Ship a Car from the UK to Dubai

Ship your car from the UK to Dubai via RORO or shared container. Dubai is by far the busiest UK car export route into the Gulf. The Ship Cars runs weekly RORO sailings from Southampton to Jebel Ali plus shared-container consolidations to Dubai for vehicles that need enclosed protection or have personal effects inside. Typical transit: 18–22 days RORO Southampton to Jebel Ali. Shared container 24–32 days door-to-port.. Main discharge port: Jebel Ali (Dubai).

Transit time
18–22 days RORO Southampton to Jebel Ali. Shared container 24–32 days door-to-port.
Main port
Jebel Ali (Dubai)
Shipping methods
Weekly RORO from Southampton to Jebel Ali (most popular). Shared 40ft container consolidations leaving Tilbury every 10–14 days. Dedicated 20ft and 40ft containers for collector cars or multi-vehicle
Import rules
Dubai accepts left-hand drive only — right-hand drive UK vehicles cannot be registered in Dubai without an expensive LHD conversion. Vehicles must generally be under 5 years old for first registration; classics over 30 years are treated separately. Import duty is 5% of CIF value, no VAT at import.

Frequently asked questions

Can I ship a right-hand drive UK car to Dubai?

You can physically ship it, but Dubai's RTA will not register a right-hand drive car for road use. The only options are an LHD conversion (typically £4,000–£8,000) or keeping the car as a non-registered collector vehicle.

How long does it take to ship a car from the UK to Dubai?

Door-to-port Dubai by RORO is typically 22–26 days from collection in the UK. Shared container runs 28–36 days. Dedicated container is similar.

What is the cheapest way to ship a car from the UK to Dubai?

RORO from Southampton to Jebel Ali is the cheapest method for running vehicles, with weekly sailings and door-to-port pricing from £1,400.

Is Dubai different from the rest of the UAE for car imports?

Dubai has the most active RORO route via Jebel Ali. Abu Dhabi uses Khalifa Port and Sharjah has separate registration rules — see our Abu Dhabi destination page and UAE country guide for the full picture.

Get a free quote · WhatsApp +44 7376 584421 · info@theshipcars.co.uk