Looking for a shipping company from UAE to Sudan that can move your household furniture, your car, a generator or stock for your shop to Port Sudan and then on to your city? Al Basmah International Shipping collects from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah and Al Ain, and ships to Sudan two ways: by sea from Jebel Ali, Khalifa Port, Sharjah and Khor Fakkan or Fujairah to Port Sudan, the usual route for furniture, cars, generators and goods; and by air for urgent parcels, documents and medicines. There is no road link from the UAE to Sudan, so every large shipment crosses the Red Sea. Once the container arrives and is cleared at Port Sudan, it is trucked to the city the team confirms with you at booking. Send the details on WhatsApp and you get the price.
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Before shipping to Sudan
- Sea is the backbone: roughly one to three weeks port to port depending on the shipping line, plus clearance at Port Sudan and inland trucking.
- Air is for urgent items only: usually a few days door to door, not suited to furniture, charged on actual or volumetric weight, whichever is higher.
- A detailed contents list, a passport copy and the receiver’s details in Sudan are the basis of any personal shipment.
- A car is never booked before the team confirms it can be imported under the rules in force at the time.
- The delivery city and the inland route from Port Sudan are confirmed by the team at booking.
- You receive updates from the team on WhatsApp at collection, loading, sailing, arrival and delivery.
Full container (FCL)
For a whole home, a villa or commercial goods. A 20 ft or 40 ft container sealed in front of you and not opened until clearance.
Groupage (LCL)
For one or two rooms or a set of boxes and appliances. You pay for the space you use in a shared container.
Air freight
For documents, small parcels and medicines with their papers, and anything that cannot wait weeks.
Cars and pickups
By RoRo, where the car is driven aboard, or inside a container, after its import eligibility is confirmed.
What do we ship from the UAE to Sudan?
Most of what leaves the UAE for Sudan falls into three groups: a family moving all or part of its home, equipment needed for a house, farm or workshop over there, and commercial goods for a shop or distributor. Each group is prepared differently and needs different papers, which is why the first question we ask is what you are shipping.
- Household furniture: bedrooms, majlis seating, sofas, carpets, dismountable kitchens and personal boxes.
- Home appliances: fridges, washing machines, air conditioners, cookers and TVs, packed for heat and a long journey.
- Generators and solar panels: diesel and petrol generators, panels, inverters and batteries (batteries ship by sea under special conditions and are mostly refused by air).
- Water pumps and spare parts: well and submersible pumps, car parts and farm equipment.
- Foodstuffs with papers: tinned and dry goods with the required origin and expiry documents.
- Cars and pickups: family cars, 4x4s and pickups, after the eligibility check.
- Commercial goods: clothing, housewares, light building materials and electronics, with an invoice and packing list.
After furniture, generators, solar panels and pumps are among the most requested items for Sudan, because families prefer to buy them in the UAE to a specification they know. They are heavy and sensitive to knocks, so they are fixed to wooden pallets and strapped inside the container so they cannot shift. A used generator has its fuel tank drained and cleaned before loading, since no fuel can travel inside the engine.
Where do we collect from in the UAE?
We collect from homes, warehouses and shops across the UAE, and the packing crew arrives with materials and a truck sized to the shipment. We also have two branches where you can call in or drop off small items: Dubai – Deira, Port Saeed Street and Sharjah – Industrial Area 18. These are examples of the areas we collect from every day:
- Dubai: Deira, Port Saeed, Al Qusais, Al Nahda, Al Barsha, Mirdif, Karama, Bur Dubai, International City, Silicon Oasis and Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA). See the Dubai to Sudan guide.
- Abu Dhabi: Khalifa City, Mohammed Bin Zayed City, Al Shamkha, Al Reef, Mussafah, Al Reem Island and Baniyas, usually loading at Khalifa Port. See the Abu Dhabi to Sudan guide.
- Sharjah: the industrial areas, Al Nahda, Al Taawun, Al Majaz, Al Qasimia and Muwaileh, close to our Industrial Area 18 branch. See shipping from Sharjah to Sudan.
- Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Ras Al Khaimah: Al Nuaimiya, Al Jurf, Al Rashidiya, and the residential and industrial areas of Umm Al Quwain and Ras Al Khaimah.
- Fujairah and Al Ain: Fujairah and Khor Fakkan on the east coast, and Al Ain’s residential districts; details in the Fujairah guide and the Al Ain guide.
How does a shipment reach Sudan by sea?
Sea freight from the UAE to Sudan starts at a UAE port. The vessel leaves the Arabian Gulf, rounds the coast of Oman into the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden, then sails up the Red Sea to Port Sudan. Port to port takes roughly one to three weeks, depending on the shipping line and how many ports the vessel calls at before Port Sudan. Every large shipment to Sudan takes this route, as there is no direct overland route from the UAE.
Full container (FCL)
A 20 ft or 40 ft container is booked for you alone. It is loaded in front of you or someone you appoint, then shut with a numbered seal that we send you on WhatsApp, and it is only opened for customs inspection. A 20 ft container usually takes a two- or three-bedroom apartment; a 40 ft suits a villa, a large house or a sizeable commercial load.
Groupage (LCL)
If your goods are less than a container, they are combined with other shipments in one box and you pay for the cubic metres you occupy. This suits someone sending a bedroom set with a few appliances and boxes, or a trader sending a small batch. LCL takes a little longer because the container waits to fill in the UAE and is then unpacked at a warehouse in Port Sudan before each shipment is released.
Which UAE port?
Jebel Ali is the most used because many lines serve the Red Sea from there; Khalifa Port is close for Abu Dhabi and Al Ain shippers; Sharjah, Khor Fakkan and Fujairah are used depending on the available line and sailing date. The team picks the port that gives the nearest suitable sailing for your shipment, not simply the one nearest your home.
How long does shipping from the UAE to Sudan take?
The times below are approximate. They depend on the sailing schedule, port congestion, complete paperwork and how far the delivery city is from Port Sudan:
| Method | Approximate time | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea FCL | One to 3 weeks port to port, then clearance and inland trucking | A whole home, a villa, a car in a container, commercial goods | The container is yours alone and sealed at loading |
| Sea LCL | A little longer than FCL while the container fills and is unpacked at the warehouse | One or two rooms, appliances and boxes, small commercial batches | Charged by volume in cubic metres |
| Air freight | Usually a few days door to door including clearance | Documents, parcels, medicines with papers, urgent spare parts | Not for furniture; charged on the higher of actual and volumetric weight |
What usually stretches the timeline is not the sea but a missing paper or a vague contents list that holds up clearance, or waiting for the right truck for the inland leg. That is why we prepare documents before sailing, not after arrival.
Air freight from the UAE to Sudan
Air freight to Sudan leaves Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah airports for Port Sudan, or another operating Sudanese airport the team confirms at booking, and usually arrives within a few days door to door including clearance. It is the right choice for documents and official papers, small parcels, medicines with prescriptions and papers, and a spare part you need in days rather than weeks. Furniture and large appliances make no sense by air; the sea is far better value for them.
How is air weight calculated?
Air shipments are charged on actual weight or volumetric weight, whichever is higher. Volumetric weight = length × width × height in centimetres ÷ 6000. A 60 × 50 × 40 cm box has a volumetric weight of 20 kg even if it actually weighs 9 kg, so you are charged for 20 kg. That is why we repack air parcels into boxes that fit their contents, with no wasted space.
What cannot go by air?
- Loose lithium batteries and power banks, except under airline conditions.
- Large quantities of liquids, perfumes and aerosols.
- Flammable materials and gas cylinders.
- Medicines without a prescription or papers showing they are for personal use.
Car shipping from the UAE to Sudan
Before any car booking to Sudan, the team checks that your car can be imported under the rules in force at the time, because the rules on vehicle age, type and fees change from time to time. Send the registration card, model year and make on WhatsApp, and you get an answer on eligibility and the right method before paying anything.
RoRo or container?
- RoRo: the car is driven up the ship’s ramp and lashed on the vehicle deck, uncovered. Suited to roadworthy cars, which must be empty of belongings.
- Container: the car is loaded inside a container and secured with straps and wooden chocks. Good for a valuable car, or for shipping a car together with household goods in the same box.
- Pickups and 4x4s: ship either way; height and weight are checked first to choose the right container or deck space.
Leave the fuel tank nearly empty, remove personal items and hand over the spare key if you have one. You will usually need the original registration, the UAE export certificate or deregistration, and a passport copy; the team tells you exactly what your case needs.
Packing for heat and a long journey
A shipment to Sudan spends days at sea and then an inland leg in very hot weather, so packing here is real protection, not presentation. Heat inside a container melts cheap tape, softens plastic and damages leather and polished wood, so materials are chosen with that in mind.
- Double-wall cartons for kitchenware, books and clothes, sealed with heat-resistant tape.
- Moving blankets and bubble wrap for wooden furniture, with cardboard corner guards.
- Beds, wardrobes and tables dismantled, parts numbered and screws bagged and tied to each piece.
- Wooden pallets for generators, pumps and heavy appliances, strapped inside the container.
- Appliances run in Sudan just as in the UAE, on 230 V and 50 Hz, so no converters are needed.
- Keep candles, creams and anything that melts away from fabrics.
Fridges, washing machines and air conditioners
Switch the fridge off a day ahead and dry it completely so it does not go mouldy in the container; lock the washing machine drum with its transit bolts if you still have them; have a technician remove split AC units and protect the pipes. TVs travel best in their original box, or in a padded case made to size.
Shipping commercial goods from the UAE to Sudan
Many traders in Sudan source their stock from the markets of Dubai and Sharjah: clothing, footwear, housewares, spare parts, electronics and foodstuffs. A commercial shipment differs from household goods in one key way: it is cleared on the invoice and packing list, and it needs a registered importer in Sudan in whose name the goods are cleared.
- Consolidation from several suppliers: if you bought from several shops in Deira or warehouses in Sharjah, we collect from each and combine everything in one shipment.
- A small first batch: groupage lets you test the market, then move to a full container as demand grows.
- Papers that match the goods: carton counts and weights on the packing list must match what is actually loaded; any gap means a longer check at Port Sudan.
- Food: needs clear expiry dates and origin certificates, with enough shelf life left on arrival.
For a trader who ships regularly, agreeing a fixed collection and loading schedule with the team helps: you know in advance when each batch closes and you are not left waiting for a container to fill.
Documents needed to ship to Sudan
Documents depend on the type of shipment, and the rule is that the contents list must be honest and detailed, because it is what the shipment is checked against at Port Sudan.
Personal effects and household goods
- Copy of the sender’s passport.
- A detailed contents list in Arabic: each box, its number and what is inside, and appliances by type.
- The receiver’s name, phone number and address in Sudan.
- Any additional papers the team asks for under the current rules.
Commercial goods
- Commercial invoice and packing list.
- Certificate of origin; Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA) rules may apply to goods of Arab origin.
- Importer details in Sudan.
- Conformity certificates or permits for some items such as food and medicines.
Cars
- Original registration and export certificate or deregistration.
- Copy of the owner’s passport.
- The team’s prior confirmation that the car can be imported under current rules.
Note: Sudanese customs rules on returning residents’ effects, cars and fees change from time to time. Do not rely on someone else’s experience; ask the team to review your case before booking.
Prohibited and restricted items
Some items are banned outright and some need a permit in advance. If you are unsure about an item, ask before packing, not after:
- Prohibited: narcotics, weapons and ammunition, counterfeit goods, alcohol.
- Permit required: drones, satellite communication devices and some wireless equipment, and some medicines.
- Conditional: batteries, fuel and flammable materials, reviewed before booking.
Shipping prices from the UAE to Sudan
We do not publish one number for every shipment, because a container from Jebel Ali to Port Sudan is priced differently from three cubic metres in groupage, and both differ from an air parcel. The price is built on the details of your shipment, and every service works the same way:
- Household or villa goods in a full container: send the details on WhatsApp and you get the price.
- Belongings and appliances by groupage: send the details on WhatsApp and you get the price.
- Generators, solar panels and pumps: send the details on WhatsApp and you get the price.
- A car or pickup: send the details on WhatsApp and you get the price, after the eligibility check.
- Parcels or documents by air: send the details on WhatsApp and you get the price.
- Commercial goods: send the details on WhatsApp and you get the price.
You can also fill in the request a price form and the team will contact you.
What decides the price of shipping to Sudan?
| Factor | How it affects the price |
|---|---|
| Sea FCL, sea LCL or air | A full container has a set price per box, groupage is per cubic metre, air is per kilo on the higher of actual and volumetric weight |
| Container size | A 40 ft costs more than a 20 ft but is cheaper per metre for large volumes |
| Shipment volume | In groupage every extra cubic metre counts, so dismantling and careful stacking pay off |
| Loading port | Jebel Ali, Khalifa, Sharjah or Fujairah, depending on the line and sailing date |
| Delivery city in Sudan | Delivery in Port Sudan costs less than a city hundreds of kilometres inland that needs trucking |
| Packing | Full packing with dismantling and reassembly differs from goods already packed |
| Documents and clearance | Personal or commercial, and which certificates are needed |
| Car | RoRo or container, and the size and weight of the vehicle |
How to ship from the UAE to Sudan, step by step
- Send us on WhatsApp what you are shipping with photos, your area in the UAE and the city in Sudan where you want delivery.
- The team suggests the method (FCL, LCL or air), confirms the delivery city and the inland route with you, and you get the price.
- The contents list, passport copy and receiver details, or the commercial papers, are prepared.
- The packing crew arrives at the agreed time to dismantle, wrap and number everything.
- The container is loaded and sealed, and you receive the seal number and loading photos on WhatsApp.
- The shipment clears export customs and sails from the chosen port.
- At Port Sudan it is cleared and loaded onto the truck heading to your city.
- The team contacts the receiver to set a delivery time, and the goods are unloaded at the house or warehouse.
Delivery inside Sudan
Arrival at Port Sudan
Port Sudan is Sudan’s main gateway by sea, and containers from the UAE arrive there first. After discharge the shipment goes through inspection and customs clearance, which is where an accurate contents list pays off: the clearer it is, the shorter the check.
Inland trucking from Port Sudan
After clearance the container is either loaded as it is onto a trailer, or unpacked and the goods moved in a covered truck, depending on the city and the street outside the house. This table shows the usual routes; the team confirms the delivery city and the inland route at booking:
| City | Usual route from Port Sudan | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Port Sudan and Suakin | Delivery within Port Sudan, or south along the coast road to Suakin | Shortest inland leg after the port |
| Kassala and Gedaref | Port Sudan – Haiya – Kassala, then on to Gedaref | A long inland leg, so heat-aware packing matters |
| Atbara and Shendi | Port Sudan – Haiya – Atbara, then south to Shendi | Truck timing arranged with the receiver in advance |
| Other cities: Dongola, Wad Madani, Khartoum, Omdurman, Khartoum North (Bahri), El Obeid, Kosti, Sennar | Set by the team for the city | Confirmed at booking |
Confirming the delivery city at booking
We do not promise delivery to a city before the team has reviewed the inland route to it at the time of booking. Give us the city, district and receiver’s number in your first message, and we will confirm the route and approximate time before loading. If you prefer, the shipment can be collected at Port Sudan and moved onward by you.
Delivery to the house
The team calls the receiver a day or two before the truck arrives, and the goods are unloaded at the house. Tell us in advance if the street is narrow or the home is on an upper floor, so we can arrange the right truck and labour.
Tips and warnings before you ship
- Do not put cash, gold or important original documents in furniture boxes; carry them or send them by air.
- Photograph valuable appliances working before they are packed, and keep the photos.
- Avoid vague lines like “miscellaneous items” on the contents list; write what is in each box.
- Ask the team about optional insurance if your shipment is high in value.
- Do not mix commercial goods with personal effects in one shipment without telling the team.
- If you are shipping a car, do not buy it or prepare it for export before its eligibility is confirmed.
A tip from the field: start the contents list days before packing day, room by room. The thing that delays shipments to Sudan most is a list written in a rush in the last hour.
Frequently asked questions
Is there road shipping from the UAE to Sudan?
No. Shipping from the UAE to Sudan is by sea to Port Sudan or by air. Once the shipment reaches Port Sudan it is trucked inside Sudan to the city the team confirms at booking.
How long does sea freight from the UAE to Port Sudan take?
Roughly one to three weeks port to port depending on the shipping line, then the time for clearance and inland trucking. Groupage takes a little longer than a full container.
Do you ship cars from the UAE to Sudan?
Yes, by RoRo or in a container, but only after the team first confirms the car can be imported under the current rules. Send the car details on WhatsApp before taking any step.
What is the difference between a full container and groupage?
A full container is yours alone and sealed at loading, suited to a whole home or a large load. Groupage is shared with other shipments and you pay for your volume in cubic metres, suited to smaller quantities.
Can I ship a generator or solar panels?
Yes, and they are among the most common shipments to Sudan. The generator is drained of fuel and fixed to a pallet, and battery conditions are checked before booking.
How will I know where my shipment is?
The team sends you updates on WhatsApp at each stage: collection, loading and sealing, sailing, arrival at Port Sudan, clearance and delivery.
Do you deliver to Khartoum, Wad Madani or El Obeid?
Tell us the city when you get in touch, and the team confirms delivery there and the inland route from Port Sudan at booking.
How do I get a price?
Send the details on WhatsApp and you get the price: what you are shipping with photos, your area in the UAE and the delivery city in Sudan.
Ready to ship to Sudan?
Take photos of your goods, add the city in Sudan and send them to us on WhatsApp. You will hear back from the team directly.
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