Sea Freight from Saudi Arabia: FCL, LCL and RoRo
When the destination lies beyond the road network or the load is too big for a truck, the sea is the economical route. We book a full container or shared container space out of Jeddah Islamic Port or King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, file the papers on Fasah and follow the cargo to Turkey, Lebanon or North Africa, with RoRo for cars and Jebel Ali for commercial loads.
- 🚢 20ft and 40ft boxes
- ⚓ Jeddah and Dammam ports
- 🚗 RoRo or containerised cars
- 🧾 Itemised quote
Who is sea freight for?
Sea freight comes into its own when a shipment outgrows a single truck, or when the destination sits across the water, as Turkey, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Libya do. A container holds a whole household or a shop full of stock at a far lower cost per cubic metre than air, and the goods travel inside a sealed steel box.
The trade-off is time and planning: a booking with a shipping line, a cut-off date at the port and clearance at both ends. That is where we come in. We coordinate every link, from your front door to the arrival port, and keep you posted on the approximate timing and the steps still ahead.
- Loading ports: Jeddah Islamic Port for western and North African routes; King Abdulaziz Port, Dammam, for Arabian Gulf lanes.
- Arrival ports: Turkish ports, Beirut, Rades, Algiers, Oran, Casablanca, Tanger Med, Tripoli, Benghazi and Misrata, plus Jebel Ali for commercial cargo.
Four sea options for four kinds of cargo
We match the option to the volume, the nature of the items and the destination. Sometimes two are combined, such as a car loaded inside the furniture container.
Full container (FCL)
A 20ft or 40ft box that is yours alone, loaded outside your home or warehouse, sealed and opened only for official inspection until it arrives. The natural choice for a villa or a complete commercial order.
Shared container (LCL)
You pay only for the cubic metres you occupy in a container shared with other shippers. Good for a batch of cartons or one or two rooms, though consolidation and unpacking at the port add some time.
RoRo
The car is driven up a ramp onto the vessel and lashed on a dedicated vehicle deck. A common method for roadworthy cars; nothing personal may be left inside.
Car in a container
The car is strapped and chocked inside a closed container, sometimes alongside wrapped furniture. More protection from dust and humidity, and well suited to premium vehicles.
Which container do you need? A rough sizing guide
Capacities are internal and approximate; how much really fits depends on the shape of the items and how well they are stacked. We confirm the size after surveying your contents.
| Container | Approximate internal volume | Typically suits |
|---|---|---|
| 20ft standard | About 33 cubic metres | A two- or three-bedroom flat, or a mid-sized commercial load |
| 40ft standard | About 67 cubic metres | A large home or small villa, or furniture plus a car |
| 40ft high cube | About 76 cubic metres | A large villa, or bulky lightweight goods needing extra height |
| Shared space (LCL) | From one cubic metre upwards | Cartons, personal effects and a few furniture pieces |
ℹ️ Bigger is not always dearer per cubic metre: one 40ft box often works out cheaper than two 20ft boxes.
Arrival ports and approximate sailing times
Port-to-port times are approximate and vary by shipping line and transhipment stops. Add a few days for loading, clearance and final delivery.
| Destination | Loading port | Arrival port | Approximate time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | Jeddah or Dammam | Mersin, or Istanbul ports such as Ambarli | 15–25 days |
| Tunisia | Jeddah | Rades | 20–30 days |
| Algeria | Jeddah | Algiers or Oran | 20–35 days |
| Morocco | Jeddah | Casablanca or Tanger Med | 20–30 days |
| Libya | Jeddah | Tripoli, Benghazi or Misrata | 20–35 days |
| Lebanon | Jeddah | Beirut | Depends on the line and sailing schedule |
| UAE (commercial) | Dammam or Jeddah | Jebel Ali | Depends on the line and sailing schedule |
ℹ️ In Turkey and Tunisia, onward delivery from the port to the consignee address is available on request.
Jebel Ali: the commercial gateway to the UAE
Household goods bound for the UAE get there by road in a few days. Large commercial consignments, and stock that will be redistributed from Dubai, are often better served by a container into Jebel Ali. The port connects directly with free zones and distribution warehouses and handles full containers through routine importer procedures.
We work with the shipping company to prepare its commercial registration, commercial invoice, packing list and certificate of origin, plus a health certificate for food items, and then file the export declaration on Fasah. Import formalities in the UAE are handled by the importer or their broker according to the regulations in force at the time of shipping.
- Suits building materials, consumer goods and palletised equipment.
- Recurring container schedules can be set up for regular supply.
Five stages from booking to the arrival port
Sea freight runs to vessel schedules, so get in touch well before your moving date to secure the right space.
- 1
Size the load and pick a box
We survey the contents, recommend FCL or LCL and send an itemised quote that includes trucking to the port.
- 2
Book with the shipping line
We take the nearest suitable sailing and tell you the port cut-off, the latest point at which the container must be delivered.
- 3
Load at your premises
The container or a feeder truck arrives, the crew wraps and stacks everything tightly, then seals the box and records the seal number.
- 4
Clear at the Saudi port
Under your clearance authorisation we file the export data on Fasah, and the container moves into the port yard for loading.
- 5
Sail and arrive
You receive the shipment details and sailing updates. On arrival, release formalities follow the regulations in force at the time of shipping in the destination country.
Packing built for a long, humid voyage
A sea passage is longer and damper than a road trip, so we are stricter about wrapping and stowage inside the container.
- Wooden surfaces sealed in stretch film to keep moisture out.
- Moving blankets and cardboard corner guards on exposed edges.
- Wooden crates for glass, marble and fragile pieces.
- Double-wall cartons for crockery, books and small items.
- Heavy items placed low in the container and the load strapped tight.
- Every piece numbered and logged in the contents list that travels with the shipping papers.
- Appliances fully drained and dried before wrapping.
North Africa: check the destination rules
Import rules for personal effects and cars differ between Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Libya, for example conditions for returning residents or limits on vehicle age. Please check with the destination customs before shipping; we take care of the complete Saudi-side paperwork.
Destinations served by sea
See each sea destination in detail: arrival port, approximate timing and services available after discharge.
Sea freight guides and articles
In-depth explainers on containers, ports and preparing cargo for each route.
Sea Freight Company in Jeddah | Container Export from Jeddah Islamic Port and RoRo Car Shipping
Sea freight from every Jeddah district, Obhur, Makkah, Madinah and Taif: a 20 ft or 40 ft container loaded at…
Read the guideSea freight questions
What is the practical difference between FCL and LCL?
A full container is yours, sealed at your premises and shipped without waiting for anyone else. LCL is cheaper for small volumes but passes through a consolidation warehouse before sailing and an unpacking warehouse after arrival, so it takes longer.
How long does a container take from Jeddah to Turkey?
Approximately 15 to 25 days port to port depending on the shipping line, plus a few days for loading, clearance and delivery.
Can my car go with the household furniture?
Yes. A car can be secured inside a 40ft container with part of the wrapped furniture, provided its papers are complete and the destination allows its import.
Which port will my container leave from?
Usually Jeddah Islamic Port for Mediterranean and North African destinations, and King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam for some lanes. We choose based on your pickup city and the sailing schedule.
Can I insure a sea shipment?
Insurance for valuable items can be added on request. It is arranged before loading, based on the contents list and the declared value of the pieces.
Do you collect from cities far from the ports?
Yes. We collect from Riyadh, Qassim, Hail, Abha and elsewhere and truck the cargo to the port, with that leg shown in the itemised quote.
Reserve your space on the next sailing
Tell us the destination, pickup city and rough volume, and we will recommend the right container and nearest sailing, with an itemised quote.