One to two weeks more than FCL | A few items or part of a home | Priced per cubic metre; strong packing is essential |
| Air | 3–7 days door to door | Documents, samples, light and urgent personal items | Not for furniture; priced by actual or volumetric weight |
Air freight from the UAE to Europe
Air freight is the answer when a shipment cannot wait: official papers, samples for a client, clothes for the first weeks before the container arrives, or an urgently needed spare part. Shipments leave Dubai International, Al Maktoum, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah for major cargo airports such as Frankfurt, Amsterdam Schiphol, Paris Charles de Gaulle, London Heathrow, Liège, Milan Malpensa and Madrid, then go by road to the address.
- The price is based on actual weight or volumetric weight, whichever is higher; volumetric weight = length × width × height in cm ÷ 6000.
- Furniture does not suit air: its size makes the volumetric weight far too high compared with sea.
- Lithium batteries, liquids and perfumes are restricted on air freight, and the team checks every item before booking.
- Many people split the shipment: essentials by air, the rest by sea in a full or shared container.
European customs: what to know before you ship
EU countries work as a single customs union with shared rules for reliefs and tariffs, but VAT and some procedures differ from one country to another. What follows is the general framework; the team reviews your case before shipping because the details change with the country and your status there.
Personal effects for people moving to Europe
Someone moving their main residence from outside the EU to a member state can usually bring used furniture and belongings in free of duty and VAT when the usual conditions are met:
- You lived outside the EU for at least 12 consecutive months before the move.
- The items belong to you and were used for at least 6 months before the move.
- The goods arrive within 12 months of settling in the new country, in one or several consignments.
- You do not sell, rent, lend or pledge them within 12 months of entry.
- Alcohol, tobacco, commercial vehicles and fixed work equipment are not covered.
Usual documents: passport, proof of your UAE residence (residence visa or a letter from your employer), proof of your new home in Europe (job contract, rental contract or residence registration), and a signed, detailed inventory. Each country has its own form: Germany uses form 0350, France form Cerfa 10070 with the inventory. A second home or holiday home is normally not relieved.
Commercial goods and the EORI number
Anyone importing commercial goods into the EU needs an EORI number, a customs registration number issued by customs in the country where the business is established. Duty is charged according to the tariff code, then VAT at the destination country’s rate. Usual documents: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading and, where required, a certificate of origin. An accurate description and code on the invoice saves days of waiting at the port.
Clearing in one country, delivering in another
The container does not have to be cleared in the country where it lands. A container arriving in Rotterdam for someone living in Munich can travel under a customs transit document to a customs office in Germany, or be cleared in the Netherlands depending on the shipment type. Personal effects are usually cleared where the owner lives, because the relief is tied to their residence, and the team chooses the right approach for each case.
Note: The UK and Switzerland are not part of the EU customs union. The UK requires approval for transfer of residence relief through form ToR1 before shipping, and Switzerland has its own form and procedures. Do not assume one European country’s rules apply to another.
Shipping cars to Europe
A car goes either by RoRo, driven aboard and secured on the vessel deck, or inside a container with the furniture or on its own. Before any booking the team checks three things: that the car is free of any loan in the UAE and has an export certificate from the traffic authority, that its specification is accepted in the destination country, and that the owner knows what they will pay there. A used car belonging to someone moving home may be relieved on the same conditions as personal effects, but registration in Europe usually needs a technical inspection, type approval and compulsory insurance, and GCC-spec cars may need changes to lights or emissions. That is why we never ship a car before its eligibility is confirmed.
European countries and arrival ports
This table brings together the most requested countries, with the usual port and the standard VAT rate, and each one has a detailed guide. We also ship to every other European country; send the city name and the team will plan the route.
| Country | Usual arrival port | Standard VAT rate | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Felixstowe, Southampton, London Gateway | 20% | Shipping to the UK |
| Germany | Hamburg, Bremerhaven | 19% | Shipping to Germany |
| France | Le Havre, Marseille-Fos | 20% | Shipping to France |
| Netherlands | Rotterdam | 21% | Shipping to the Netherlands |
| Switzerland | Via Rotterdam, Antwerp or Genoa, then by road | 8.1% (outside the EU) | Shipping to Switzerland |
| Italy | Genoa, La Spezia | 22% | Shipping to Italy |
| Spain | Valencia, Barcelona, Algeciras | 21% | Shipping to Spain |
| Portugal | Lisbon, Sines, Leixões | 23% | Shipping to Portugal |
| Poland | Gdańsk, Gdynia | 23% | Shipping to Poland |
| Sweden | Gothenburg | 25% | Shipping to Sweden |
The VAT rate matters for commercial goods; relieved personal effects usually do not pay it. If you are heading to Turkey, it has a completely different route, covered in the Turkey shipping guide.
Onward road delivery inside Europe
After clearance comes the last stage: a truck from the port to your door. Europe’s road network is well connected, so a container landing in Rotterdam can be delivered in Brussels the same day, and in Frankfurt or Zurich within about one or two days. In old city centres the picture changes: streets are narrow, a large container cannot enter the neighbourhood, and stopping outside the building needs a permit from the municipality.
Parking permit
In many European cities a space for the truck is reserved outside the building with a municipal permit a few days before delivery.
External lift
Old buildings have no lift or a small one, so furniture is raised by an external lift through a window or balcony.
Smaller van
When the container cannot enter the street, it is unloaded at a warehouse and the items go to the door in a smaller vehicle.
Assembly
We arrange reassembly of beds and wardrobes at the address as agreed before shipping.
Tell us from the start about the floor, the lift and the street width; these details affect the price and delivery time, and knowing them early spares you surprises on arrival day.
Packing for a long voyage and a cold climate
The shipment leaves the heat and humidity of the UAE, spends weeks at sea and arrives into a cold, damp winter in most of Europe. That swing causes condensation inside the container and can leave mould on wood or stains on fabric if the packing is wrong.
- We never wrap wood directly in plastic; paper or blankets go first, then plastic, so moisture is not trapped on the surface.
- Moisture absorbers go inside the container and between cartons, especially for winter shipments.
- Appliances are fully drained: washing machines, fridges and coffee machines.
- Wooden crates for valuable pieces are made from heat-treated timber stamped ISPM 15, because Europe and the UK reject untreated wood packaging.
- Every carton is numbered and labelled by room, with the inventory using the same numbers, because customs may ask to open a specific box.
Prohibited and restricted items for Europe
- Weapons, ammunition and self-defence devices without a permit.
- Meat, dairy products and fresh food from outside the EU.
- Plants, soil and seeds without a phytosanitary certificate.
- Ivory, protected animal skins and some rare woods without CITES permits.
- Counterfeit goods carrying fake brand marks.
- Large quantities of medicines, or prescription medicines without a prescription.
- By air: loose lithium batteries, flammable liquids and perfumes in quantity.
Shipping prices from the UAE to Europe
There is no single price for Europe: a container to Valencia is not the same as one to Felixstowe and then up to a fourth-floor flat in London. We price after we know the details:
- Full container, 20 or 40 ft: send the details on WhatsApp and you will receive the price.
- Shared container per cubic metre: send the details on WhatsApp and you will receive the price.
- Air freight per kilo: send the details on WhatsApp and you will receive the price.
- Car shipping by RoRo or container: send the details on WhatsApp and you will receive the price.
What decides the cost of shipping to Europe?
| Factor | How it affects the price |
|---|---|
| Shipping method | A full container is priced per container, shared per cubic metre, and air by actual or volumetric weight. |
| Container size | 20 ft, 40 ft or 40 ft HC; the larger one is cheaper per metre if it is filled. |
| Volume | More cubic metres raise a shared-container price, and a full container may become better value. |
| Arrival port and city | The road distance from the port to the city and the cost of delivery in large cities. |
| Packing | Wooden crates and special packing for antiques and appliances add cost but protect the shipment. |
| Documents and clearance | Relief for personal effects, or duty and VAT for commercial goods. |
| Building access | Floor level, external lift, parking permit or a smaller delivery van. |
| Car | Its type and size, and whether it goes by RoRo or container. |
You can also request a price on our quote page with photos of your items.
How to ship from the UAE to Europe, step by step
- Send the emirate, destination city, type of goods and photos or a rough list on WhatsApp +971557643821.
- The team picks the right method (full container, shared or air) and the port closest to your city.
- You receive the price, and we go through the documents needed in the destination country before anything is loaded.
- Collection day: dismantling, packing, numbering the cartons and preparing the detailed inventory.
- Loading and export clearance in the UAE, then sailing or flight.
- The team sends you updates on WhatsApp at every stage until the container arrives.
- Clearance in Europe, then road delivery, unloading and reassembly at the address.
Tips before you ship to Europe
- Start at least six weeks before your travel date; booking and paperwork take time.
- Do not ship furniture before you know your address in Europe; storing a container at the port is expensive.
- Keep receipts for appliances and valuable items; they may be needed to prove how long you have used them.
- Carry official papers, medicines and what you need for the first weeks in your luggage or by air.
- Selling old or very large appliances in the UAE can cost less than shipping them.
- Ask the team about optional insurance on the shipment before booking.
Note: Do not put prohibited goods or unlisted items in the cartons. Any mismatch between the inventory and the container contents can stop the whole clearance and lead to a full inspection and fines.
Frequently asked questions about shipping from the UAE to Europe
How long does shipping from the UAE to Europe take?
By sea about 3 to 6 weeks port to port depending on the European port, plus clearance and road delivery. By air roughly 3 to 7 days door to door.
Is there road shipping from the UAE to Europe?
No. Shipping to Europe is by sea or air only; road transport happens inside Europe from the port or airport to the address.
Which European port should I choose?
Usually the one closest to your city: Rotterdam or Antwerp for the Netherlands and Belgium, Hamburg for Germany and the north, Felixstowe for the UK, Genoa for Italy and Switzerland, Valencia for Spain. The team compares lines and suggests the best fit.
Do I pay duty on my used furniture in Europe?
Usually not if you are moving your main home, lived outside the EU for 12 months and used the items for at least 6 months, with the required documents. The team reviews your case before shipping; relief cannot be guaranteed because customs decides.
Do I need an EORI number to ship my personal effects?
Usually not for private individuals shipping personal belongings; importing commercial goods needs the importer’s EORI number.
Can I ship my car from Dubai to Europe?
Yes, by RoRo or in a container, once the team confirms it is free of any loan and that its specification is accepted in the destination country, since registration there needs inspection and approval.
How do I know where my shipment is?
The team sends you updates on WhatsApp at each stage: collection, loading, sailing, arrival, clearance and then the delivery appointment.
Do you ship to every European country?
Yes, to all of Europe; the table above lists only the most requested countries. Send the city name and the team will set the route and port.
Ready to ship to Europe?
Send your emirate, European city and photos of your items on WhatsApp +971557643821, and the team will suggest the method and port and send you the price.
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