Shipping from Dubai
to Rwanda.
We ship from Dubai and from anywhere in the UAE to Rwanda by sea and by air. We carry business and personal cargo. Rwanda is further from the sea than anywhere else we serve in East Africa, so the road leg is long. The good news is that Rwandan customs is one of the quickest and most organised on the continent, so once the goods arrive things move.
Overview
Sea, road and air freight
to Rwanda.
Rwanda has no sea port, so shipping from Dubai works in two stages. Goods sail to Mombasa in about 7 to 18 days, then travel roughly 1,700 kilometres overland to Kigali, which usually takes another two to four weeks. Dar es Salaam is a genuine alternative with a shorter road leg. Air into Kigali is 2 to 6 days, and Kigali is better connected than the size of the market suggests. We deliver everywhere, including Kigali, Butare, Gisenyi, Musanze, Rusizi and Nyagatare. Unusually, both routes are worth pricing rather than one obviously winning. Navo Shipping handles the sea freight, air freight and customs clearance on the Dubai to Rwanda route, door to door. Tell us the delivery city and we will compare them.
Ports and gateways
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. Rwanda is landlocked, so sea cargo discharges at Mombasa, Kenya and travels inland from there. That inland leg is a shipment in its own right, so we plan and price it 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.
- Kigali InternationalKGLAirportKigali and the whole country. Better connected than the size of the market suggests
How cargo reaches Kigali International
Air freight from Dubai to Kigali International can use accepted nonstop or connecting belly capacity, subject to commodity, space and handling approval. Times vary from flight to flight, so we confirm the days when we quote. Entebbe is the regional alternative when through delivery to Rwanda is practical, while Kigali avoids a land border. The quote combines air freight, security screening, handling, clearance and final delivery. Get a rate for Kigali International - Kigali inland container depotDry portKigali and the whole country. Where cargo arriving overland is released
How cargo reaches Kigali inland container depot
Shipping from Dubai to the Kigali inland container depot can enter through Mombasa or Dar es Salaam, then continue under customs transit to the logistics platform at Masaka. Times vary from ship to ship, so we confirm the days when we quote. Gatuna border clearance is the alternative when the inland facility does not suit the delivery plan. The quote combines ocean freight, port and inland terminal handling, rail or road transfer, clearance and final delivery. Get a rate for Kigali inland container depot - Mombasa, KenyaTranshipment portThe route through Kenya and Uganda. The shortest sailing from Dubai
How cargo reaches Mombasa, Kenya
Shipping from Dubai to Mombasa can use an accepted Indian Ocean booking, then continue by rail and road through Uganda under customs transit. Times vary from ship to ship, so we confirm the days when we quote. Dar es Salaam is the Central Corridor alternative, while Mombasa may offer the shorter sailing from Dubai. The quote combines ocean freight, any relay, port handling, customs transit, security checks and inland delivery. Get a rate for Mombasa, Kenya - Dar es Salaam, TanzaniaTranshipment portThe route through Tanzania. A shorter road distance to Kigali
How cargo reaches Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Shipping from Dubai to Dar es Salaam can use an accepted Indian Ocean booking, then continue by road or booked rail transfer on the Central Corridor. Times vary from ship to ship, so we confirm the days when we quote. Mombasa is the Northern Corridor alternative, while Dar es Salaam offers a shorter road approach to Kigali. The quote combines ocean freight, any relay, port handling, customs transit, security checks and inland delivery. Get a rate for Dar es Salaam, Tanzania - Naivasha inland container depot, KenyaDry portThe Northern Corridor railhead, where cargo transfers to road
How cargo reaches Naivasha inland container depot, Kenya
Shipping from Dubai to the Naivasha inland container depot can enter through Mombasa, then move by rail to Naivasha and transfer to road through Uganda toward Rwanda. Times vary from ship to ship, so we confirm the days when we quote. Direct road transit from Mombasa is the alternative when the rail handoff adds no capacity benefit. The quote combines ocean freight, port and inland terminal handling, rail or road transfer, clearance and final delivery. Get a rate for Naivasha inland container depot, Kenya - Isaka dry port, TanzaniaDry portThe Central Corridor railhead toward Rwanda and Burundi
How cargo reaches Isaka dry port, Tanzania
Shipping from Dubai to the Isaka dry port can enter through Dar es Salaam, then continue by confirmed rail or road to Isaka before the road leg to Rwanda. Times vary from ship to ship, so we confirm the days when we quote. Direct road transit from Dar es Salaam is the alternative when Isaka handling or rail capacity is unavailable. The quote combines ocean freight, port and inland terminal handling, rail or road transfer, clearance and final delivery. Get a rate for Isaka dry port, Tanzania - Gatuna land portLand borderThe Uganda border on the Northern Corridor
How cargo reaches Gatuna land port
Shipping from Dubai to Gatuna land port can enter Uganda through Malaba or Busia, then continue under customs transit through Gatuna into Rwanda. Border and convoy times vary, so we confirm the days when we quote. Kagitumba is the alternative when the northeastern route better suits the final destination. The quote combines the international leg, trucking, transit guarantees, border handling, clearance, insurance and final delivery. Get a rate for Gatuna land port - Kagitumba land portLand borderThe Uganda border in the northeast
How cargo reaches Kagitumba land port
Shipping from Dubai to Kagitumba land port can enter Uganda through Malaba or Busia, then continue under customs transit through Kagitumba into Rwanda. Border and convoy times vary, so we confirm the days when we quote. Gatuna is the alternative for the main Kampala to Kigali road corridor. The quote combines the international leg, trucking, transit guarantees, border handling, clearance, insurance and final delivery. Get a rate for Kagitumba land port - Rusumo land portLand borderThe Tanzania border on the Central Corridor
How cargo reaches Rusumo land port
Shipping from Dubai to Rusumo land port can enter Tanzania through Dar es Salaam, then continue on the Central Corridor through Rusumo into Rwanda. Border and convoy times vary, so we confirm the days when we quote. Gatuna is the Northern Corridor alternative for cargo routed through Mombasa and Uganda. The quote combines the international leg, trucking, transit guarantees, border handling, clearance, insurance and final delivery. Get a rate for Rusumo land port - Rubavu crossingLand borderThe DR Congo border at Goma
How cargo reaches Rubavu crossing
Shipping from Dubai to the Rubavu crossing can reach Kigali first, then continue through the designated border post toward Goma only after a live security and customs check. Border and convoy times vary, so we confirm the days when we quote. Rusizi is the alternative for approved southern deliveries when the Goma corridor is unsuitable. The quote combines the international leg, trucking, transit guarantees, border handling, clearance, insurance and final delivery. Get a rate for Rubavu crossing
- Kigali InternationalKGLAirportKigali and the whole country. Better connected than the size of the market suggests
Before you ship
Import rules
for Rwanda.
Rwanda is one of the easier places to clear goods, and the reason is that all the government agencies work through a single online system. If your product relates to health, safety or the environment, an officer from the standards board approves the release inside that same system rather than as a separate chase. So good paperwork moves faster here than persistence does. The other thing to know is fiscal. Rwanda is part of the East African customs arrangement, so your Rwandan duty is worked out and paid at Mombasa or Dar es Salaam, not at the Rwandan border. That means the entry has to be right before your cargo starts a 1,700 kilometre journey.
Documentation
Documents you need
for Rwanda.
These 8 cover most shipments to Rwanda. 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
- 06Your buyer revenue authority registration
- 07Customs entry lodged at the port where the goods land
- 08Technical evidence for the standards approval, where it applies
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 Rwanda
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 road 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 Rwanda.
- 01
Tell us the delivery city
Kigali or elsewhere. We then compare the Mombasa and Dar es Salaam routes for you.
- 02
We get the paperwork right
We prepare the entry and any standards evidence before the goods sail, because the tax is settled at the coast.
- 03
We price both stages and ship
The sea leg and the overland leg separately, then collect, load and open the bond.
- 04
We deliver
We track the shipment and keep you updated all the way, then bring the goods to your door.
Questions
Cargo to Rwanda
questions, answered.
The 14 we are asked most on the Dubai to Rwanda route. If yours is not here, send it with the commodity and we will answer it directly.
How long does shipping from Dubai to Rwanda take?
Via Mombasa it is about 7 to 18 days by sea plus two to four weeks overland. Via Dar es Salaam it is 8 to 25 days plus a slightly shorter road leg. Air into Kigali is 2 to 6 days. We quote both stages separately.
How much does shipping from Dubai to Rwanda cost?
It depends on what you send, how big it is, and where in Rwanda it is going. We do not publish prices because every shipment is different. Sea freight to Rwanda is priced per container when you fill one, and per cubic metre when you share one. Air freight to Rwanda 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 I route through Mombasa or Dar es Salaam?
Both are worth pricing here, which is unusual. Mombasa has the shorter sailing, the deeper clearing trade and a rail section, but the longest road. Dar es Salaam is a shorter overland run with thinner sailings. Neither wins outright.
Where do I pay the Rwandan duty?
At Mombasa or Dar es Salaam, not at the Rwandan border. Rwandan tax officers work at the port, so the duty is settled there and the container then travels inland under bond. It means the entry has to be right before that long journey starts.
Which cities do you deliver to?
Kigali, Butare, Gisenyi, Musanze, Rusizi, Nyagatare and elsewhere. Rwanda is compact, so once cargo reaches Kigali the final delivery is usually short.
Is Rwandan customs difficult?
No, and it would be misleading to say otherwise. All the agencies work through one online system and clearance is quick when the paperwork and technical evidence are right. The hard part of this route is distance from the sea, not bureaucracy.
Is the overland leg expensive?
Routinely more than the sea freight. It is 1,400 to 1,700 kilometres of bonded road and rail, the longest inland leg on any route we run. Any quote that stops at the port has priced the smaller half.
Do you deliver door to door?
Yes. We handle freight forwarding to Rwanda 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 Mombasa, Kenya. 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 Rwanda?
It deserves a proper look. Against an overland leg that can run to a month, air into Kigali at 2 to 6 days saves weeks. Kigali is also unusually well connected because Rwanda has invested in it, and clearance there is quick.
What happens if the entry is questioned at the coast?
The container waits until it is sorted, which is actually sensible. It is far better to settle a question at the port than after paying to move a box 1,700 kilometres. It does mean we get the description, code and value right before the goods arrive.
Do you handle customs clearance in Rwanda?
Yes, at both ends. We handle customs clearance in Dubai and customs clearance in Rwanda. 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 Mombasa, Kenya in one container.
Can you ship machinery and heavy equipment to Rwanda?
Yes. We move project cargo to Rwanda as well. Big, heavy items go in open top or flat rack containers, or loose on the ship into Mombasa, Kenya. Send us the size and weight and we will work out the best way to move it.
Ready to ship from Dubai
to Rwanda?
Send the commodity and its HS code, the weight and dimensions, and the delivery address. We confirm what Rwanda 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
