Shipping from Dubai
to DR Congo.
We ship from Dubai and from anywhere in the UAE to the DR Congo by sea and by air. We carry business and personal cargo. The country is huge and its own port is a long way from where most of the business is, so the routing matters more here than almost anywhere. We work out the right way in, handle the paperwork, and deliver to your address.
Overview
Sea and air freight
to DR Congo.
Shipping from Dubai to DR Congo depends completely on where you are. For Kinshasa and the west, cargo sails to Matadi in about 22 to 40 days. Matadi sits well up the Congo River and takes smaller ships, which is part of why it takes so long. For Lubumbashi and the copper belt, the sensible route is usually not a Congolese port at all: cargo lands at Durban, Dar es Salaam or Beira and comes overland. Air into Kinshasa is 3 to 8 days and into Lubumbashi 3 to 9 days. Navo Shipping handles the sea freight, air freight and customs clearance on the Dubai to DR Congo route, door to door. Tell us the delivery city first and we will work out the best way in.
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. The DR Congo has three sea ports we use and three 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.
- MatadiCDMATSea port · Congo RiverKinshasa, Matadi and the west. The main port, upriver from the Atlantic
How cargo reaches Matadi
Shipping from Dubai to Matadi can use a confirmed suitable vessel booking, normally relayed through a West or southern African hub because the Congo River approach limits vessel size. Times vary from ship to ship, so we confirm the days when we quote. Boma is the alternative when draft or berth availability is tight. The quote separates ocean freight, transshipment, carrier surcharges, terminal handling, customs and final delivery charges. Get a rate for Matadi - BomaSea port · Congo RiverThe lower river, downstream of Matadi
How cargo reaches Boma
Shipping from Dubai to Boma requires confirmed vessel acceptance and local handling, and may use feeder or project cargo arrangements rather than a regular container call. Times vary from ship to ship, so we confirm the days when we quote. Matadi is the main alternative for routine containers into Kinshasa. The quote separates ocean freight, feeder or inducement charges, terminal handling, customs, equipment and delivery. Get a rate for Boma - BananaSea port · AtlanticThe river mouth. A new deep water port being built here
How cargo reaches Banana
Shipping from Dubai to Banana depends on which berths and services are live at the new deep water terminal, so we confirm acceptance before booking. Times vary from ship to ship, so we confirm the days when we quote. Matadi is the established alternative until Banana carries regular calls. The quote separates ocean freight, transshipment, terminal handling, customs, equipment and delivery. Get a rate for Banana - N’djili International, KinshasaFIHAirportThe capital and the west
How cargo reaches N’djili International, Kinshasa
Air freight from Dubai to N’djili International can use accepted connecting capacity, with any direct uplift confirmed live, subject to commodity, space, screening and local cargo handling approval. Times vary from flight to flight, so we confirm the days when we quote. Lubumbashi is the alternative for the mining south. The quote separates uplift, connection, screening, terminal, customs and final delivery charges. Get a rate for N’djili International, Kinshasa - LubumbashiFBMAirportKatanga and the copper and cobalt belt
How cargo reaches Lubumbashi
Air freight from Dubai to Lubumbashi can use accepted connecting capacity, with any direct uplift confirmed live, subject to commodity, space, screening and local cargo handling approval. Times vary from flight to flight, so we confirm the days when we quote. Kinshasa is the alternative when uplift into the south is short. The quote separates uplift, connection, screening, terminal, customs and final delivery charges. Get a rate for Lubumbashi - GomaAirportNorth Kivu and the east
How cargo reaches Goma
Air freight from Dubai to Goma is booked only after live checks on airport status and eastern security, because access there has been interrupted before. Times vary from flight to flight, so we confirm the days when we quote. Kinshasa is the alternative, with onward domestic uplift once the east reopens. The quote separates uplift, connection, screening, terminal, customs, security and final delivery charges. Get a rate for Goma - KisanganiInland portThe upper Congo River and the northeast
How cargo reaches Kisangani
Shipping from Dubai to Kisangani enters through Matadi, then moves under customs transit by confirmed river barge or road service far upstream, which adds weeks rather than days. Times vary from ship to ship, so we confirm the days when we quote. Air freight into Kinshasa is the faster alternative for urgent cargo. The quote separates ocean freight, port handling, transit bond, barge or road haulage, depot and clearance charges. Get a rate for Kisangani - Kasumbalesa land portLand borderThe Zambia border. The main crossing for copper belt cargo
How cargo reaches Kasumbalesa land port
Shipping from Dubai to Kasumbalesa land port can enter through Dar es Salaam or Durban, then continue under a confirmed customs transit and road security plan to the copperbelt crossing. Border queues here are long and vary, so we confirm the days when we quote. Kasindi land port is the alternative for the east. The quote separates ocean freight, gateway handling, transit bond, trucking, permits, border charges, waiting time and final delivery. Get a rate for Kasumbalesa land port - Kasindi land portLand borderThe Uganda border in the east
How cargo reaches Kasindi land port
Shipping from Dubai to Kasindi land port can enter through Mombasa, then continue under a confirmed customs transit and road security plan through Uganda to the crossing. Border and convoy times vary with conditions in North Kivu, so we confirm the days when we quote. Kasumbalesa land port is the alternative for the south. The quote separates ocean freight, gateway handling, transit bond, trucking, permits, border charges, waiting time and final delivery. Get a rate for Kasindi land port - Goma and Bukavu crossingsLand borderThe Rwanda border on the eastern corridor
How cargo reaches Goma and Bukavu crossings
Shipping from Dubai to the Goma and Bukavu crossings is arranged only after live checks, because access through the Rwandan border points has been disrupted by conflict in the east. Times vary with conditions on the ground, so we confirm the days when we quote. Kasumbalesa land port is the safer alternative for the south. The quote separates ocean freight, gateway handling, transit bond, trucking, permits, border charges, waiting time and final delivery. Get a rate for Goma and Bukavu crossings
- MatadiCDMATSea port · Congo RiverKinshasa, Matadi and the west. The main port, upriver from the Atlantic
Before you ship
Import rules
for the DR Congo.
DR Congo has an order to follow and it starts at a bank. Your buyer takes your proforma invoice to their bank, which issues and approves an import licence. That approved licence generates a reference, and only then can the inspection be arranged here in Dubai. The inspection applies to shipments above a value threshold, with some categories exempt. The reason the order matters is simple: if you ship before the licence is approved, the inspection that should have happened in Dubai cannot be done afterwards, because the goods have gone. So we always ask whether the licence is approved before we load anything.
Documentation
Documents you need
for the DR Congo.
These 8 cover most shipments to the DR Congo. 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
- 06Import licence approved by your buyer bank, before shipping
- 07Inspection certificate, where the shipment is above the value threshold
- 08Transit papers, for cargo coming in through a southern corridor
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 DR Congo
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 the DR Congo.
- 01
Tell us the delivery city
Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Goma or elsewhere. It decides whether the cargo goes to Matadi or through a southern port.
- 02
Check the bank licence
Your buyer gets their import licence approved by their bank. We confirm it before anything is arranged.
- 03
We inspect and ship
We arrange the inspection in Dubai if it is needed, then collect, load and handle the papers.
- 04
We deliver
We track the shipment and keep you updated all the way, then bring the goods to your door.
Questions
Cargo to DR Congo
questions, answered.
The 14 we are asked most on the Dubai to DR Congo route. If yours is not here, send it with the commodity and we will answer it directly.
How long does shipping from Dubai to DR Congo take?
To Matadi it is about 22 to 40 days by sea. For Lubumbashi and the copper belt we usually route through a southern port and then overland, which we quote as two stages. Air into Kinshasa is 3 to 8 days and Lubumbashi 3 to 9 days.
How much does shipping from Dubai to DR Congo cost?
It depends on what you send, how big it is, and where in the DR Congo it is going. We do not publish prices because every shipment is different. Sea freight to the DR Congo is priced per container when you fill one, and per cubic metre when you share one. Air freight to the DR Congo 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.
Should my Lubumbashi cargo go through Matadi?
Almost certainly not. Lubumbashi is nearly two thousand kilometres from Matadi across difficult terrain. It is normally better to land at Durban, Dar es Salaam or Beira and come overland, or fly directly. Routing through Matadi looks right on a map and is usually wrong in practice.
Which cities do you deliver to?
Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Matadi, Goma, Bukavu, Mbuji-Mayi, Kolwezi and Kisangani, among others. Tell us the city first, because it decides the whole route.
What is the order of paperwork?
Bank first. Your buyer takes your proforma invoice to their bank, the bank approves the import licence, and that generates the reference the inspection works from. Only then can the inspection be done in Dubai.
What happens if I ship before the licence is approved?
The inspection that should have happened in Dubai cannot be done afterwards, because the goods have left. The container then sits while it is sorted out. It is why we ask about the licence before we book.
Why does Matadi take so long?
It is about a hundred and fifty kilometres up the Congo River rather than on the coast, and the river limits ship size, so cargo usually changes vessel on the way. A new deep water port at Banana is being built to fix this, but it is not the route for a shipment today.
Do you deliver door to door?
Yes. We handle freight forwarding to the DR Congo 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 Matadi. 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.
Is air freight worth it to the DR Congo?
On this route it deserves a proper look, especially to Lubumbashi. Against a sea leg plus days of overland travel across a border, air often wins outright on high value cargo like mining spares.
Can you deliver to Goma and the east?
Yes, usually through Dar es Salaam or Mombasa and then overland through Rwanda or Uganda. Conditions vary on those routes, so we confirm the position when you enquire rather than promising in advance.
Do you handle customs clearance in the DR Congo?
Yes, at both ends. We handle customs clearance in Dubai and customs clearance in the DR Congo. 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 Matadi in one container.
Can you ship machinery and heavy equipment to the DR Congo?
Yes. We move project cargo to the DR Congo as well. Big, heavy items go in open top or flat rack containers, or loose on the ship into Matadi. Send us the size and weight and we will work out the best way to move it.
Ready to ship from Dubai
to DR Congo?
Send the commodity and its HS code, the weight and dimensions, and the delivery address. We confirm what the DR Congo 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
