If you live in Umm Al Quwain and only have a small load for Sudan, you do not need a whole container, and you should not pay for space you will not use. Al Basmah International Shipping, a shipping company from Umm Al Quwain to Sudan, collects boxes, suitcases and a few pieces of furniture from your room or small flat, prices them by the cubic metre in shared sea freight (LCL), ships them from a UAE port to Port Sudan, and delivers there or to another city the team confirms at booking. Anything urgent, such as papers, medicines or small parcels, goes by air and usually arrives within a few days. Send a photo or a list of your things on WhatsApp +971557643821, the team works out the cubic metres, and you get the price.
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Count your cubic metres
- One cubic metre = length × width × height in metres. A 60×40×40 cm box is about 0.1 m³, so ten of them come to roughly one cubic metre.
- Shared (LCL) freight usually has a 1 m³ minimum; anything smaller is charged as one full metre.
- The route is by sea from UAE ports to Port Sudan via the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea: roughly 1–3 weeks port to port, plus clearance and inland trucking.
- There is no road route from the UAE to Sudan; your options are sea and air.
- Air suits urgent parcels and is priced on actual or volumetric weight, whichever is higher (L × W × H in cm ÷ 6000).
- The team sends you WhatsApp updates at every stage: collection, loading, sailing, arrival and delivery.
What we ship from Umm Al Quwain to Sudan
Most people who contact us from Umm Al Quwain about Sudan are individuals: a worker or employee living alone, a small family in a one-bedroom flat, or someone whose contract has ended and who wants to send home what they have gathered before flying. These loads do not fill a container, so the small-load service puts them together with other shipments in a shared container, and each person pays only for their own cubic metres.
- Boxes and personal bags: clothes, shoes, kitchenware, bedding, books, gifts for the family.
- One-room furniture: a single or double bed with mattress, a dismantled wardrobe, a small desk, a chair.
- Home appliances: a small fridge, washing machine, window or split AC, TV, microwave, gas cooker without the cylinder.
- Things families often ask for: a small generator, solar panels, a water pump, batteries (with conditions by sea), spare parts.
- Packed foodstuffs with clear expiry dates and their papers, in personal quantities.
- A crossover or saloon car once the team confirms it can be imported under the current rules, with its condition photographed before it goes into the container.
If the count grows past roughly 12–15 m³, the team compares shared freight with a full 20 ft container for you, because your own container sometimes works out cheaper and clears faster.
Collection areas in Umm Al Quwain
We collect straight from your home or accommodation in most parts of the emirate and agree the time with you on WhatsApp. Areas we cover include:
City centre and coast
Al Salamah, Al Raas, Al Maidan, Al Humrah, the Old Town and the corniche area.
Residential districts
Al Ramlah, Al Raudah, Al Haditha, Al Dhaher, Umm Al Thuoob and the areas off King Faisal Street.
Industrial and free zone
The Industrial Area and the Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone (UAQ FTZ), for individuals and small businesses.
Inland
Falaj Al Mualla and the farm areas, booked in advance because the drive is longer.
If you live near the Ajman or Ras Al Khaimah border, collection works the same way; see our guides to shipping from Ajman to Sudan and shipping from Ras Al Khaimah to Sudan if your things are spread across emirates.
Working out cubic metres, with real-world examples
The first question anyone with a small load asks is: how many metres do I have? The answer comes from measuring, not guessing. We measure every piece after packing, because packing adds a few centimetres on each side, and then add them up. These rough examples help you estimate before you message us:
| Load | Typical contents | Approximate volume |
|---|---|---|
| Suitcases only | 4 large suitcases and 3 medium boxes | Under 1 m³, charged as one metre |
| Single person, one room | 12 boxes, single mattress, TV, fan | About 1.5–2 m³ |
| Room with appliances | 15 boxes, dismantled double bed, small fridge, washing machine | About 3–4 m³ |
| One-bedroom flat | Bedroom set, 3-seat sofa, table, kitchen, appliances | About 8–12 m³ |
| Equipment for family | Small generator, 4 solar panels, pump, 2 boxes of parts | About 1.5–2.5 m³ |
A worked example: ten boxes at 60×40×40 cm, a fridge measuring 60×65×150 cm with packing, and a washing machine at 60×60×90 cm. The boxes = 10 × 0.096 = 0.96 m³. The fridge = 0.6 × 0.65 × 1.5 = 0.59 m³. The washer = 0.6 × 0.6 × 0.9 = 0.32 m³. That totals about 1.87 m³, usually rounded to a nearby figure after the actual measurement on collection day. Now you know you are under two metres and can decide whether to add a few more boxes while there is room, or stop there.
Our advice: do not ship cheap, heavy furniture. A used sofa that takes two metres can cost more to ship than buying a similar one at the other end, while good appliances, generators and solar panels are worth their metres. Put small, light items inside the wardrobe and washing machine once they are wrapped, so you use the empty space instead of adding new metres.
How to write your contents list
The contents list is not a formality. Customs in Port Sudan relies on it, and it protects you if anyone asks about a particular box. Number every box and write underneath exactly what is in it: “used men’s clothing”, “kitchenware”, “books”, rather than “various items”. Give electrical appliances their own lines with the brand and whether they are new or used. A good list is written in Arabic, ideally in English too, and the receiver keeps a copy.
- Box number and its detailed contents.
- Approximate number of pieces and whether new or used.
- Appliances by name and brand; generators and batteries on their own line.
- The receiver’s name, phone number and city in Sudan.
The sea route from the UAE to Port Sudan
Shipping to Sudan goes by sea or by air; there is no road link between the UAE and Sudan. After collection in Umm Al Quwain, your things go to the consolidation warehouse and are loaded with other shipments into a container leaving one of the UAE’s ports, such as Jebel Ali, Sharjah, Khor Fakkan, Fujairah or Khalifa Port, depending on the available line and sailing date. The vessel sails across the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden, then up the Red Sea to Port Sudan, the country’s main port on the Red Sea coast.
Port to port takes roughly one to three weeks, depending on the line and the number of stops. Shared freight also needs extra time before sailing while the container fills, and after arrival while it is unloaded and each owner’s goods are sorted. That is why we always call the timing approximate; the team tells you the nearest sailing when you book.
Comparing the options: shared, full container or air?
| Method | Approximate time | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea, shared LCL | About 3–6 weeks from collection to delivery | Small loads from 1 m³ up to about 12 m³ | Priced per cubic metre, usually a 1 m³ minimum |
| Sea, full container FCL | About 2–5 weeks | Larger flats, villas and cars | Your own 20 ft or 40 ft container, sealed at your door or in the warehouse |
| Air | Usually a few days including clearance | Documents, medicines with prescriptions, urgent parcels | Actual or volumetric weight, whichever is higher; not for furniture |
Shipping a crossover in a container from Umm Al Quwain
Some people sending a small load also want to send their car, often a mid-size crossover. The first step is not booking but checking: the team reviews the make, model year and specification against the rules currently applied in Sudan, because car-import conditions change from time to time. We do not book any car until the team has confirmed it can be imported.
Once that is confirmed there are two options: RoRo, where the car is driven onto the vessel as it is, uncovered, or a container, where it is secured with straps and wooden blocks. In a container the car can share space with your well-packed belongings where the rules allow. Before the car goes into the container we photograph it from every side, including bumpers, panels, tyres, odometer and glass, and send you the photos on WhatsApp, so you have a clear record of its condition before it travels.
- Registration in your name, an export certificate from the traffic department, and the owner’s passport.
- A nearly empty fuel tank and no loose items inside the car.
- Battery disconnected or secured as the shipping line requires.
- No official papers or valuables left in the car.
Air freight from Umm Al Quwain to Sudan
When something cannot wait, such as a box of medicines for your mother with her prescription, university papers, or a phone and a gift for an upcoming occasion, air freight is the answer. Parcels fly from Dubai, Sharjah or Abu Dhabi airport to Port Sudan or another operating Sudanese airport the team confirms, and usually arrive within a few days including clearance.
Air is priced on actual weight or volumetric weight, whichever is higher. Volumetric weight = length × width × height in cm ÷ 6000. For example, a 50×40×40 cm box weighing 9 kg has a volumetric weight of 80,000 ÷ 6000 = 13.3 kg, so you pay for 13.3 kg. So do not use a big box for light items by air; choose one that fits what is inside.
Note: Air cargo does not accept loose lithium batteries, liquids or perfumes except under strict conditions, and it does not suit furniture or large appliances. Ask the team before packing anything you are unsure about.
Packing a small load
In a shared container your things sit next to other people’s, go through more than one round of loading and unloading, and then wait in serious heat on the quay and on the inland road. Packing has to stand up to pressure and heat together:
- Double-wall cartons, not grocery boxes, with wide tape along every edge.
- Appliances in their original boxes if you have them, otherwise bubble wrap, heavy board and corner guards.
- Clothes and bedding in sealed bags inside the boxes to keep out dust and damp.
- No candles or anything that melts or leaks in heat, and no pressurised spray cans.
- Box number and receiver’s name on two sides of each box in clear writing.
- Generators fully drained of fuel and oil before packing.
If you like, our team does all the packing at collection and adds it to the price according to materials and time. You can also pack yourself and we check it before loading.
Documents you will need
Sudanese customs rules for personal effects, cars and fees change from time to time, so the team checks what applies to your case before booking. These are the usual documents:
Personal effects
A copy of the sender’s passport, a detailed numbered contents list, and the receiver’s details in Sudan (name, number, city).
Commercial goods
Commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin (GAFTA may apply to Arab-origin goods), and importer details.
Cars
Registration, export certificate, passport copy, and prior confirmation from the team that the car can be imported under current rules.
Some commercial goods may need conformity certificates from the relevant Sudanese authorities; the team tells you before shipping so the goods are not held at the port.
Prohibited and restricted items
- Prohibited: narcotics, weapons and ammunition, counterfeit goods, alcohol.
- Permit required: drones, satellite and wireless communication devices, and some medicines.
- With conditions: batteries, flammables, gas, perfumes and liquids, especially by air.
Shipping prices from Umm Al Quwain to Sudan
Shared freight starts from a minimum of one cubic metre and rises with the number of metres, the delivery city and any added services. Because every small load is different, send the details on WhatsApp and you get the price: photos or a list of your things, the measurements of large items, and the city in Sudan. You can also fill in the quote request form.
What decides the price?
| Factor | How it affects the price |
|---|---|
| Method: shared, full container or air | Shared by the metre, container at a set rate per container, air by the kilo |
| Container size | 20 ft or 40 ft once your metres pass a certain point |
| Number of cubic metres | More metres usually lower the cost of each metre |
| Departure port and delivery city | Port Sudan is nearest; inland cities add trucking |
| Packing | Full packing by the team, or self-packing with a check |
| Documents and clearance | Personal effects or commercial goods needing certificates |
| Car | Size, and RoRo or container |
Ask the team about optional insurance if your load includes appliances or items whose value matters to you.
How to ship from Umm Al Quwain to Sudan, step by step
- Send photos or a list of your things and the delivery city on WhatsApp +971557643821.
- The team estimates the cubic metres, suggests shared, full container or air, and you get the price.
- We agree a collection time at your home in Umm Al Quwain and prepare the contents list together.
- On collection day: actual measurement, packing if you asked for it, box numbering, and car photos if there is a car.
- Your things go to the consolidation warehouse, are loaded into the container and sail to Port Sudan.
- Clearance in Port Sudan, then delivery there or trucking to the city the team confirmed at booking.
- You get a WhatsApp message at each stage until the receiver has the goods.
Delivery in Port Sudan and other cities
The container arrives in Port Sudan, the shared shipments are unloaded and cleared, and your things are handed to the receiver in Port Sudan or trucked to another city. The team confirms the delivery city and the inland route at booking, so give the city and district from the start.
| Cities | Usual inland route from Port Sudan | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Port Sudan and Suakin | Local delivery near the port | Fastest after clearance |
| Kassala and Gedaref | By road via Haiya, then Kassala | Adds road time |
| Atbara and Shendi | By road via Haiya, then Atbara along the Nile | Adds road time |
| Other cities (Dongola, Wad Madani, Khartoum, Omdurman, Khartoum North, El Obeid, Kosti, Sennar) | By road, depending on the city | Confirmed at booking |
Sudan is hot for most of the year, and a shipment may wait on the quay or spend long hours on the inland road. So we advise against shipping perishable food or anything heat-sensitive, we recommend wrapping electronics well, and the receiver should be ready with their phone and a copy of their ID on delivery day so nothing is held up.
Tips and warnings before you ship
- Measure before you message: sizes of the big pieces make the price you get closer to the final figure.
- Do not mix commercial goods with personal effects without telling the team; it changes how the shipment is cleared.
- Allow for public holidays and busy seasons in Sudan and the UAE, which can slow sailings and clearance.
- Leave a margin in your plans: shared-freight timing is approximate and depends on the container filling.
- Keep a copy of the contents list and photos of your things before the boxes are sealed.
Note: Do not put cash, gold or original official papers inside the boxes. Carry these by hand or send them through services made for them.
For the full picture of routes and ports from every emirate, see our guide to shipping from the UAE to Sudan, and if your things are in Sharjah, read shipping from Sharjah to Sudan.
Frequently asked questions
What is the smallest amount I can ship from Umm Al Quwain to Sudan?
In shared sea freight the minimum is usually one cubic metre, so two suitcases or three boxes are charged as a full metre. For very small parcels, air may suit better if they are urgent.
How do I know how many cubic metres I have?
Multiply length × width × height in metres for each piece and add them up. A 60×40×40 cm box is about 0.1 m³. Send photos and rough sizes on WhatsApp and the team works it out with you; the actual measurement on collection day is final.
How long does a shipment take from Umm Al Quwain to Port Sudan?
Port to port is roughly one to three weeks, plus time to fill the container and clear customs. Air usually arrives within a few days.
Is there road freight to Sudan?
No. Shipping from the UAE to Sudan is by sea or air only; after arrival in Port Sudan the inland leg is by road to the city the team confirms at booking.
Do you collect from homes in Umm Al Quwain?
Yes. We collect from Al Salamah, Al Raas, Al Ramlah, Al Raudah, Al Humrah, the Industrial Area, the free zone, Falaj Al Mualla and elsewhere, and agree the time with you on WhatsApp.
Can I ship my car with my things?
Once the team confirms the car can be imported under the current rules, it can go by RoRo or in a container, and we photograph its condition before it goes into the container.
How will I know where my shipment is?
The team sends you WhatsApp updates at each stage: collection, loading, sailing, arrival in Port Sudan and delivery.
Is insurance available?
Ask the team about optional insurance; they explain what it covers before you book.
Got a small load in Umm Al Quwain?
Send photos or a list and the delivery city in Sudan; the team works out the cubic metres and you get the price.
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