Is RORO available from Dubai to Japan?

RORO capacity is limited; most shipments move by container. We can arrange RORO for large dealer consignments on request.

Do I need to deregister my car in the UAE before export?

Yes - RTA deregistration must be completed before the container loads. We provide the export certificate template and assist with the process.

Can I ship a left-hand drive car from UAE to Japan?

Yes, LHD vehicles can be imported and registered in Japan, but face stricter compliance requirements than RHD.

UAE to Japan Car Shipping

Jebel Ali to Yokohama, Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya - weekly container service for European luxury cars, American muscle and high-value supercars exported from Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

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

Shipping Route UAE to Japan

The principal UAE to Japan route runs from Jebel Ali, the largest container port in the Middle East, to Yokohama on weekly direct sailings operated by ONE, MSC and Evergreen. Onward transshipment to Tokyo, Osaka or Nagoya is offered on the same bills of lading. The route is container-only on most sailings - Jebel Ali has limited RORO capacity to Japan, although ad-hoc RORO bookings can sometimes be arranged for large dealer consignments. Transit is 18 to 25 days. For UK-specification vehicles purchased in Dubai (and there are many), the UAE to Japan service is faster and cheaper than routing back via the UK.

Cost of Shipping from UAE to Japan

Standard 20ft sole-use container from £900. 40ft sole-use from £1,300. Shared 40ft from £650 per vehicle space - the lowest enclosed price point on the entire Asia-Japan trade lane. Prices include Jebel Ali export customs, ocean freight to Yokohama and standard documentation; they exclude Japanese consumption tax (10%) and arrival terminal handling.

Popular Vehicles Shipped UAE to Japan

Dubai is a major hub for European luxury cars - Mercedes-Benz S-Class and G-Wagen, BMW 7 Series and X7, Audi A8 and Q8, Range Rover Autobiography - that find willing buyers in Tokyo's affluent market. American muscle cars (Ford Mustang, Dodge Challenger Hellcat, Chevrolet Corvette) move in volume because they cost less in the UAE than in Japan. UK classic cars consolidated through UAE warehouses for collector buyers in Japan are a growing niche. Supercars (Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren) ship sole-use 20ft with full enclosure.

Documents Required UAE to Japan

UAE side: Mulkiya (vehicle ownership card); RTA export certificate; Emirates ID copy; deregistration confirmation from the issuing emirate; export customs declaration. Japan side: bill of lading; commercial invoice; packing list; certificate of conformity (if available from the manufacturer). UAE deregistration typically takes three working days and must be completed before the container loads.

Import Duty UAE Vehicles into Japan

Japan does not differentiate by origin: 0% import duty on passenger cars, 10% consumption tax on CIF value. The vehicle must comply with Japanese road standards (lights, glass, emissions). European and American spec vehicles often need minor adjustments - speedometer face conversion to km/h, headlight beam pattern change - before they can pass shaken inspection.

Jebel Ali Port Export Process

Vehicles are delivered to the bonded vehicle marshalling yard at Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority (JAFZA) up to seven days before sailing. Each vehicle is photographed, inspected and assigned a container. Loading is supervised by a JAFZA-certified surveyor; the container is sealed and trucked to the port for stacking. The bill of lading is issued within 48 hours of vessel departure. Live container tracking is available throughout the voyage via the operator's portal.

Jebel Ali Sailing Schedule to Japan

Direct Jebel Ali to Yokohama container sailings depart weekly on rotating services from ONE, MSC, Evergreen and CMA-CGM. The fastest published transit is eighteen days port to port, the slowest twenty-five days, and the median twenty-one days. Onward transship to Tokyo, Osaka or Nagoya adds two to five days. Cut-off for container loading at Jebel Ali Free Zone is typically four working days before vessel departure - we recommend dropping the vehicle at the bonded yard seven days ahead to allow for any UAE export customs delays. Live next-sailing dates are available from our UAE desk.

Bringing a UK-Spec Vehicle from Dubai to Japan

Many UK-specification cars find their way to Dubai through the second-hand market and are later re-exported to Japan. A right-hand drive UK-spec Range Rover, Land Rover Defender or Bentley Continental sells in Tokyo at a measurable premium over a USA-spec equivalent because Japan drives on the left and original UK paperwork carries cachet with collector buyers. The UAE to Japan routing is twenty per cent cheaper than the equivalent UK to Japan direct routing for vehicles already in the Emirates and avoids the extra UK customs round-trip.

Supercars and High-Value Shipments from UAE

Dubai is the world most active second-hand supercar market and we run a steady programme of Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Bugatti and Koenigsegg shipments from Jebel Ali to Yokohama and Tokyo. Every supercar ships sole-use 20ft, lashed wheel-only on hydraulic loading ramps to protect splitters and undertrays, fully wrapped in soft cover and accompanied by photographic and video condition documentation. Marine insurance is mandatory and underwritten by Lloyd-rated specialist supercar markets.

UAE Re-Export VAT Refund

When a vehicle is purchased in the UAE and re-exported within a defined window, the original UAE VAT of 5 per cent may be reclaimable through the Federal Tax Authority. The mechanism depends on whether the original purchase was from a registered dealer, whether the VAT invoice is correctly formatted and whether the export evidence (bill of lading, RTA deregistration, customs declaration) is complete. The recovery process takes sixty to ninety days. Not every shipment qualifies, but on a high-value supercar a 5 per cent rebate can be material - worth asking your Dubai dealer at the point of purchase.

Documents and Customs Lead Time

UAE export documentation is straightforward but requires careful sequencing. RTA deregistration must be completed before the vehicle can be moved into the bonded marshalling yard at Jebel Ali Free Zone, and deregistration itself requires that any outstanding traffic fines, Salik tolls and Nol charges are cleared first. Allow three to five working days for deregistration plus one to two working days for export customs clearance. Once cleared, the vehicle can sit in bonded storage for up to fourteen days at no additional cost while waiting for its assigned sailing. Japanese arrival clearance takes a further three to five working days, payable in JPY at the discharge port through your nominated clearing agent.

Booking and Payment for UAE Shipments

Booking takes around five minutes. Send the vehicle year, make, model and chassis number, the UAE emirate of registration and the preferred Japanese arrival port. We respond within the working day with a written all-in quote, valid for fourteen days. Standard payment terms are fifty per cent on booking and fifty per cent on loading; payment is by AED or USD bank transfer to our Dubai trust account or by GBP transfer to our UK office. UAE VAT does not apply to export ocean freight services. Bill of lading is released after the balance is settled and the container has been loaded at Jebel Ali Free Zone.

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

18 to 25 days by container from Jebel Ali to Yokohama. Onward transshipment to Tokyo, Osaka or Nagoya adds two to five days.