A standard 40ft container from Busan to Khalifa Bin Salman costs approximately US$2,400 (range $2,112–$2,760) with a total sea transit of 24 days and typical door-to-door lead time of 31–35 days including port handling and customs clearance. Bahrain applies 5% customs duty and 10% VAT on imported goods.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| 40ft container (low–high) | $2,112 – $2,760 |
| 20ft container (low–high) | $1,373 – $1,794 |
| Origin ports | Busan |
| Destination ports | Khalifa Bin Salman |
| Major carriers | HMM, Maersk, ONE |
| Customs duty | 5% |
| VAT | 10% |
| FTA benefit | Standard MFN rates apply |
Indicative General Cargo rates; refreshed monthly by Tradloc's trade desk.
| Departure port | 40ft (USD) | 20ft (USD) | Sea transit (days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Busan | $2,400 | $1,560 | 24 |
Rates differ by loading port because of terminal handling and inland positioning costs in South Korea.
Indicative 40ft container freight into Bahrain across the lanes importers request most often. The South Korea lane is highlighted, so you can see instantly whether switching origin would materially change your ocean freight line item. Figures are the mid-point of each lane's assessed range and exclude duty, VAT and destination clearance.
South Korea is a petrochemical and high-grade steel origin, with almost all Gulf-bound boxes routed through Busan.
Direct Far East–Middle East strings from Busan, frequently combined with a China port rotation.
Bahrain clears through Khalifa Bin Salman Port and also serves as a lower-cost entry option for cargo trucked onward to Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province.
Run the freight estimator for South Korea → Bahrain.