Can I ship a Land Cruiser from KSA to Japan?

Yes - the Saudi-spec Toyota Land Cruiser is the single most commonly exported vehicle on this lane and clears Japanese customs without issue.

What documents do I need to export from KSA?

Original Istimara, ID copy, bill of sale, deregistration certificate from Muroor, and a customs Bayan. Allow 7-10 working days for processing.

Is there import duty on Saudi cars entering Japan?

No import duty on passenger cars (0% under Japan's standard schedule), but a 10% consumption tax applies on CIF value at clearance.

Which port is best - Dammam or Jeddah?

Dammam is faster and slightly cheaper for cars in the eastern province; Jeddah is the right choice for shippers in Riyadh, Mecca, Medina and the western region.

Saudi Arabia to Japan Car Shipping

Dammam and Jeddah to Yokohama - container service for Toyota Land Cruisers, Lexus LX, GMC trucks and European luxury vehicles exported from the Kingdom.

Get a Free Quote Call +44 01495 320540 View Sailing Schedule

Shipping Routes Saudi Arabia to Japan

Two Saudi ports serve the Japan trade lane. Dammam (King Abdul Aziz Port) on the Arabian Gulf is the primary departure for the eastern province and is the most direct routing - sailings transship at Singapore or Jebel Ali and reach Yokohama in 20 to 28 days. Jeddah (Islamic Port) on the Red Sea serves the western and central regions; sailings transit via the Suez Canal and reach Yokohama in 22 to 30 days. Container is the standard service on both routes; RORO is occasionally available out of Dammam on dealer consolidation sailings.

Costs Saudi Arabia to Japan 2026

See pricing matrix below. Prices include Saudi export customs, ocean freight and standard documentation; they exclude Japanese consumption tax (10%) and Japanese terminal handling. Marine insurance is optional and recommended at roughly 1.5% of declared value.

Saudi Arabia Vehicle Export Requirements

Every exported vehicle must be deregistered from the Saudi traffic department (Muroor) before loading. Documents required: original Istimara (vehicle registration); national ID or iqama copy; export Bill of Sale; deregistration certificate; export customs declaration (Bayan). If VAT was paid on a recent purchase, a reclaim is sometimes possible - your Saudi customs broker can advise. Allow seven to ten working days for the full export process.

Popular Vehicles Shipped KSA to Japan

Toyota Land Cruiser (200 series and 70 series) is by far the most common export - Saudi-spec Land Cruisers, especially diesel variants, are highly sought in Japan because they are factory-built for extreme heat and dust and have rugged drivetrains not offered in JDM specification. Lexus LX 570 and LX 600 ship alongside the Land Cruiser. GMC Yukon, Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban move in volume - large American SUVs are a niche Japanese collector market. European luxury vehicles (Mercedes G-Wagen, BMW X7, Range Rover Autobiography) round out the trade.

Japan Import Rules for Saudi Vehicles

Standard Japanese import regime: 0% duty, 10% consumption tax on CIF. Saudi-spec vehicles are usually LHD and will need headlight beam adjustment and a km/h speedometer before passing shaken. Toyota Land Cruisers convert easily because the platform is shared with the JDM 200/300 series. Air-conditioning systems sized for Saudi summers are a genuine selling point in Tokyo's humid August.

Dammam Port Export Process

Drop off at the King Abdul Aziz Port bonded vehicle yard up to five days before sailing. Each vehicle is inspected and photographed. Loading is supervised by a port surveyor; the container is sealed and the bill of lading issued within 48 hours of vessel departure. Most Dammam to Yokohama sailings transship at Singapore - typically a two to three day stopover that does not require any action from the shipper.

Jeddah Islamic Port Export Process

Jeddah is the alternative for shippers in Riyadh, Mecca and Medina who would face a long inland leg to Dammam. The process mirrors Dammam: bonded yard drop-off, surveyor-supervised loading, sealing and bill of lading issuance. The Suez Canal routing adds two to four days versus Dammam direct but avoids the Singapore transship.

Saudi Arabia to Japan via UK Consolidation

A small but interesting niche: collector cars bought in Saudi Arabia (often left in the Kingdom by departing expats) are sometimes routed back via the UK before onward shipment to Japan. The UK leg adds 25 to 35 days and £500 to £800 of cost but unlocks UK enclosed container slots, full restoration access at British specialists, and pristine documentation that Japanese collector buyers value. Worth considering for cars over £50,000 in value.

Sailing Schedule from Dammam and Jeddah

Dammam to Yokohama sails every ten to fourteen days with a Singapore transship that adds two to three days but no shipper action. Jeddah to Yokohama sails weekly on the Suez routing direct to Yokohama with onward transship to Tokyo, Osaka or Nagoya. Cut-off for container loading is typically five working days before vessel departure. Live next-sailing dates are confirmed at booking and updated through the voyage. Saudi national holidays compress the schedule and bookings should be placed three weeks ahead during Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha to guarantee a slot.

Vehicle Preparation Before Dammam Drop-Off

Wash the vehicle so the condition report photographs are clear and any pre-existing damage is documented. Reduce fuel to a quarter tank to comply with maritime safety regulations. Empty the cabin and boot of personal effects unless they are listed on a customs packing list. Disconnect aftermarket alarms that draw current. Inflate tyres to manufacturer specification - long-term static load deflates correctly inflated tyres by approximately ten per cent over the voyage. Provide the original Istimara, the deregistration certificate from Muroor and a clear photocopy of your iqama or national ID at the bonded yard gate.

Insurance for KSA to Japan Shipments

Marine all-risks at 1.5 per cent of declared value is the standard cover and is underwritten through a Lloyd-rated London market. The policy attaches at the moment the vehicle is collected or delivered to Dammam or Jeddah and continues until discharge at Yokohama, Tokyo, Osaka or Nagoya. Excess is 100 GBP. For high-value Land Cruisers and Lexus LX shipments above 50000 GBP we add a named-peril extension covering scratch and rub damage at loading, plus storage cover at the Japanese arrival port for up to thirty days of customs clearance time.

Onward Delivery in Japan from Yokohama

Onward delivery from Yokohama to a final address in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo or Fukuoka is arranged through our Japanese delivery partner network. Tokyo and Kanagawa addresses are typically delivered the day after customs release at a cost of around 200 GBP. Osaka and Kyoto deliveries take two to three days at around 400 GBP. Sapporo and Fukuoka require a domestic short-sea ferry and add 700 to 1000 GBP and three to five days. Door delivery is by enclosed transport for vehicles above 50000 GBP value and by open transporter for daily-driver cars.

Origin	Method	Cost From	Transit
Dammam	20ft Container	£1,000	20-28d
Dammam	Shared 40ft	£700/space	20-28d
Jeddah	20ft Container	£1,100	22-30d
Jeddah	Shared 40ft	£750/space	22-30d

Ready to ship to or from Japan?

Speak to a Japan trade specialist for live sailing schedules and a fixed all-in price.

Request a Quote RORO Schedule Email info@shipcars.co.uk

Frequently Asked Questions

20 to 28 days from Dammam via Singapore; 22 to 30 days from Jeddah via Suez. Both routes deliver to Yokohama as the primary arrival port.