Shipping from Dubai
to Panama.

We ship from Dubai and from anywhere in the UAE to Panama by sea and by air. Panama has ports on both ends of the canal, and which side your cargo lands on decides the road leg. We ship business and personal cargo, do the paperwork at both ends, and deliver to your address.

Overview

Sea and air freight
to Panama.

Shipping from Dubai to Panama takes about 50 to 55 days by sea, and 2 to 5 days by air. A current low cost route model puts it at around 55 days including multiple handling points, though normal carrier routing can differ, so we treat that as a planning range rather than a sailing time. Balboa sits at the Pacific entrance of the canal and serves Panama City. Manzanillo International Terminal and Cristobal sit at the Caribbean end and serve Colon and the regional transhipment market. Which side you land on decides the road leg, though the country is narrow enough that crossing is not a long journey. Air cargo flies into Tocumen. We deliver everywhere, including Panama City, San Miguelito, Colon, David, La Chorrera, Arraijan and Santiago. Navo Shipping handles the sea freight, air freight and customs clearance on the Dubai to Panama route, door to door.

A wide pencil-style drawing of the Dubai to Panama shipping lane: on the left the Dubai skyline with the Burj Khalifa and the UAE flag, on the right the Panama Canal locks with the Panama City skyline behind and the Panamanian flag, joined by a dotted route across a pale world map with a container ship below and an aircraft above
DubaiJebel Ali · DXBSea about 50 to 55 days, routing dependent · Air 2 to 5 days to Panama CityPanamaPort of Balboa · PTY

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. Panama 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 BalboaPABLBSea port, Pacific entrance of the Panama CanalPanama City, Pacific Panama and international transhipment networks
      How cargo reaches Port of Balboa Balboa sits at the Pacific end of the canal, right beside Panama City, which makes it the natural gateway for anything delivering in the capital. Cargo from Dubai reaches it through international relay services. Sea freight is priced per container on a full load and per cubic metre on a shared one. Get a rate for Port of Balboa
    • Manzanillo International TerminalPAMITSea port, Caribbean SeaColon, Panama and regional transhipment markets
      How cargo reaches Manzanillo International Terminal Shipping from Dubai to Manzanillo International Terminal reaches the Caribbean side of Panama through the Suez Canal or around Africa. It is one of the region's largest transshipment hubs and sits beside the Colon Free Zone, so cargo can be held and re-exported before duty is paid. Times vary from ship to ship, so we confirm the days when we quote. Cristobal is the alternative. The quote separates ocean freight, routing surcharges, terminal handling, free zone storage, customs and delivery. Get a rate for Manzanillo International Terminal
    • Port of CristobalPACTBSea port, Caribbean entrance of the Panama CanalColon and Atlantic-side Panama
      How cargo reaches Port of Cristobal Shipping from Dubai to Cristobal reaches the Caribbean entrance of the Panama Canal through the Suez Canal or around Africa. It serves Colon and the free zone, and shares that market with the terminal next door. Times vary from ship to ship, so we confirm the days when we quote. Manzanillo International Terminal is the alternative and carries more container services. The quote separates ocean freight, routing surcharges, terminal handling, customs, tax and delivery. Get a rate for Port of Cristobal
    • Tocumen International AirportPTYAirportPanama City and air cargo distribution nationally
      How cargo reaches Tocumen International Airport Air freight from Dubai to Tocumen is 2 to 5 days depending on whether the goods fly direct or connect. It is Panama’s principal international air cargo gateway and a major regional hub, so onward connections across Central and South America are good. Get a rate for Tocumen International Airport

Before you ship

Import rules
for Panama.

Panama does not require one import permit for every ordinary shipment, so most commercial cargo moves on a normal customs declaration through the customs system. What does apply is commodity specific: restricted goods need a permit or approval from the relevant authority, and that should be obtained before the cargo ships rather than after it lands. A customs broker is commonly involved in formal commercial clearance, which is worth budgeting for rather than being surprised by. If you are bringing a vehicle, Panama runs an official pre registration process for both new and used imports, and a used vehicle needs its ownership documents plus inspection and registration steps after clearance. Tell us the commodity 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 Panama.

These 9 cover most shipments to Panama. 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
  • 06Panamanian customs pre-declaration and declaration
  • 07Import permit, for restricted goods
  • 08Health, agriculture or product approval, where the commodity needs one
  • 09Vehicle title and inspection documents, on a used vehicle import

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 Panama
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 Panama.

  1. 01

    Send the details

    Tell us what you are sending, the HS code, how heavy it is, and where in Panama 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 any commodity permit, pick the canal end that suits the delivery, 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 Panama
questions, answered.

The 15 we are asked most on the Dubai to Panama 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 Panama?

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 Panama take?

Sea freight to Panama takes about 50 to 55 days, and air freight to Panama takes 2 to 5 days. A current low cost route model puts sea at around 55 days including multiple handling points, though normal carrier routing can differ. Panama is a transhipment hub so there are usually several ways to route the same cargo. We check what is running and give you a date in writing.

Which port should my cargo go to?

Balboa on the Pacific side for Panama City and the west. Manzanillo International Terminal or Cristobal at the Caribbean end for Colon. Panama is narrow enough that crossing between them is a short drive rather than a real journey, so the decision matters less here than on most countries.

How much does shipping from Dubai to Panama cost?

It depends on what you send, how big it is, and where in Panama it is going. We do not publish prices because every shipment is different. Sea freight to Panama is priced per container when you fill one, and per cubic metre when you share one. Air freight to Panama is priced on weight or size, whichever is greater. A customs broker is commonly involved in formal clearance, which we include in the quote rather than leaving as a surprise. Send us the details.

Which cities in Panama do you deliver to?

All of them. Panama City, San Miguelito, Colon, David, La Chorrera, Arraijan, Santiago, Chitre, Penonome, Changuinola, Aguadulce and Las Tablas. Just give us the address and we bring it to the door.

Do I need an import permit for Panama?

Only for restricted goods. Panama does not require one permit for every ordinary shipment, and most commercial cargo moves on a normal customs declaration. Restricted commodities need a permit or approval from the relevant authority, obtained before the cargo ships. Send us the HS code and we will tell you which applies.

Can you ship a car from Dubai to Panama?

Yes. Panama runs an official pre registration process for both new and used imported vehicles. A used vehicle needs its ownership documents and goes through inspection and registration steps after clearance, so clearing customs is not the end of the process. We could not verify any blanket maximum age. Send us the make, model, year and chassis number and we will set out the sequence.

Do you deliver door to door?

Yes. We handle freight forwarding to Panama 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 Balboa or Manzanillo. When you have more goods, you move up to your own full container, which is called FCL. On a lane this long we will tell you honestly which is better.

Is Panama a good place to hold stock for the region?

It can be, and it is one of the reasons cargo comes here. Manzanillo is one of the busiest transhipment hubs in the Americas and Tocumen is a major air hub, so onward connections across Central and South America are good. That is a different customs arrangement from a straight import and worth deciding before anything sails. Tell us where the goods are really going.

Do you handle customs clearance in Panama?

Yes, at both ends. We handle customs clearance in Dubai and customs clearance in Panama, working with a local broker for the formal commercial entry. You do not need to arrange that yourself.

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 a lane this long, consolidating properly before anything sails is worth the effort.

Can you ship machinery and heavy equipment to Panama?

Yes. We move project cargo to Panama as well. Big, heavy items go in open top or flat rack containers, or loose on the ship. Both canal ends handle industrial cargo. Send us the size and weight and the delivery town and we will work out the best way to move it.

Can you move my household goods to Panama?

Yes. We move full house moves and part loads to Panama, including Panama City, Colon and David. We pack, collect, move and deliver, and we handle the customs clearance so your things are not waiting on paperwork.

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

You may. Qualifying foreigners establishing residence in Panama and Panamanians returning after the required period abroad can receive customs relief for eligible used household furniture and personal home effects under the published moving goods provisions. Tell us your situation and how long you have been away and we will explain what to expect.

Ready to ship from Dubai
to Panama?

Send the commodity and its HS code, the weight and dimensions, and the delivery address. We confirm what Panama 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!

Get a Quote
Fast response No obligation100% confidential