Shipping from Dubai
to Zambia.
We ship from Dubai and from anywhere in the UAE to Zambia by sea and by air. We carry business and personal cargo. Zambia has no coast but it has more routes in than any other landlocked country we serve: four working corridors from four different coastlines. Picking the right one saves real money, and we compare them rather than defaulting.
Overview
Sea, road and air freight
to Zambia.
Zambia has no sea port, so shipping from Dubai works in two stages. From Dubai the shortest sea leg is Dar es Salaam at about 8 to 25 days, then one to three weeks by road or rail to Lusaka. Durban is 18 to 30 days by sea with a longer road leg. Beira and Walvis Bay are the other options. Air into Lusaka is 3 to 8 days, and Ndola serves the Copperbelt directly. We deliver everywhere, including Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe, Livingstone, Chingola, Solwezi, Kabwe, Chipata and Mongu. Navo Shipping handles the sea freight, air freight and customs clearance on the Dubai to Zambia route, door to door. Tell us the delivery city and we will compare the routes and price both stages.
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. Zambia is landlocked, so sea cargo discharges at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 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.
- Kenneth Kaunda International, LusakaLUNAirportLusaka and the whole country. The main air gateway
How cargo reaches Kenneth Kaunda International, Lusaka
Air freight from Dubai to Kenneth Kaunda 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. Ndola is the alternative for the copperbelt. The quote separates uplift, connection, screening, terminal, customs and final delivery charges. Get a rate for Kenneth Kaunda International, Lusaka - Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe, NdolaNLAAirportThe Copperbelt and the mining industry
How cargo reaches Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe, Ndola
Air freight from Dubai to Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe 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. Lusaka is the alternative for broader uplift and national distribution. The quote separates uplift, connection, screening, terminal, customs and final delivery charges. Get a rate for Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe, Ndola - Lusaka inland container depotDry portLusaka and central Zambia. Where cargo arriving by road or rail is cleared
How cargo reaches Lusaka inland container depot
Shipping from Dubai to the Lusaka inland container depot enters through Dar es Salaam, Beira or Durban, then moves under customs transit by confirmed rail or road service to the depot. Times vary from ship to ship, so we confirm the days when we quote. Clearing at the coast and trucking in is the alternative. The quote separates ocean freight, port handling, transit bond, inland haulage, depot and clearance charges. Get a rate for Lusaka inland container depot - Dar es Salaam, TanzaniaTranshipment portThe road and rail route from Tanzania. The shortest sailing from Dubai
How cargo reaches Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Shipping from Dubai to Zambia through Dar es Salaam uses a confirmed vessel booking, then a customs transit corridor by road or rail across Tanzania to the Nakonde crossing. Times vary from ship to ship and with border queues, so we confirm the days when we quote. Beira is the alternative for the shorter southern corridor. The quote separates ocean freight, port handling, transit bond, trucking, border charges and final delivery. Get a rate for Dar es Salaam, Tanzania - Durban, South AfricaTranshipment portThe North–South Corridor
How cargo reaches Durban, South Africa
Shipping from Dubai to Zambia through Durban uses a confirmed vessel booking, then a long customs transit by road through Zimbabwe to the Chirundu crossing. It is the longest corridor but the best served, and times vary from ship to ship, so we confirm the days when we quote. Beira is the shorter alternative. The quote separates ocean freight, port handling, transit bond, trucking, border charges and final delivery. Get a rate for Durban, South Africa - Beira, MozambiqueTranshipment portThe Beira corridor through Zimbabwe
How cargo reaches Beira, Mozambique
Shipping from Dubai to Zambia through Beira uses a confirmed vessel booking, then the shortest road corridor of the four, running under customs transit through Zimbabwe to Chirundu. Times vary from ship to ship and with border queues, so we confirm the days when we quote. Dar es Salaam is the alternative for the north. The quote separates ocean freight, port handling, transit bond, trucking, border charges and final delivery. Get a rate for Beira, Mozambique - Walvis Bay, NamibiaTranshipment portThe Trans-Caprivi corridor from the Atlantic
How cargo reaches Walvis Bay, Namibia
Shipping from Dubai to Zambia through Walvis Bay uses a confirmed vessel booking, usually with an Atlantic relay, then a long but uncongested road corridor through the Caprivi to Katima Mulilo. Times vary from ship to ship, so we confirm the days when we quote. Beira is the alternative when the ocean leg matters more. The quote separates ocean freight, transshipment, port handling, transit bond, trucking, border charges and final delivery. Get a rate for Walvis Bay, Namibia - Nakonde land portLand borderThe Tanzania border on the Tanzam corridor
How cargo reaches Nakonde land port
Shipping from Dubai to Nakonde land port enters through Dar es Salaam, then continues under a confirmed customs transit down the Tanzania corridor to the crossing. Queues at this border are among the longest in the region and vary, so we confirm the days when we quote. Chirundu land port is the alternative from the south. The quote separates ocean freight, gateway handling, transit bond, trucking, permits, border charges, waiting time and final delivery. Get a rate for Nakonde land port - Chirundu land portLand borderThe Zimbabwe border on the North–South and Beira corridors
How cargo reaches Chirundu land port
Shipping from Dubai to Chirundu land port enters through Beira or Durban, then continues under a confirmed customs transit through Zimbabwe to the crossing, which runs as a one stop post. Times vary with border queues, so we confirm the days when we quote. Nakonde land port is the alternative from the north. The quote separates ocean freight, gateway handling, transit bond, trucking, permits, border charges, waiting time and final delivery. Get a rate for Chirundu land port - Kazungula land portLand borderThe Botswana border on the southern route
How cargo reaches Kazungula land port
Shipping from Dubai to Kazungula land port enters through Durban or Walvis Bay, then continues under a confirmed customs transit to the bridge crossing, which replaced the old ferry and takes full trucks. Times vary with border queues, so we confirm the days when we quote. Chirundu land port is the alternative. The quote separates ocean freight, gateway handling, transit bond, trucking, permits, border charges, waiting time and final delivery. Get a rate for Kazungula land port - Katima Mulilo land portLand borderThe Namibia border on the Trans-Caprivi corridor
How cargo reaches Katima Mulilo land port
Shipping from Dubai to Katima Mulilo land port enters through Walvis Bay, then continues under a confirmed customs transit along the Trans Caprivi corridor to the crossing. It is quieter than the eastern borders, and times vary, so we confirm the days when we quote. Kazungula land port is the alternative. The quote separates ocean freight, gateway handling, transit bond, trucking, permits, border charges, waiting time and final delivery. Get a rate for Katima Mulilo land port - Kasumbalesa land portLand borderThe DR Congo border north of the Copperbelt
How cargo reaches Kasumbalesa land port
Shipping from Dubai to Kasumbalesa land port enters through Dar es Salaam or Durban, then continues under a confirmed customs transit to the copperbelt crossing into Congo. Queues here are long and vary, so we confirm the days when we quote. Nakonde land port is the alternative for cargo staying in Zambia. 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
- Kenneth Kaunda International, LusakaLUNAirportLusaka and the whole country. The main air gateway
Before you ship
Import rules
for Zambia.
Zambia is unusual in that more than one agency can have an interest in the same shipment. Depending on what you are sending, you may need standards checks, an energy permit, an environmental notice or hazardous goods clearances, alongside the customs bond for the road leg. None of these is hard on its own. What matters is that they are expected before your cargo arrives, not once it is sitting at a border post. That is the difference between a smooth Zambian import and an expensive one, and it costs nothing to get right if we know what you are sending early enough.
Documentation
Documents you need
for Zambia.
These 8 cover most shipments to Zambia. 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 bond for the inland leg
- 08Agency permits for your goods, filed before arrival
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 Zambia
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 Zambia.
- 01
Tell us the delivery city
Lusaka, the Copperbelt or elsewhere. It decides which of the four routes makes sense.
- 02
We map the permits
We work out which agencies have an interest in your goods and get the paperwork filed while the cargo is still at sea.
- 03
We price both stages and ship
The sea leg and the road or rail 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 Zambia
questions, answered.
The 14 we are asked most on the Dubai to Zambia route. If yours is not here, send it with the commodity and we will answer it directly.
How long does shipping from Dubai to Zambia take?
Via Dar es Salaam it is about 8 to 25 days by sea plus one to three weeks inland. Via Durban it is 18 to 30 days by sea plus longer inland. Air into Lusaka is 3 to 8 days. We quote both stages separately.
How much does shipping from Dubai to Zambia cost?
It depends on what you send, how big it is, and where in Zambia it is going. We do not publish prices because every shipment is different. Sea freight to Zambia is priced per container when you fill one, and per cubic metre when you share one. Air freight to Zambia 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 route should I use?
From Dubai, usually Dar es Salaam. It is much the shortest sailing and the most direct road to the Copperbelt. Durban suits buyers already set up in South Africa. Beira helps when the south is congested. Walvis Bay is efficient but the ship has to sail right around Africa to reach it.
Why does the route matter so much?
Because it changes the total more than anything else. The same container can differ by a fortnight and a lot of money depending on which coast it lands on, and the inland leg often costs more than the sea freight.
Which cities do you deliver to?
Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe, Livingstone, Chingola, Solwezi, Kabwe, Chipata and Mongu. Tell us the city and we will pick the route and price the inland leg.
What permits does my shipment need?
It depends on the goods, and more than one agency can be involved. Standards checks, energy permits, environmental notices and hazardous goods clearances all exist. Tell us what you are sending and we will map exactly which apply.
When should the permits be filed?
Before your cargo arrives, not once it is at a border post. This is the single most useful thing you can do to speed up a Zambian shipment. Being stuck at a land border is much worse than being stuck at a port.
Do you deliver door to door?
Yes. We handle freight forwarding to Zambia 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 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. 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 cargo travel by train instead of road?
On the Dar es Salaam route there is a railway built for exactly this traffic, though capacity has been limited, so road often carries what rail was designed for. Where rail slots exist they are worth asking for, because they change both price and reliability.
Can you deliver to the Copperbelt?
Yes, to Ndola, Kitwe, Chingola and Solwezi. Corridor cargo usually clears on the Copperbelt rather than at Lusaka for those cities, and Ndola is served directly by air, which is often worth it for mining spares.
Do you handle customs clearance in Zambia?
Yes, at both ends. We handle customs clearance in Dubai and customs clearance in Zambia. 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 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in one container.
Can you ship machinery and heavy equipment to Zambia?
Yes. We move project cargo to Zambia as well. Big, heavy items go in open top or flat rack containers, or loose on the ship into Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Send us the size and weight and we will work out the best way to move it.
Ready to ship from Dubai
to Zambia?
Send the commodity and its HS code, the weight and dimensions, and the delivery address. We confirm what Zambia 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
