A standard 40ft container from Istanbul (Ambarli) to Jebel Ali costs approximately US$1,900 (range $1,672–$2,185) with a total sea transit of 14 days and typical door-to-door lead time of 21–25 days including port handling and customs clearance. United Arab Emirates applies 5% customs duty and 5% VAT on imported goods. UAE–Turkey CEPA offers preferential duty rates on qualifying goods.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| 40ft container (low–high) | $1,672 – $2,185 |
| 20ft container (low–high) | $1,087 – $1,420 |
| Origin ports | Istanbul (Ambarli), Mersin, Izmir |
| Destination ports | Jebel Ali, Khalifa Port, Port Rashid |
| Major carriers | MSC, Arkas, CMA CGM, Turkon |
| Customs duty | 5% |
| VAT | 5% |
| FTA benefit | UAE–Turkey CEPA offers preferential duty rates on qualifying goods. |
Indicative General Cargo rates; refreshed monthly by Tradloc's trade desk.
| Departure port | 40ft (USD) | 20ft (USD) | Sea transit (days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Istanbul (Ambarli) | $1,900 | $1,235 | 14 |
| Mersin | $1,767 | $1,149 | 14 |
| Izmir | $1,843 | $1,198 | 14 |
Rates differ by loading port because of terminal handling and inland positioning costs in Turkey.
Indicative 40ft container freight into United Arab Emirates across the lanes importers request most often. The Turkey 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.
Turkey supplies steel, construction materials, processed food and polymers into the Gulf, moving via Mersin, Izmir and Ambarli either through Suez or on Ro-Ro/short-sea services.
Mediterranean services via Suez, plus land-bridge and Ro-Ro options for time-critical or project cargo.
The UAE is the Gulf's re-export hub: cargo landing at Jebel Ali is frequently cleared into a free zone and moved on to Saudi Arabia, East Africa or the wider GCC rather than consumed locally.
Run the freight estimator for Turkey → United Arab Emirates.