Shipping from Dubai
to Australia.
We ship from Dubai and from anywhere in the UAE to Australia by sea and by air. We carry business and personal cargo. Australian customs is the straightforward part. Biosecurity is what actually decides whether your goods can come in, and some of that work has to be done in Dubai before the container is sealed.
Overview
Sea and air freight
to Australia.
Shipping from Dubai to Australia takes about 22 to 37 days by sea, and 3 to 5 days by air. Current schedules have shown Jebel Ali to Sydney at around 23 days on some services, while other gateways and rotations run to about 37. Sydney serves New South Wales, Canberra and the east. Melbourne serves Victoria and the south east. Brisbane serves Queensland, often through an Asian hub. Fremantle serves Perth and Western Australia, and is geographically much closer to Dubai than the east coast ports. Air cargo flies into Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Perth. Before you book, the check that matters is BICON, which tells you whether the goods are permitted, whether they need treatment, and whether a biosecurity permit is required. We deliver everywhere, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Darwin and Hobart.

Ports and gateways
Sea ports and airports
we ship to from Dubai.
Every bill of lading carries two ports: where the cargo loads, and where it discharges. We load at Jebel Ali or another UAE port. Australia has four sea ports we use and four airports. They suit different cargo and different inland legs, so the loading port and the discharge port are worth choosing separately.
POLPort of loading
We collect anywhere in the UAE, free zones included, and load at whichever of these eight suits the cargo.
- Jebel AliAEJEA
- Port RashidAEPRA
- Khalifa PortAEKHL
- Zayed PortAEAUH
- Port KhalidAESHJ
- Khor FakkanAEKLF
- Port of FujairahAEFJR
- Ajman PortAEAJM
PODPort of discharge
The right one is whichever leaves the shortest inland leg to your delivery address. On a long lane that leg is a shipment in its own right, so it is planned rather than assumed.
- SydneyAUSYDSea port, Tasman SeaSydney, New South Wales, Canberra and eastern Australia
How cargo reaches Sydney
Shipping from Dubai to Sydney is one of the principal routes into Australia, and current schedules have shown around 23 days on some services, which is quick for this distance. Other rotations run considerably longer, so which service the cargo is on matters. Sea freight is priced per container on a full load and per cubic metre on a shared one. Get a rate for Sydney - MelbourneAUMELSea port, Port Phillip BayMelbourne, Victoria, Tasmania connections and south-eastern Australia
How cargo reaches Melbourne
Melbourne is the major container gateway for Victoria and the south east, and the practical starting point for Tasmania as well. Dubai routing varies by carrier and can involve an Asian relay port, which is where the extra days come from on the slower rotations. Get a rate for Melbourne - Port of BrisbaneAUBNESea port, Moreton BayBrisbane, Queensland and northern New South Wales
How cargo reaches Port of Brisbane
Shipping from Dubai to the Port of Brisbane can use a confirmed suitable vessel booking, normally relayed through a Southeast Asian hub rather than sailed direct. Australian biosecurity inspects on arrival, so timber packing must be treated and cargo can be held after customs has cleared it. Times vary from ship to ship, so we confirm the days when we quote. Sydney is the alternative. The quote separates ocean freight, transshipment, terminal handling, customs, biosecurity inspection and final delivery charges. Get a rate for Port of Brisbane - FremantleAUFRESea port, Indian OceanPerth and Western Australia
How cargo reaches Fremantle
Fremantle is the natural gateway for Western Australia and it is geographically much closer to Dubai than the east coast ports, which is a point almost no page makes. For a Perth delivery, landing here rather than in Sydney or Melbourne saves both sea time and a road journey across the continent. Get a rate for Fremantle - Sydney AirportSYDAirportSydney and New South Wales
How cargo reaches Sydney Airport
Air freight from Dubai to Sydney Airport can use accepted belly or freighter capacity, with the routing confirmed live, subject to commodity, space, screening and local cargo handling approval. Biosecurity inspection on arrival is what most often adds a day here, not the flight. Times vary from flight to flight, so we confirm the days when we quote. Melbourne is the alternative. The quote separates uplift, connection, screening, terminal, customs, biosecurity and final delivery charges. Get a rate for Sydney Airport - Melbourne AirportMELAirportMelbourne and Victoria
How cargo reaches Melbourne Airport
Air freight from Dubai to Melbourne Airport can use accepted belly or freighter capacity, with the routing confirmed live, subject to commodity, space, screening and local cargo handling approval. It serves Victoria and takes the second largest share of Australia's air freight, so uplift is usually available. Times vary from flight to flight, so we confirm the days when we quote. Sydney is the alternative. The quote separates uplift, connection, screening, terminal, customs, biosecurity and final delivery charges. Get a rate for Melbourne Airport - Brisbane AirportBNEAirportBrisbane and Queensland
How cargo reaches Brisbane Airport
Air freight from Dubai to Brisbane Airport can use accepted belly or freighter capacity, with the routing confirmed live, subject to commodity, space, screening and local cargo handling approval. Landing here saves the long road run north from Sydney when the delivery is in Queensland. Times vary from flight to flight, so we confirm the days when we quote. Sydney is the alternative. The quote separates uplift, connection, screening, terminal, customs, biosecurity and final delivery charges. Get a rate for Brisbane Airport - Perth AirportPERAirportPerth and Western Australia
How cargo reaches Perth Airport
Air freight from Dubai to Perth Airport can use accepted belly or freighter capacity, with the routing confirmed live, subject to commodity, space, screening and local cargo handling approval. Perth is the closest Australian city to Dubai, so the flying leg is the shortest of the four gateways. Times vary from flight to flight, so we confirm the days when we quote. Melbourne is the alternative for the eastern states. The quote separates uplift, connection, screening, terminal, customs, biosecurity and final delivery charges. Get a rate for Perth Airport
- SydneyAUSYDSea port, Tasman SeaSydney, New South Wales, Canberra and eastern Australia
Before you ship
Import rules
for Australia.
Australia has no single import permit that every shipment needs, so the customs side is ordinary. Biosecurity is the part that decides things. The system is called BICON and it tells you three things about your product: whether it is permitted at all, whether it needs treatment or supporting documents, and whether a biosecurity import permit is required. Where a permit is needed it must be granted before the goods arrive, and this is the important bit, some treatments have to be completed before the goods are shipped rather than on arrival. That is why we check BICON before booking rather than afterwards. If a road vehicle is involved there is a separate requirement: an Australian vehicle import approval has to be obtained before the vehicle is imported. Used vehicles and machinery also need cleaning thoroughly, inside and out, because they are inspected for soil and organic matter on arrival.

Documentation
Documents you need
for Australia.
These 11 cover most shipments to Australia. The exact list depends on the commodity and its HS code, so send us both and we confirm what applies before the cargo is booked.
- 01Invoice showing what you paid for the goods
- 02Packing list showing what is inside
- 03Certificate of origin showing where the goods were made
- 04Bill of lading or air waybill, which is the shipping ticket
- 05Dubai export paper, which we do for you
- 06Australian import declaration for sea or air cargo
- 07Biosecurity import permit, where BICON requires one
- 08Treatment or health certificate, where BICON requires one
- 09Imported food documentation, where it applies
- 10Vehicle import approval, obtained before a road vehicle is imported
- 11Unaccompanied Personal Effects Statement B534, on a household move
Get the paperwork right in Dubai and clearance at destination is routine. Fixing a document after arrival is slow, and storage accrues the whole time it takes.

How it works
Dubai to Australia
shipping, step by step.
Send the cargo details: what it is, where it is going, rough weight and dimensions. We come back with the routes that suit it, sea against air, and a written rate with a validity date on it. You pick one, we book it, and one coordinator stays with the shipment until it is delivered in Australia.
- 01
Check BICON first
Send us the product so we can check BICON before booking, because some treatments have to be done before the goods ship.
- 02
Get a price
We send you a price in writing, with every charge shown. No surprises later.
- 03
We treat, book and clear
We arrange any pre-shipment treatment or cleaning, collect, load, and handle customs and biosecurity at the other end.
- 04
We deliver
We track the shipment and keep you updated all the way, then bring the goods to your door.
Questions
Cargo to Australia
questions, answered.
The 15 we are asked most on the Dubai to Australia route. If yours is not here, send it with the commodity and we will answer it directly.
Do you offer movers and packers for a house move from Dubai to Australia?
Yes. Our movers and packers do the packing, wrapping and listing in Dubai, then we ship your furniture and household goods in a full container, or share one if you have less to send. The item by item list matters, because customs clear personal effects against it. Fuel, gas cylinders, paint, aerosols and loose batteries cannot travel, and we give you the full list before packing day.
How long does shipping from Dubai to Australia take?
Sea freight to Australia takes about 22 to 37 days, and air freight takes 3 to 5 days. Current schedules have shown Sydney at around 23 days on some services, while other gateways and rotations run to about 37, often because the cargo relays at an Asian hub. We confirm the routing and give you a date in writing when we quote.
What is BICON and why do you check it first?
BICON is Australia’s biosecurity system, and it tells you whether your product is permitted, whether it needs treatment or supporting documents, and whether a biosecurity import permit is required. We check it before booking because some treatments have to be completed before the goods ship rather than on arrival, and finding that out after the container is sealed is expensive.
Can you ship a car from Dubai to Australia?
Yes, but the approval comes first. A road vehicle cannot be imported into Australia without a vehicle import approval, and it must be obtained before the vehicle is imported rather than after it lands. Used vehicles also need cleaning thoroughly inside and out, because biosecurity inspects them for soil and organic matter on arrival. We could not verify a blanket maximum age. Send us the make, model, year and chassis number and we will start with the approval.
How much does shipping from Dubai to Australia cost?
It depends on what you send, how big it is, and where in Australia it is going. We do not publish prices because every shipment is different. Sea freight to Australia is priced per container when you fill one, and per cubic metre when you share one. Air freight is priced on weight or size, whichever is greater. Where biosecurity treatment is needed we quote it up front rather than leaving it as a surprise on arrival. Send us the details.
Which cities in Australia do you deliver to?
All of them. Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Canberra, Newcastle, Wollongong, Geelong, Hobart, Townsville, Cairns, Darwin, Toowoomba and Launceston. Australia is very large, so we quote the domestic leg properly rather than treating the country as one delivery zone.
Which Australian port should my cargo go to?
Whichever is nearest the delivery. Sydney for New South Wales, Melbourne for Victoria and Tasmania, Brisbane for Queensland, Fremantle for Western Australia. Fremantle is worth flagging: it is much closer to Dubai than the east coast ports, so for a Perth delivery it saves both sea time and a road journey across the continent.
Is Fremantle really closer than Sydney?
Considerably, yes. Western Australia faces the Indian Ocean, so Fremantle is geographically much nearer to Dubai than the east coast ports. Almost no page on this lane mentions it. If your delivery is in Perth or Western Australia, landing at Fremantle rather than crossing the country from Sydney is the obvious answer.
Does air freight avoid the biosecurity rules?
No. Air cargo is subject to the same biosecurity requirements as sea freight, so the BICON check applies either way. Air is faster on the water crossing, not on the rules.
Do you deliver door to door?
Yes. We handle freight forwarding to Australia door to door. We collect the goods in Dubai, move them, clear them through customs and biosecurity, and bring them to your address. You deal with one company for the whole journey.
Can I send a small shipment, or do I need a full container?
You can send as little as one box or one pallet. We put small shipments from different customers into one shared container. This is called LCL, or less than container load. Your goods load at Jebel Ali and come into Sydney or Fremantle. When you have more goods, you move up to your own full container, which is called FCL. We will tell you which one is cheaper.
Do you handle customs clearance in Australia?
Yes, at both ends, and we handle the biosecurity side too. We do customs clearance in Dubai and both the Australian import declaration and the biosecurity requirements at the other end. Those are two separate authorities with separate requirements, and pages that treat them as one process miss half the job.
Can you collect the goods from my supplier in Dubai?
Yes. We collect anywhere in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and the rest of the UAE. We can also hold your goods in warehousing and storage in Dubai until you are ready to ship. On this lane that is genuinely useful, because pre-shipment treatment or cleaning can be done while the cargo is with us rather than after it sails.
Can you ship machinery and heavy equipment to Australia?
Yes. We move project cargo to Australia as well. Big, heavy items go in open top or flat rack containers, or loose on the ship. Used machinery needs particular attention on cleaning, because soil and organic matter are exactly what biosecurity inspects for and a failed inspection means treatment at your cost on arrival. Send us the size, weight and condition.
Can you move my household goods to Australia?
Yes. We move full house moves and part loads to Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Personal effects go under the B534 statement with a packing list, and both are assessed for biosecurity risk, so an accurate packing list genuinely matters here rather than being a formality. The goods need to be personal property you owned overseas to use the personal effects treatment.
Ready to ship from Dubai
to Australia?
Send the commodity and its HS code, the weight and dimensions, and the delivery address. We confirm what Australia checks before you ship, then the routing options, then a written rate with a validity date on it.
- Written rates
- One coordinator
- Customs handled in house
- UAE-wide collection

