Shipping from Korea to Your Port
Reliable roll-on/roll-off and container shipping to more than 80 ports worldwide, fully documented door to port.
Our Shipping Routes
| Arrival port | weeks | Sea freight |
|---|---|---|
| Arabian Gulf (Jebel Ali, Dammam, Sohar) | 3-4 | ~$1,200 |
| Red Sea (Jeddah, Aqaba, Suez) | 4-5 | ~$1,400 |
| East Africa (Mombasa, Dar es Salaam) | 4-5 | ~$1,600 |
| West Africa (Lagos, Tema, Dakar) | 5-6 | ~$1,950 |
| Latin America | 5-6 | ~$2,300 |
Indicative rates — updated 2026-07 · Indicative figures for budgeting (shared container). Excludes destination customs & taxes. These are NOT confirmed prices — message us on WhatsApp for real-time pricing.
What's included
Shipping a car from Korea to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf
We ship used Korean cars from Busan and Incheon to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf in one of two ways: RoRo or container. This guide covers the difference between the two, sailing times to each Gulf country, the timeline from purchase to arrival, the documents you receive and how customs clearance works at your port.
RoRo or container shipping from Korea?
Both are available to every Gulf country, and we quote you both so you can choose what suits the car and your budget.
When RoRo makes sense
For a single drivable car going to Jeddah, Dammam or another Gulf port, RoRo is usually the economical choice: the car is driven aboard a car carrier and stays secured on one of its enclosed decks until the arrival port.
Pros
- Lowest cost when you ship one car
- Regular sailings to Jeddah, Dammam, Jebel Ali, Shuwaikh, Hamad and Sohar
- Faster loading and unloading
Limits
- The car travels empty: no personal items or spare parts inside
- The car must be drivable
Best for: An everyday or mid-range car shipped on its own
When a container is worth it
A container earns its extra cost when the car is high-value, when you ship more than one car, or when parts travel with it: the car is secured inside a closed 20 or 40 ft container that is unstuffed at the arrival port.
Pros
- Full protection from weather and handling
- A 40 ft container takes two or three cars, which share the freight
- Spare parts and accessories can travel with the car (declared on the packing list)
Limits
- Costs more than RoRo for a single car
- Needs unstuffing at the arrival port
Best for: Luxury, sports and classic cars (marine insurance recommended), and dealers shipping several cars or a car with parts
Sailing time is similar either way; RoRo is usually quicker to load and unload. For high-value cars we recommend marine insurance whichever method you choose.
Full comparison: Shipping a Car from Korea: RoRo vs Container — Cost, Time and Safety Compared
Sailing times from Korea to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf
Sailing from Busan or Incheon to Gulf ports takes about 20–35 days depending on the port and the shipping line. In Saudi Arabia you can choose between two ports: Jeddah on the Red Sea and Dammam on the Arabian Gulf.
| Country | Arrival ports | Sailing time (approx.) | Shipping methods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | Jeddah · Dammam | 25–35 days | RoRoContainer |
| United Arab Emirates | Jebel Ali (Dubai) · Khalifa (Abu Dhabi) | 20–30 days | RoRoContainer |
| Kuwait | Shuwaikh · Shuaiba | 25–35 days | RoRoContainer |
| Qatar | Hamad Port | 25–35 days | RoRoContainer |
| Bahrain | Khalifa Bin Salman | 25–35 days | RoRoContainer |
| Oman | Sohar · Salalah | 20–30 days | RoRoContainer |
Port-to-port sailing times are approximate and vary by shipping line. The routes table above gives one indicative figure per shipping lane, as used by the cost calculator; this table shows the full range for each country. Pick your country for the full import guide: ports, steps, documents and FAQs.
Shipping to other regions
Indicative transit times elsewhere: the rest of the Middle East and North Africa (30–45 days), Central Asia and the Caucasus (35–60 days), Latin America (35–50 days), East Africa (4–5 weeks) and West Africa (5–6 weeks).
From purchase to arrival: the timeline
- 1
Inspection report and final price
Before paymentWe send the official inspection report, the full photo set and a written final price landed at your port, before you pay anything.
- 2
Deposit, purchase and export de-registration
3–5 working daysYou pay a deposit; we buy the car at auction and de-register it for export, which produces the official export certificate your customs office needs.
- 3
Loading at Busan or Incheon
We ship the car RoRo or in a container and send you the bill of lading and the vessel tracking number as soon as it is loaded.
- 4
Sailing
20–35 daysAbout 20–35 days to Gulf ports depending on the port and the line; about 25–35 days to Jeddah and Dammam.
- 5
Arrival, clearance and collection
Your customs broker receives the documents and clears the car at the arrival port, then you collect it. Clearance time depends on the port and the broker.
Overall: typically 3–6 weeks from purchase to your Gulf port.
Documents we prepare for you
Depending on how it ships, your car comes with these documents; your customs broker uses them to clear it on arrival:
- Export de-registration certificate
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of lading
- Auction inspection report and photos
- Packing list (container shipments)
- Marine insurance certificate (optional)
Customs clearance on arrival
We handle the export side in Korea: de-registration, export paperwork and loading. At the arrival port — Jeddah, Dammam or any other Gulf port — clearance is done by your customs broker, who presents the export certificate, commercial invoice, bill of lading and inspection report, pays the local duties, and releases the car to you.
Import conditions — such as the accepted vehicle age, specification, local inspection and duty rates — are set by each country and change over time, so we don't quote them here as fixed figures. Before you buy, we confirm the current requirements for the specific car with you, and we recommend checking with your customs broker as well.
What does shipping a car from Korea cost?
Sea freight — Arabian Gulf (e.g. Dammam)
~$1,200
Sea freight — Red Sea (e.g. Jeddah)
~$1,400
Korea export fees
$450
Service commission
5%minimum $500
Indicative rates for a sedan-class car (RoRo or shared container), updated 2026-07. SUVs and vans cost more to ship because freight is charged by volume. Example from the calculator: a car bought at auction for $10,000 comes to about $12,150 at a Gulf port such as Dammam, excluding optional marine insurance and before your country's customs and taxes.
Indicative figures for budgeting; destination customs and taxes are not included. These are not confirmed prices — message us on WhatsApp for real-time pricing.
Shipping FAQ
How long does shipping from Korea to Dammam or Jeddah take?
Sailing from Busan to Jeddah or Dammam takes about 25–35 days depending on the shipping line. Before that, export de-registration in Korea takes 3–5 working days, and clearance at the arrival port comes after.
RoRo or container — which is better for Saudi Arabia?
It depends on the car and how many you ship. For a single everyday or mid-range car, RoRo is usually the better-value option. If the car is a luxury or sports model, or you are shipping several cars or parts with it, a container protects it better and lets the cars share the freight. Both are available for Saudi Arabia, and we quote both so you can compare.
Can I ship several cars together?
Yes. A 40 ft container takes two or three cars, which then share the freight — what we recommend to dealers. Spare parts and accessories can also go in the container if they are declared on the packing list; with RoRo nothing may be left inside the car.
Which documents do I receive with the car?
Export de-registration certificate, commercial invoice, bill of lading, auction inspection report and photos, packing list (container shipments) and marine insurance certificate (optional). Your customs broker uses them to clear the car on arrival.
Who handles customs clearance in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, and how much are the duties?
Your customs broker at the arrival port: they present our documents and pay the local duties. We don't quote duty rates or import conditions here because each country sets them and they change; before you buy, we confirm the current requirements for the specific car with you. The cost calculator does not include destination customs and taxes.
How much does it cost to ship a car from Korea to Saudi Arabia?
About $1,200 to Dammam (Arabian Gulf rate) and about $1,400 to Jeddah (Red Sea rate) for a sedan-class car, at 2026-07 rates, plus $450 Korean export fees and a 5% service commission (minimum $500). Use the cost calculator for an instant estimate, and message us on WhatsApp for the final price.
Can I track the ship?
Yes. As soon as the car is loaded we send you the bill of lading and the vessel tracking number, so you can follow it all the way to your port.