# USA to Abu Dhabi shipping



## Cheeky weekly (Dec 22, 2013)

I know I'm probably beating a dead horse asking about shipping once again. We are planning on moving to Abu Dhabi in July of this year and we have been getting quotes for the shipment of our household goods. The problem we are having is the varying cost (anywhere from 7,000 to 12000 usd). We are shipping goods from a 3 bedroom house along with a car and have been told we need a 40ft container.
I would just like some feedback as far as names of companies others have used what was required (did they have to pack or was everything done by the moving company) and the price paid to ship their goods.

Thanks in advance.


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## Simey (Dec 4, 2012)

Cheeky weekly said:


> I know I'm probably beating a dead horse asking about shipping once again. We are planning on moving to Abu Dhabi in July of this year and we have been getting quotes for the shipment of our household goods. The problem we are having is the varying cost (anywhere from 7,000 to 12000 usd). We are shipping goods from a 3 bedroom house along with a car and have been told we need a 40ft container.
> I would just like some feedback as far as names of companies others have used what was required (did they have to pack or was everything done by the moving company) and the price paid to ship their goods.
> 
> Thanks in advance.


The quote range sounds about right for shipping from the east coast for a container including car. I used Brauns International and they did everything. 

Be prepared for all the incoming posts telling you that your car won't work here and how you should sell all your furniture because furniture is cheap (compared to Western Europe).


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## Cheeky weekly (Dec 22, 2013)

Thanks for your reply. Will definitely check them out. Please tell me if you were closer to the 12000 or the $7000. The gap in cost is just concerning. Wondering if I'm getting ripped off or if my goods will ever make it here without paying much more if I went for the cheaper quote.
As far as moving my goods, I have kids and uprooting them from their home is major, so bringing their furniture seems like a good compromise to me.


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## Simey (Dec 4, 2012)

Cheeky weekly said:


> Thanks for your reply. Will definitely check them out. Please tell me if you were closer to the 12000 or the $7000. The gap in cost is just concerning. Wondering if I'm getting ripped off or if my goods will ever make it here without paying much more if I went for the cheaper quote.
> As far as moving my goods, I have kids and uprooting them from their home is major, so bringing their furniture seems like a good compromise to me.


Brauns were closer to $12,000 including the car and it sounds like you are shipping more furniture than I did.


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## mehranR (Jul 27, 2013)

The only recommendation is to make sure that any inspection is included in the fee. I did a similar move from westcoast but got a sticker shock when US customs inspection was added for $2700
12k sounds a little high but that may already include the possible inspection


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## mmasroor (Sep 9, 2013)

Couple of years ago I did from TX to Qatar. It cost me around 8K. This time my company is arranging for me. Check with your company they may have a preferred agent.


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## Vesper007 (Mar 31, 2014)

I've done a fair bit of hunting myself as I'm in the process of moving to the UAE and with packing/unpacking on my own and door to door service, ASV Lines is the one giving me the best rate at $9.25 per cubic foot to move from NYC to Dubai for anything over 200 sq cubic feet (that bit was $1850ish?). http://www.allstatesvanlines.com/ is their site.

Nope, not affiliated with ASV in any form. Just trying to be helpful.

Granted, if you are shipping a 40 foot container, yes, the estimate sounds about right. What I'd do is keep a detailed track record of what each company charges you and when you find one with a lower offer, go back to company that charged more and see if they're willing to negotiate to get your business.


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## BadgerUSA (Jan 26, 2014)

I'm also curious about this topic. We have received quotes of $12,000-$16,000 for a 40 foot container and 11,000 to 15,000 pounds. This is just over $1 per pound. We are bringing A LOT of stuff.


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

Okay, I'll say it.

Leave the car behind. Buy one here.


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## Cheeky weekly (Dec 22, 2013)

Thanks for all the replies. Was going to ask the car question myself. Why would you say leave it behind?


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

Because you are shipping a big hunk of steel and air, you will have difficulty getting the main dealers to have anything to do with it, and cars are cheap here. Some also say things about GCC spec vehicles being needed to get imported, but I have no idea how much of an issue that will be for your particular make and model. Sure, you will find a few people who have brought them over but for most people it's a pain you could do without given the paperwork you will have to do. Those who do being them over are often, but not exclusively, bringing over non-standard or very much older cars with high value - sentimental Mir real. IMO it's just sentimentality. You aren't carting the garden shed or your fridge I guess so why bring something which can be easily bought here and which will give you less hassle. What make/model and age is it ?


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## Leverette515 (Apr 15, 2014)

Cheeky weekly said:


> Thanks for your reply. Will definitely check them out. Please tell me if you were closer to the 12000 or the $7000. The gap in cost is just concerning. Wondering if I'm getting ripped off or if my goods will ever make it here without paying much more if I went for the cheaper quote. As far as moving my goods, I have kids and uprooting them from their home is major, so bringing their furniture seems like a good compromise to me.


I just got a quote for a 20' container (5000lb) from Kentucky to Dubai with all packing materials, packing labor, delivery door-to-door in Dubai, and standard clearance fees for $7800 USD. Customs fees and taxes may be extra. We are bringing about a two-bedroom home worth of furniture and no car. 

We are using Unigroup, the international division of United Vanlines. We've used them before with good success, and we find they do a better job than their domestic counterparts. 

Hope that helps give you an idea of the 20' cost with labor and delivery included.


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## Simey (Dec 4, 2012)

twowheelsgood said:


> Because you are shipping a big hunk of steel and air, you will have difficulty getting the main dealers to have anything to do with it, and cars are cheap here. Some also say things about GCC spec vehicles being needed to get imported, but I have no idea how much of an issue that will be for your particular make and model. Sure, you will find a few people who have brought them over but for most people it's a pain you could do without given the paperwork you will have to do. Those who do being them over are often, but not exclusively, bringing over non-standard or very much older cars with high value - sentimental Mir real. IMO it's just sentimentality. You aren't carting the garden shed or your fridge I guess so why bring something which can be easily bought here and which will give you less hassle. What make/model and age is it ?


I think the economic calculation for an American is different from a Briton and that is skewing your opinion. Cars in the UK are significantly more expensive than cars in the UAE. US cars are generally a little cheaper than in the UAE so for an American that means selling in a cheap market and buying in a marginally more expensive market which is rarely a good idea. Also the UAE market has far fewer choices of used vehicles than the US where we have the benefit of the world's largest car market, and transparent pricing through websites like cars.com or ebay. And finally, Americans may regard a lot of UAE cars as being a bit stripped down. US cars come with a lot of stuff as standard and frequently have larger engines, etc. than Euro-spec cars (which GCC cars generally are). E.g. I see Mercedes cars driving around with small engines that aren't offered in the US at all. 

Having imported a US car, I disagree sharply that the paperwork is difficult. It really isn't. 

However, OP there are some things to consider on the flip side. If you think you will stay here long enough to want to eventually sell your car in the UAE be prepared for the fact that your US car will be worth a lot less in the UAE than it was in the US. People don't like "old" cars here and US cars are assumed to be suspect either because they are not "GCC spec" or because they are assumed to have been insurance write offs imported by unscrupulous UAE dealers. 

Also you should know that based on my research US specs are generally higher than UAE specs. I.e. if you eventually buy a UAE car and want to return it to the US that can't be done without usually a lot of very expensive modifications to add NHTSA and EPA-mandated safety and emissions equipment. Returning your US-spec car will be straightforward, but returning a UAE car is quite expensive, probably prohibitively so in most cases. In my case I was given quotes for importing a 911 back to the US ran around $15,000 for mods, plus US duty charges. For that price it isn't worth it.


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