Our LCL groupage service to United Arab Emirates lets you ship anything from a single pallet upwards without paying for a whole container. Cargo is consolidated at our East Tilbury groupage bay, loaded into a shared box with other UK exporters and discharged at Jebel Ali after an average 21 day sailing, then de-consolidated at the arrival depot for your consignee to collect or for us to deliver.
Pricing guide
LCL Groupage Rates to United Arab Emirates
Per cubic metre · Jebel Ali · weekly consolidation
| Minimum charge (2 cbm)Anything smaller still pays the 2 cbm minimum | from £392 |
| 1 – 5 cbmWeekly consolidation from our Tilbury groupage bay | from £196 per cbm |
| 5 – 12 cbmBreak point where a 20ft FCL is worth pricing | from £176 per cbm |
| Over 12 cbmWe will quote FCL alongside for comparison | from £161 per cbm |
| Single standard pallet (1.2 x 1.0 x 1.6 m)Chargeable at 2 cbm minimum | from £412 |
| Palletising, wrapping and labellingISPM15 timber where required | £38 per pallet |
| UK collection into groupageAny UK postcode, tail-lift available | from £85 |
| Export customs entryHouse bill of lading issued in-house | £45 per consignment |
| Destination de-consolidation (guide)CFS handling at the arrival depot | payable locally |
Weight or measurement basis: one tonne or one cubic metre, whichever is greater.
LCL groupage shipping from the UK to United Arab Emirates
LCL — less than container load — lets you ship from a single pallet upwards to United Arab Emirates without paying for a whole container. Cargo is consolidated at our East Tilbury groupage bay, loaded into a shared box with other UK exporters and discharged at Jebel Ali after an average 21 day sailing, then stripped at the arrival depot for collection or onward delivery.
What we ship LCL to United Arab Emirates
Typical groupage consignments to United Arab Emirates run from one to ten pallets. Anything that would rattle around inside a 20ft container but is too heavy or too bulky for air freight is normally cheapest as sea groupage.
- Part-household removals and personal effects
- Student, expat and single-room shipments
- E-commerce and retail replenishment stock
- Trade samples and exhibition freight
- Spare parts and machinery components
- Boxed furniture, white goods and household items
How LCL to United Arab Emirates is priced
Groupage is charged per cubic metre on a weight-or-measurement basis, whichever is greater, with a two cubic metre minimum. Below about five cubic metres LCL is comfortably cheaper than a 20ft container. Between five and twelve the two converge, and above twelve it is usually worth taking a full container to avoid de-consolidation charges at Jebel Ali. We run that comparison on every quotation.
Packing standards for shared containers
Because your goods share the box, presentation matters. We palletise, shrink wrap, corner-protect and label every consignment before consolidation, and all timber packaging is ISPM15 heat treated and stamped — something United Arab Emirates customs can and does check. Allow the 21 day sailing plus roughly seven to ten days either side for consolidation and de-consolidation.
Free LCL quote to United Arab Emirates
Send us the number of pallets or the dimensions and weight of each piece and we will quote your LCL groupage to United Arab Emirates by return, with destination charges shown as a separate estimated line so nothing comes as a surprise.
Ports of discharge in United Arab Emirates
Ports we sail to in United Arab Emirates
Average port-to-port transit 21 days · weekly departures
UK loading ports
- Tilbury
- London Gateway
- Southampton
- Felixstowe
- Liverpool
United Arab Emirates discharge ports
- Jebel AliRoRo ramp, container terminal and inland haulage available
- Khalifa PortRoRo ramp, container terminal and inland haulage available
- SharjahRoRo ramp, container terminal and inland haulage available
Shipping groupage cargo to United Arab Emirates
Quote & booking
Rates, sailing or flight options confirmed in writing.
UK collection
Nationwide collection or delivery into our Tilbury depot.
Loading & packing
Lashing, crating, palletising and photographic record.
Customs & export
Export entry, NES clearance and documentation released.
Transit & delivery
Tracking updates until the cargo lands with your consignee.
Typical LCL consignments to United Arab Emirates
From one pallet to a part container load, consolidated weekly.
- One pallet to a part container load
- Personal effects and student shipments
- Trade samples and e-commerce stock
- Spare parts and workshop consumables
- Furniture and part-home removals
- Retail replenishment on a weekly cadence
- Motorcycles and quads, crated
- Exhibition and event equipment
When to upgrade to a full container
Once a consignment passes roughly twelve cubic metres, a sole-use 20ft container to Jebel Ali usually costs less than the same volume in groupage and removes the de-consolidation handling at destination. We price FCL alongside every LCL quote so the decision is made on numbers rather than habit.