Shipping from Dubai
to Croatia.

We ship from Dubai and from anywhere in the UAE to Croatia by sea and by air. Rijeka on the Adriatic is the container gateway and it is quick, because a ship coming through Suez reaches the Adriatic well before the western European ports. We ship business and personal cargo, and deliver to your address.

Overview

Sea and air freight
to Croatia.

Shipping from Dubai to Croatia takes about 13 to 31 days by sea, and 1 to 5 days by air. Current schedules have shown Jebel Ali to Rijeka at around 13 days on some full container sailings, which is fast for Europe, while a wider route estimate through transhipments and inland handling runs closer to 31. Rijeka is the main container gateway and serves Zagreb and the north and centre. Ploce in the south handles bulk, general and selected container cargo and feeds the inland Balkan corridors. Split serves central Dalmatia for regional and ferry traffic rather than mainstream containers. Air cargo flies into Zagreb. We deliver everywhere, including Zagreb, Split, Rijeka, Osijek, Zadar, Velika Gorica, Pula, Karlovac, Varazdin, Sibenik and Dubrovnik. Navo Shipping handles the sea freight, air freight and customs clearance on the Dubai to Croatia route, door to door. Tell us what you are sending and where it is going, and we will tell you which way is cheaper.

A wide pencil-style drawing of the Dubai to Croatia shipping lane: on the left the Dubai skyline with the Burj Khalifa and the UAE flag, on the right the walled old town of Dubrovnik and the Croatian flag, joined by a dotted route across a pale world map with a container ship below and an aircraft above
DubaiJebel Ali · DXBSea about 13 days to Rijeka on current schedules · Air 1 to 5 days to ZagrebCroatiaPort of Rijeka · ZAG

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. Croatia has three sea ports we use and one airport. They suit different cargo and different inland legs, so the loading port and the discharge port are worth choosing separately.

  1. 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
  2. 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.

    • Port of RijekaHRRJKSea port, Adriatic SeaRijeka, Zagreb, northern and central Croatia
      How cargo reaches Port of Rijeka Shipping from Dubai to Rijeka is the main way in, and it is quick. Current public schedules have shown around 13 days on some full container sailings from Jebel Ali, because the Adriatic sits early on a Suez routing. Rijeka is the country’s principal container gateway and the natural landing point for Zagreb. Sea freight is priced per container on a full load and per cubic metre on a shared one. Get a rate for Port of Rijeka
    • Port of PloceHRPLESea port, Adriatic Seasouthern Croatia and the inland Balkan corridors
      How cargo reaches Port of Ploce Ploce serves the south and handles bulk, general and selected container cargo. Its real value is inland: it feeds the corridors into Bosnia and the wider Balkans. For a southern Croatian delivery it also saves the long coastal road from Rijeka. Routing from Dubai depends on the carrier and we confirm it before quoting. Get a rate for Port of Ploce
    • Port of SplitHRSPUSea port, Adriatic SeaSplit and central Dalmatia
      How cargo reaches Port of Split Shipping from Dubai to Split arrives on an Adriatic feeder rather than a direct call, and the port works mainly ferries and general cargo rather than deep sea boxes. It serves central Dalmatia. Times vary from ship to ship, so we confirm the days when we quote. Rijeka is the alternative and is the country's container gateway. The quote separates ocean freight, transshipment, the feeder leg, terminal handling, customs, import VAT and delivery. Get a rate for Port of Split
    • Zagreb Franjo Tudman AirportZAGAirportZagreb and air cargo distribution nationally
      How cargo reaches Zagreb Franjo Tudman Airport Air freight from Dubai to Zagreb can use accepted belly or freighter capacity, with the routing confirmed live, subject to commodity, space, screening and local cargo handling approval. It is Croatia's only significant air cargo gateway, so national distribution runs from here by road. Times vary from flight to flight, so we confirm the days when we quote. Rijeka by sea is the alternative for volume. The quote separates uplift, connection, screening, terminal, customs, import VAT and final delivery. Get a rate for Zagreb Franjo Tudman Airport

Before you ship

Import rules
for Croatia.

Croatia runs on the two EU rules and we handle both. Whoever imports needs an EORI number. It is free and quick to obtain, but no customs operation happens without it, so we confirm it before we book. And a safety filing called an Entry Summary Declaration has to reach EU customs before the goods arrive in Europe, under the system known as ICS2. The carrier files it and we supply the data. Because the Adriatic route can be quick, that filing deadline arrives sooner than people expect on this lane, which is worth knowing if you are used to western European transit times. Beyond those two, regulated goods need their own licence or certificate, and preferential duty needs proof of origin. Tell us the product and the HS code and we will confirm what applies before you book.

A Navo Shipping coordinator with a clipboard: certify, label and clear, settled before a shipment loads

Documentation

Documents you need
for Croatia.

These 11 cover most shipments to Croatia. 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
  • 06EORI number of the importer in Croatia
  • 07EU customs declaration
  • 08ICS2 Entry Summary Declaration data, filed before arrival
  • 09Import licence or certificate, where the commodity is controlled
  • 10Sanitary, veterinary or conformity documentation, where required
  • 11Proof of origin, where you are claiming preferential duty

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.

A Navo Shipping coordinator pointing to the export paperwork: commercial invoice, packing list and certificate of origin

How it works

Dubai to Croatia
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 Croatia.

  1. 01

    Send the details

    Tell us what you are sending, the HS code, how heavy it is, and where in Croatia it goes.

  2. 02

    Get a price

    We send you a price in writing, with every charge shown. No surprises later.

  3. 03

    We book and clear

    We check the EORI, weigh Rijeka against Ploce on your delivery address, supply the ICS2 data, collect, load and clear.

  4. 04

    We deliver

    We track the shipment and keep you updated all the way, then bring the goods to your door.

Questions

Cargo to Croatia
questions, answered.

The 15 we are asked most on the Dubai to Croatia route. If yours is not here, send it with the commodity and we will answer it directly.

How long does shipping from Dubai to Croatia take?

Sea freight to Croatia takes about 13 to 31 days, and air freight to Croatia takes 1 to 5 days. Current schedules have shown Jebel Ali to Rijeka at around 13 days on some full container sailings, which is fast for Europe. Transhipped routings with inland handling run closer to 31. We confirm the live routing and give you a date in writing when we quote.

Why is Croatia faster than northern Europe?

Geography. Rijeka is on the Adriatic, and a ship coming through the Suez Canal reaches the Adriatic well before it reaches Rotterdam or Hamburg. That makes Croatia one of the quicker European arrivals from Dubai when the service runs through rather than transferring.

How much does shipping from Dubai to Croatia cost?

It depends on what you send, how big it is, and where in Croatia it is going. We do not publish prices because every shipment is different. Sea freight to Croatia is priced per container when you fill one, and per cubic metre when you share one. Air freight to Croatia is priced on weight or size, whichever is greater. Send us the details and we send you a price in writing, usually the same day.

Which cities in Croatia do you deliver to?

All of them. Zagreb, Split, Rijeka, Osijek, Zadar, Velika Gorica, Pula, Slavonski Brod, Karlovac, Varazdin, Sibenik, Dubrovnik, Sisak, Vinkovci, Koprivnica and Bjelovar. Just give us the address and we bring it to the door.

Which ports in Croatia do you ship to?

Rijeka is the main container gateway and serves Zagreb and the north and centre. Ploce serves the south and feeds the inland Balkan corridors. Split handles regional and ferry traffic rather than mainstream containers. For air cargo we fly into Zagreb.

Is Split a container port?

Not for international container flows in the way Rijeka is. Split matters for regional, ferry and selected general cargo. Some pages list the two side by side as though they handled the same traffic. For a Split delivery, landing at Rijeka or Ploce and running a road leg is usually the practical answer.

What is an EORI number?

It is a free trading number used across the European Union. Whoever imports the goods needs one and no customs operation happens without it. It is quick to get online, and we check it before we load.

What is ICS2?

It is the EU safety and security system. A filing called an Entry Summary Declaration has to reach EU customs before your goods arrive in Europe. The carrier files it and we supply the data. On this lane it can fall due sooner than people expect, because the Adriatic route is quick.

Do you deliver door to door?

Yes. We handle freight forwarding to Croatia door to door. We collect the goods in Dubai, move them, clear them through customs, 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 Rijeka. 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.

Can you ship a car from Dubai to Croatia?

Yes. We do car shipping to Croatia, and used private cars can be imported subject to customs, tax, technical approval and registration. A car brought with a transfer of residence can fall within personal property relief. We could not confirm any general maximum age. Send us the make, model, year and chassis number and we will check before you buy.

Do you handle customs clearance in Croatia?

Yes, at both ends. We handle customs clearance in Dubai and customs clearance in Croatia. You do not need to find your own clearing agent.

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. That helps when you are buying from several suppliers and want everything to travel to Rijeka in one container.

Can you ship machinery and heavy equipment to Croatia?

Yes. We move project cargo to Croatia as well. Big, heavy items go in open top or flat rack containers, or loose on the ship. Ploce handles bulk and general cargo that does not suit a container terminal. Send us the size and weight and we will work out the best way to move it.

I am moving to Croatia. Do I get relief on my belongings?

You may. Croatian guidance allows qualifying people moving from outside the EU to bring used household property in without customs duty and VAT, normally requiring at least twelve months of previous residence abroad and at least six months of prior possession and use of the goods. Tell us your situation and we will explain what to expect.

Ready to ship from Dubai
to Croatia?

Send the commodity and its HS code, the weight and dimensions, and the delivery address. We confirm what Croatia 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
A Navo Shipping coordinator in a hard hat and hi-vis vest

Ready to ship your cargo?
Let us get it moving!

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