Car Shipping Company from the UAE to Belgium 0552803439 | RoRo & Containers from Jebel Ali to Antwerp & Zeebrugge, plus Air

Your car is in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, and it is bound for Brussels, Antwerp or Liège. What you need is a car shipping company from the UAE to Belgium that handles the whole journey: collection from home, the exit paperwork, the sea or the air leg, Belgian customs, then delivery to your door. Home Safe organises this by sea from Jebel Ali Port to Antwerp or Zeebrugge within 32 to 45 days, or by air within 3 to 6 days. Shipping a saloon by sea to the Belgian port starts from SAR 4,300, about AED 4,210, and the other items are set on request. For bookings and enquiries: 0552803439.

In this guide47ShowHide

1. Who ships a car from the UAE to Belgium?
2. What does a car shipping company from the UAE to Belgium provide?
3. Will your car get into Belgium, and how much will you pay on it?
4. Shipping cars by sea from Jebel Ali Port in the UAE to Antwerp and Zeebrugge
5. Transit time for shipping a car from the UAE to Belgium, and is there a land route?
6. Price of shipping a car from the UAE to Belgium
7. How does Home Safe serve the UAE route as a Saudi establishment?
8. Collecting the car from the home or showroom in Dubai and Abu Dhabi for shipping from the UAE to Belgium
9. RoRo or inside a container: which suits your car?
10. Types of car: saloons, 4x4s, vans and luxury cars
11. Protecting luxury, classic and rare cars from scratches and vibration
12. Inspecting the car and recording its condition before shipping and after arrival
13. A visit on UAE plates, or a final export?
14. Exporting the car in the UAE: the procedure
15. Documents for shipping the car, and what is not accepted for shipping
16. Belgian customs on the car, and registering a Gulf car
17. Insuring the car throughout the journey
18. Temporary storage before shipping or after arrival
19. Delivering cars from the UAE in Brussels, Antwerp and Liège
20. From the port to the furthest city, and to dealerships and sales centres
21. Services for individuals, companies, embassies and government bodies
22. Air freight for cars from the UAE to Belgium
23. Steps for shipping a car from the UAE to Belgium
24. Tracking the car by phone at every stage
25. Shipping cars from Belgium to the UAE
26. Tips before shipping your car from the UAE to Belgium
27. How do you choose a car shipping company from the UAE to Belgium?
28. Common mistakes when shipping cars from the UAE to Belgium
29. Why Home Safe for shipping your car from the UAE to Belgium?
30. Related articles and pages
31. Tags
32. Frequently asked questions about shipping cars from the UAE to Belgium
33. What sets a car shipping company from the UAE to Belgium apart from a broker selling a slot on a ship?
34. How much does it cost to ship a car from Dubai to Belgium?
35. How many days does the car need from Jebel Ali to Antwerp or Zeebrugge?
36. Is Antwerp better, or Zeebrugge?
37. Do I pay customs in Belgium on my UAE car?
38. How long can the car stay in Belgium on its UAE plates?
39. What is the difference between the tourism certificate and the export certificate?
40. Can a car with bank finance be shipped?
41. Can a Gulf-specification car be registered in Belgium?
42. Do you collect the car directly from a showroom in Dubai?
43. Can belongings be put inside the car?
44. Do you ship a classic car or one that does not run?
45. How do I follow my car during the journey?
46. What if the car arrives with a scratch?
47. When should I book so that the car arrives before the summer begins?

Sea route: your address in the UAE → Jebel Ali Port → the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea → the Suez Canal → the Mediterranean and Gibraltar → Antwerp or Zeebrugge → your address in Belgium · Expected time: 32–45 days by sea, 3–6 days by air.

Who ships a car from the UAE to Belgium?

Brussels is the seat of the European Union’s institutions and of NATO, and it has a large community of international staff who worked in the Gulf beforehand. Belgium also has a wide North African community with relatives working in the UAE. That is why the customers on this route differ from those on the usual summer routes, and most of them move their car to stay rather than to visit:

Owner	What they usually ship	What we suggest	The UAE paper
A European employee whose contract in Dubai or Abu Dhabi has ended	The family car or 4×4	A private container, or a container with the household goods	Export certificate
A buyer living in Belgium	A luxury or sports car from a showroom in Dubai	A private container or air	Export certificate in their name
An Emirati or Gulf family spending the summer in Europe	The family’s luxury car	RoRo or a container two months before travel	Tourism certificate
A dealer or showroom	Several cars in one batch	RoRo, or 40ft containers	Export certificates on one schedule

What does a car shipping company from the UAE to Belgium provide?

The service is not only booking a place on a ship. It is seven connected links, and any link that drops out leaves the car standing in a yard charged by the day. This is what we take on, in order:

• Advice before booking: we ask about the model, the value and the reason for travel, and settle the most suitable method and port before you pay anything.
• Collection in the UAE: a flatbed from your home or from the showroom to the loading yard or the port.
• Exit paperwork: a review of fines and the mortgage, then the tourism or export certificate, then the customs export declaration.
• Wrapping and lashing: protection for the paintwork and the cabin where needed, and securing by the tyres inside the container.
• Shipping: a confirmed place on the RoRo or container vessel, or on the cargo aircraft.
• Clearance in Belgium: a local broker submits the file and applies the relief or calculates the duty and tax.
• Delivery and follow-up: a car transporter to your address, and an update at every stage.

The service in general is explained on the car shipping page, and our routes from the Gulf states on the car shipping from the Gulf page.

Will your car get into Belgium, and how much will you pay on it?

Belgium sets no maximum age for an imported car, and it drives on the left-hand-drive side just as the UAE does. So entry is possible in principle, and the question that settles the decision is the amount paid after arrival. It ranges from nothing to a third of the car’s value, depending on the owner’s situation:

Your situation	At Belgian customs	After customs
A visitor resident in the UAE who will return with the car	Temporary admission with no duty or tax	It runs on its UAE plates and leaves before the period ends
Someone moving to live in Belgium with a car owned for six months	Relief from duty and tax, on conditions	Individual approval and inspection, then Belgian plates
A buyer or importer not covered by any relief	10% duty and 21% value added tax	Individual approval, inspection and registration tax
A car heading for a neighbouring country	Transit document with nothing paid in Belgium	Cleared and registered in its own country

With anyone in the third case we work out the total before they book. A car of ordinary value may be cheaper to sell in the UAE and replace in Belgium than to ship, and we say so to the customer without hesitation. A rare car, or one covered by the relief, is usually worth shipping.

Shipping cars by sea from Jebel Ali Port in the UAE to Antwerp and Zeebrugge

Jebel Ali Port in Dubai is the main exit gateway for cars from the UAE. It has the container terminals, and it has a vehicle terminal where RoRo vessels berth. The ship sails through the Strait of Hormuz into the Arabian Sea, goes up the Red Sea to the Suez Canal, then crosses the Mediterranean and leaves by Gibraltar northwards to the North Sea. On the Belgian coast are two ports run by a single authority: Antwerp on the river Scheldt, which is the larger container port, and Zeebrugge directly on the sea, which is one of the world’s largest ports for handling cars.

Stage	What happens	Approximate time
Collection from your address	Inspection, condition report and transfer on a flatbed	One day
Paperwork and loading at Jebel Ali	The certificate, the export declaration, and lashing or handing the car to the RoRo yard	3–6 days
Sailing to Zeebrugge	RoRo vessel, direct or calling at ports on the way	About 22–28 days
Sailing to Antwerp	Container vessel, and the container may change ship at a hub port	About 25–31 days
Unloading and clearance	Matching the chassis number, then customs release	3–6 days
Delivery inside Belgium	Car transporter to the door	One to two days

Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi has a car terminal too, and we use it for cars from the capital and Al Ain when its schedule suits your date. The ports of Sharjah and Khor Fakkan are a third option if the shipping line has a suitable sailing from them. These times are an estimate, not a commitment, as vessel routing between the Gulf and Europe changes with shipping conditions in the Red Sea. The gateways we work through are on the ports and gateways page, and sea services on the sea freight page.

Transit time for shipping a car from the UAE to Belgium, and is there a land route?

The time that matters to you is not the sailing days, which are shorter than what you actually wait. What matters is the time from the day you hand over the key in the UAE to the day you take it back in Belgium. We write it for you in a timetable before booking, and adjust it with you if the vessel’s date changes:

Method	Arrival port or airport	Door to door	When it moves
RoRo from Jebel Ali	Zeebrugge, mostly	32–42 days	According to the car carriers’ schedule
Private 20ft container	Antwerp	34–45 days	First vessel once the paperwork is complete
A place in a shared 40ft container	Antwerp	38–45 days, possibly more	When the container is full
Air freight	Brussels or Liège	3–6 days	Once the place on the aircraft is confirmed

What lengthens the time?

• An unpaid fine or road-toll charge that shows up when the certificate is requested.
• Missing the vessel’s cut-off by a day, so the car waits for the next sailing.
• Vessels being diverted to the Cape of Good Hope route, which adds about two weeks.
• An incomplete relief file on arrival, so the car stays in the port until it is complete.

As for the land route, we do not offer it. The theoretical path crosses Saudi Arabia and Jordan or Iraq, then Turkey and the Balkans, and no regular car transporters run on it. To compare this route with others, see the transit times page.

Price of shipping a car from the UAE to Belgium

We print one figure with a firm basis, which is the fare for a saloon by sea from Jebel Ali to the Belgian port. Everything else depends on the car and the city, so we send it once the details are known. The quotation reaches you itemised: collection in the UAE, Jebel Ali port charges, sea freight, Belgian port charges, clearance and delivery. Belgian duty and tax are paid to the treasury there, and are not part of our fee.

Car and shipping method	Price	Note
Saloon or hatchback by sea to Antwerp or Zeebrugge	Starts from SAR 4,300, about AED 4,210	Port to port, RoRo or a place in a shared container
4×4 or large family car	Set on request	Length and height raise the charging band
Car in a private 20ft container	Set on request	For luxury, classic and non-running cars
Collection from the emirate and delivery in the Belgian city	Set on request	According to the distance from the two ports
Air freight for the car	Set on request	By weight, dimensions and fuel type

Prices quoted in the market: what is published in the UAE market for shipping a car to Belgium starts from AED 4,600, with a sea time given as about 34 days, and without the destination country’s charges. For France, prices from AED 6,200 are published, and for Germany between AED 6,330 and 7,600. Figures in dollars also circulate for this route: from 850 to 1,200 for a small car, from 1,100 to 1,600 for a family car, and from 1,600 to 2,300 for a luxury car. In the opposite direction, sea freight between the Belgian ports and the UAE is published at USD 1,875 to 3,590. All these figures move, so compare quotations that end at the same point.

Factor	Its effect on the price
Size of the car	RoRo is charged by the cubic metre, so a long 4×4 pays more than a saloon
Method	RoRo and a shared container cost least, then a private container, then air by a wide margin
Condition of the car	A non-runner needs a winch and a container, and RoRo will not take it
Vessel routing	Sailing round Africa raises the sea freight and lengthens the journey
Emirate and city	Fujairah is further from Jebel Ali than Dubai, and Liège is further from the two ports than Ghent

How do you cut the cost?

• Choose RoRo for a running car of ordinary value, and keep the private container for what deserves it.
• Share a 40ft container with a second car bound for Antwerp.
• Book before the pre-summer peak, and collect the car from the port yourself if you live near it.

The items are detailed on the pricing factors page.

How does Home Safe serve the UAE route as a Saudi establishment?

We say it plainly: Home Safe is an establishment registered in the Kingdom and based in Jeddah, and it owns no office or warehouse in the UAE. Shipments on this route are carried out on the ground by UAE freight and clearing agents we work with, and they are the ones who collect the car, lodge the export declaration and hand it to the port or the airport. Our role is to manage the file from start to finish: the quotation, the booking, the review of the paperwork, coordination with the Belgian broker, and keeping you informed on one number.

• Several licensing authorities: the certificate is issued by the emirate where the car was registered, so we always start with the registration card.
• Three sea outlets: Jebel Ali first, then Khalifa Port, then the ports of Sharjah and Khor Fakkan.
• Three cargo airports: Dubai International and Al Maktoum, and Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi.

Collecting the car from the home or showroom in Dubai and Abu Dhabi for shipping from the UAE to Belgium

About half the cars on this route do not leave from their owner’s home but from a showroom. The buyer lives in Belgium, chooses the car at a showroom in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, and asks for it to be collected there. So we treat collection from a showroom like collection from a home: a fixed appointment, a hydraulic flatbed, and a condition report signed by whoever hands over the car. The only difference is that we make sure before arriving that the export certificate has been issued in the buyer’s name.

Emirate	Where we collect from	Note
Dubai	Homes in Jumeirah, Al Barsha, Mirdif and Dubai Marina, and the showrooms of Sheikh Zayed Road, Ras Al Khor and Al Aweer	The closest emirate to Jebel Ali, so collection and loading are usually on the same day
Abu Dhabi	Abu Dhabi Island, Al Reem and Khalifa City, and the showrooms of Mussafah	Moved to Jebel Ali, or shipped out of Khalifa Port
Al Ain	Al Jimi, Zakher and Hili	Appointment fixed two days ahead
Sharjah and Ajman	Al Majaz, Al Khan and Muwaileh, and the showrooms of the used-car market	Morning collection, ahead of the traffic on the road to Dubai
Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah	The town centres and the residential areas around them	Set collection days in the week

In residential towers the flatbed cannot enter the basement car parks, so the driver brings the car out to the building entrance in front of you and then loads it.

RoRo or inside a container: which suits your car?

A RoRo vessel is a floating car park: the car is driven onto it over a ramp, stands uncovered on a roofed deck, and is driven off on arrival. That is why it is not wrapped and carries nothing inside. A container is a steel box locked on the car in the UAE and not opened until Belgium. Each type of car has a container that suits it:

Criterion	RoRo vessel	Private 20ft container	40ft container
Suits	A saloon or a running 4×4	Luxury, sports and classic cars	Two cars, or a car and household goods
Loading	Driven under its own power, uncovered	Held by the tyres and the door sealed	Each car lashed separately
Arrival port	Zeebrugge, mostly	Antwerp	Antwerp
Belongings	Not allowed	Allowed with a list	Allowed with a list
Cost	Lowest	Highest by sea	Lower per car when shared

For a tall 4×4, or one fitted with a roof rack, we book a high-cube container, because the door opening of a standard container is not enough for it. The two methods are detailed on the RoRo car shipping and container car shipping pages, and the dimensions on the container sizes page.

Types of car: saloons, 4x4s, vans and luxury cars

Before choosing the method we actually measure the car: length, width, height and weight. These figures decide the RoRo band or the type of container, and they decide the number of lashing points. Multi-purpose vehicles such as 4x4s and vans are heavier and taller, so they need stronger straps and timber chocks in front of and behind the tyres:

Vehicle	Usual method	What we watch for
Saloon and hatchback	RoRo or a shared container	Whether its value justifies the cost of shipping and registration
4×4 and seven-seat family car	RoRo, or a high-cube container	The height, and the registration tax on a large engine
Van and pickup	RoRo	Emptying the load bed completely before handover
Luxury and sports car	Private container or air	Ground clearance and the insured value
Electric and hybrid	Container or RoRo, according to the shipping line’s conditions	The battery charge level the carrier asks for
Motorcycle	Wooden crate inside a container, or by air	Securing the handlebars and draining the fuel

Lorries and plant have a separate service on the heavy equipment shipping page.

Protecting luxury, classic and rare cars from scratches and vibration

A luxury car is not harmed by the sea but by two moments: going into the container and coming out of it. Between them come weeks of gentle vibration that find any part not secured. So we protect the inside as we protect the outside, and take extra care with a classic car whose parts cannot be replaced:

• The cabin: covers for the seats, the steering wheel and the door sills, and securing any loose item in the boot.
• The paintwork: a soft fabric cover that lets air through, and guards for the corners of the bumpers and the mirrors.
• The lashing: straps on the tyres, not on the body, and timber chocks that stop sideways movement.
• Classics: a drip tray beneath the engine in case of leaks, the battery isolated, and the car pulled in on a hand winch rather than started.
• Moisture: absorbent bags inside the container, as the journey passes from the heat of the Gulf to the cold of the North Sea.

All the lashing methods are on the packing and lashing page.

Inspecting the car and recording its condition before shipping and after arrival

The condition report is the paper that settles any later dispute. It is written twice: at collection in the UAE and at delivery in Belgium, and the second is compared with the first in front of you. These are its four items:

• Body and paintwork: photographs of the four sides and the roof with every existing scratch, compared in Belgium before the car is unloaded.
• Odometer and fuel: the kilometre reading and the tank level are recorded, and matched on arrival.
• Tyres and wheels: a photograph of each wheel, then a check for marks from the lashing straps after the journey.
• Cabin and accessories: the spare wheel, the tool kit and the key are listed, and all are confirmed present.

And this is what we ask of you before the appointment:

• Wash the car before the appointment, as dust hides scratches from the camera.
• Empty the boot and the compartments, and remove the road-toll tag.
• Keep the fuel at a quarter of a tank or less, and make sure the battery is sound.
• Change the coolant and the screenwash for ones that withstand frost if the car is to stay in Belgium.
• Hand over one key and keep the other.

The rest of what you need to know is in the car shipping guide.

A visit on UAE plates, or a final export?

This is the first question we ask, because everything after it branches from it. A visiting car remains a UAE car and returns to its file. An exported car leaves the UAE register and enters the Belgian one:

Item	Visit, then return	Final export
The document in the UAE	Vehicle tourism certificate	Export certificate
Plates	Stay on the car	Handed in, and export plates issued
A financed car	No-objection from the bank	Mortgage released in full
In Belgium	Temporary admission, and the rule in force is six months in any twelve	Relief, or duty and tax, then registration
Road insurance	A policy covering Belgium, bought before arrival	Belgian insurance before the plates

A visiting car may not be driven in Belgium by an EU resident, and may not be sold there without full clearance. The low-emission zones in Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent require a foreign car to be registered in advance before it enters, so we remind you of that before arrival. The customs carnet is not a requirement in Belgium, and it is explained on the triptik page.

Exporting the car in the UAE: the procedure

The formality follows the emirate, not the federation. In Dubai it is issued by the Roads and Transport Authority, and in the other emirates by the vehicle licensing authority there. What the table shows is the practice in force, and we confirm what applies in your emirate before shipping:

Step	The practice in force	What we do
Settling the file	Payment of fines, toll charges and parking charges	We review them with you before any booking
Finance	Mortgage release letter, or a no-objection for temporary travel	We ask for it from day one because it is the slowest
Export certificate and plates	The original plates are handed in and export plates issued	We remind you to retain a distinctive plate before handing in
Tourism certificate	For a car that returns, and in Dubai it runs for six months	We match its period to the return date
Export insurance	A short-term policy required with the certificate	Taken out once the vessel’s date is firm
Customs exit	Export declaration at the port or airport	Lodged by the agent, and you receive a copy

Documents for shipping the car, and what is not accepted for shipping

Send photographs of the papers first, and we review them and tell you what is missing before fixing the collection date. The originals travel with you or by courier, and are not left in the car:

Document	Who issues it	Why it is required
Vehicle registration card	The licensing authority in the emirate	The basis of booking and clearance
Tourism or export certificate	The licensing authority in the emirate	Leaving the UAE
Emirates ID and passport	The owner	Every stage
Purchase invoice or valuation	The showroom or a valuer	Customs value and insurance
Proof of previous residence and a Belgian address	The person moving residence	The relief file
Bill of lading or air waybill	The shipping line or the airline	Collecting the car on arrival

A car with open fines or a standing mortgage is not shipped, nor one leaking oil or fuel until it is repaired. Radar detectors, food and plants are removed from it, and weapons and fireworks are banned outright. The full lists are on the shipping documents and prohibited items pages.

Belgian customs on the car, and registering a Gulf car

Belgium is a member of the European Union, so its tariff is the common European tariff. Duty is calculated on the value of the car plus freight and insurance, and tax is calculated on the value and the duty together. Here is an example in dirhams for a car worth AED 100,000 that is not covered by any relief:

Item	Calculation	Amount
Value plus freight	100,000 + 4,210	AED 104,210
Customs duty 10%	104,210 × 10%	AED 10,421
Value added tax 21%	(104,210 + 10,421) × 21%	AED 24,073
Total to the Belgian treasury	10,421 + 24,073	AED 34,494

Someone moving their residence is relieved of both if they have lived outside the Union for at least twelve consecutive months and the car was in their use for six months before the move. They may not sell it, lend it or pledge it for twelve months after entry. After customs the registration stage begins:

Stage	Authority	What is asked of a UAE car
Recording the clearance	Belgian customs	That the car’s clearance shows with the vehicle registration directorate
Individual approval	The conformity body of the region	European headlights, a rear fog lamp, and an emissions and noise measurement
Technical inspection	An approved inspection centre	Inspection of an imported used car before first registration
Insurance and plates	A Belgian insurer, then the registration directorate	A third-party liability policy, then the plate arrives by post
Taxes	Flanders, Wallonia or the Brussels-Capital Region	A one-off registration tax and an annual road tax

The registration tax differs between the three regions, and bears harder on large engines and high emissions, which are common in UAE cars. Dark tinting on the windscreen is removed before the inspection. These rates and conditions are those in force, and we confirm what applies before shipping. The clearance service is on the customs clearance page.

Insuring the car throughout the journey

UAE comprehensive insurance ceases to have effect at the port gate, and the sea carrier’s liability is limited to a sum nowhere near the price of a car. So with every booking we offer cargo insurance for the agreed value of the car. It starts when the collection report is signed in the UAE and ends with your signature in Belgium, and covers accidents, fire, theft and loading and unloading damage. For a luxury car there is an extension covering small scratches, which must be asked for expressly. A rare car is valued by an expert before shipping, so that its value is not disputed after damage. The details are on the cargo insurance page.

Temporary storage before shipping or after arrival

Some customers need a few days between leaving the UAE and the vessel’s date, or between the car’s arrival and their own arrival in Belgium. In both cases the car stays in a closed, monitored yard with the agent, covered and with the battery disconnected if the period is long. The storage charge is agreed in advance and written into the quotation, so it does not appear later as a surprise. We advise against a long stay in the Belgian port itself, as ground rent there is charged by the day after the free period. The service is explained on the storage page.

Delivering cars from the UAE in Brussels, Antwerp and Liège

Belgium is small in area, and the two ports are on its northern and western edges. So the major city furthest from either of them is reached by the car transporter in about two and a half hours. Brussels, Antwerp and Liège receive most of the cars on this route, followed by Ghent, Bruges and Leuven. The key is handed over only after you have inspected the car with the driver against the loading photographs:

City	From Zeebrugge	From Antwerp	Delivery note
Brussels	About 110 km	About 45 km	The unloading spot is fixed in advance in the narrow central districts
Antwerp	About 100 km	Inside the city	A container car is usually delivered on the day of release
Liège	About 210 km	About 130 km	The furthest major city to the east, and its airport is an air cargo hub
Ghent	About 60 km	About 60 km	Midway between the two ports
Bruges	About 15 km	About 95 km	The closest city to the RoRo quay
Leuven	About 135 km	About 60 km	A university city east of Brussels, delivered with Brussels cars

We also deliver in Charleroi, Namur, Mons and Hasselt by prior appointment. With the key you receive an envelope containing a copy of the bill of lading, the import declaration or the relief decision or the proof of temporary admission, and the condition report. The service to the address is on the door to door page.

From the port to the furthest city, and to dealerships and sales centres

International shipping ends at the quay, and inland transport is what brings the car to its owner. We combine the two in one booking, so the car leaves the port yard on a licensed transporter with no wait between the two stages. Delivery is not always to a home:

• To a dealership or sales centre: we fit the appointment to the dealership’s receiving hours, and hand it the car with its complete file of papers.
• To the technical inspection centre: anyone who has booked an inspection in advance has the car taken straight there.
• Beyond Belgium: Antwerp and Zeebrugge serve the surrounding countries as well. Anyone living in Luxembourg, Lille, Aachen or Maastricht has the car moved under the transit procedure, and pays its charges to the customs of their own country rather than to Belgium.

Services for individuals, companies, embassies and government bodies

An individual ships one car once in a lifetime, while an organisation ships repeatedly and needs a contract and invoices. We serve the four groups on the same route, and the form of dealing changes:

• Individuals: a collection date that suits your travel, with an economy option and a fully protected one.
• Companies and showrooms: repeat batches on a single schedule of chassis numbers, and a price agreed for volume.
• Embassies and missions: official correspondence, and an application for the diplomatic exemption to the competent Belgian authority before arrival.
• Government bodies: execution according to the body’s procedures, and a written report on every stage.

Air freight for cars from the UAE to Belgium

When the date is urgent the sea is no use, and air is the only realistic express service on this route. The car is handed over in the cargo area of Dubai International Airport, Al Maktoum Airport or Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi, and secured on an air cargo pallet. It lands at Brussels Airport, or at Liège Airport, which is one of Europe’s largest cargo airports. It is then cleared at airport customs and moved to your address in Brussels, Antwerp or elsewhere. The total is 3 to 6 days from collection.

• For whom: a luxury or rare car, and a show or race car with a date that cannot slip.
• Conditions: the car is treated as dangerous goods in aviation, so its fuel is reduced, it is checked for leaks and a special declaration is prepared for it.
• Dimensions: the height and width of the car decide which type of aircraft will accept it.
• Price: set on request, and several times the sea fare.

Acceptance of the car on a particular flight depends on the aircraft type and the capacity available that day, so we promise no date before the carrier confirms. Air services for other shipments are on the air freight page, and the comparison between methods on the shipping methods comparison page.

Steps for shipping a car from the UAE to Belgium

From the first message to handing over the key there are eight steps:

1. You send to 0552803439 the car’s model and a photograph of the registration card, the emirate and the Belgian city, and whether the car is returning or staying.
2. We suggest the method and the port, and send a quotation itemised by charges and time.
3. After your approval we book the place and send the list of papers.
4. Fines and the mortgage are settled, and the tourism or export certificate is issued.
5. The agent collects the car from the home or the showroom, and the condition report is signed.
6. The car is loaded and the export declaration lodged, and the tracking number reaches you along with a copy of the bill of lading.
7. The car reaches Antwerp, Zeebrugge or the airport, and the broker submits its file to customs.
8. It is moved to your address, you inspect it, sign, and take the key and the papers.

Tracking the car by phone at every stage

We do not promise you a special app or a dot that moves every second. Real tracking in sea freight comes from the shipping line: the container number or booking number is entered on its website, and the last port and the expected arrival date appear. The position of the vessel itself is available through ship-tracking websites. To that we add WhatsApp messages from us at five points: entry to Jebel Ali Port, sailing, arrival at the Belgian port, customs release, and departure of the delivery truck. For air freight the air waybill number is enough. The explanation is on the shipment tracking page.

Shipping cars from Belgium to the UAE

The route works in both directions, and Antwerp and Zeebrugge are among the European ports that export the most used cars to the Gulf. A UAE car returning from its visit goes back to its file with the tourism certificate and no import charges, as long as the period has not expired. A car bought in Belgium enters the UAE as an import: the rule in force is 5% customs duty and 5% value added tax, left-hand drive, and a technical inspection before plates. It is said that Dubai and Abu Dhabi do not register a used car more than ten years old unless it is a classic, so we confirm that before the purchase. The destination page: shipping to the UAE.

Tips before shipping your car from the UAE to Belgium

This is the gist of what we repeat on the phone to every customer on this route:

• Renew the car’s registration if it is close to expiry, as an expired registration delays the certificate.
• Photograph the car yourself from every side, and do not rely on the driver’s photographs alone.
• Take out all your belongings, as extra weight is no help and an undeclared item does harm.
• Check the battery, the fluids and the tyres, as a car that will not start on the RoRo quay is loaded at an extra charge.
• Avoid the weeks before summer if your date is flexible.
• Agree with us the level of protection that fits the value of your car before collection day.

How do you choose a car shipping company from the UAE to Belgium?

The promises are alike in every advertisement. What separates one company from another is what it writes for you before payment:

What you see in the quotation	What it indicates
It names the arrival port: Antwerp or Zeebrugge	The booking is real, not a general estimate
It separates the freight from Belgian duty and tax	You will not be surprised by a sum on arrival
It asks whether the car is returning or being exported	It knows the procedure in the UAE and in Belgium
It mentions the regional registration tax	It knows what comes after customs
It states its commercial registration and says who acts for it in the UAE	It does not hide how it works

Common mistakes when shipping cars from the UAE to Belgium

Seven mistakes we see repeated, all of which can be put right before loading:

• Asking for an export certificate when the car is due back after the summer, which costs it both its plates and its file.
• Buying a car from a showroom and shipping it before working out the duty, the tax and the registration tax.
• Selling the old car and buying another weeks before the move, so the six-month condition falls away.
• Comparing a quotation that ends at the Antwerp quay with one that ends at the door of the house.
• Leaving belongings in a car shipped by RoRo.
• Putting the original registration or the export certificate inside the car.
• Entering Brussels or Antwerp in a visiting car without registering it for the low-emission zone.

Why Home Safe for shipping your car from the UAE to Belgium?

Because we start with the right question before the price: is shipping this car worth what will be paid on it. And because we write down the items, the time and who carries out each stage, and stay on the phone until the car gets its plates or returns to the UAE.

To book: 0552803439 by phone or WhatsApp, from 7 am to 11 pm. Or through the request a quote page.

Related articles and pages

• Car shipping company from Saudi Arabia to Belgium
• Car shipping company from Kuwait to Belgium
• Car shipping company from Qatar to Belgium
• Car shipping company from the UAE to Switzerland
• Car shipping company from the UAE to the UK
• Shipping company from Saudi Arabia to Belgium

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Frequently asked questions about shipping cars from the UAE to Belgium

What sets a car shipping company from the UAE to Belgium apart from a broker selling a slot on a ship?

A broker’s job ends when the vessel sails from Jebel Ali. A company that runs the route first asks whether the car is coming back or staying in Belgium, and names the arrival port, who clears it there and who delivers it to your home. Home Safe is a registered Saudi establishment that works this way through agents in the UAE and partners in Belgium, and its number is 0552803439.

How much does it cost to ship a car from Dubai to Belgium?

Shipping a saloon by sea from Jebel Ali Port to the Belgian port starts from SAR 4,300, about AED 4,210. A 4×4, a private container, delivery inside Belgium and air freight are set on request. Belgian duty and tax are outside this figure and are paid there according to the status of the car.

How many days does the car need from Jebel Ali to Antwerp or Zeebrugge?

The sailing itself is roughly 22 to 31 days, and from the door of your home in the UAE to your Belgian address it is 32 to 45 days. If vessels switch to the Cape of Good Hope route, the time grows by about two weeks. Air freight cuts it to 3–6 days.

Is Antwerp better, or Zeebrugge?

Neither is better in absolute terms. Zeebrugge is the port for driven cars, so RoRo vessels mostly call there. Antwerp is the larger container port, so a car shipped in a container is unloaded there. We choose by the method you booked and then by how close your city is to either one.

Do I pay customs in Belgium on my UAE car?

If it enters for a visit and will return, there is no duty or tax under the temporary admission arrangement. If you are moving your residence and meet the relief conditions, you do not pay them either. Outside those two cases the rule in force is 10% duty and 21% value added tax, then a regional registration tax when you apply for plates.

How long can the car stay in Belgium on its UAE plates?

The rule in force in the European Union is that a visitor resident outside it may use their own car registered outside it for no more than six months in any twelve. They may not sell it or lend it to an EU resident. We confirm the period and conditions in force before shipping.

What is the difference between the tourism certificate and the export certificate?

The tourism certificate is issued for a car that will return to the UAE, so it keeps its plates and ownership. The export certificate is issued for a car that will not return, so its plates are withdrawn, export plates are given and its file is closed. Choosing the wrong one costs a full re-registration.

Can a car with bank finance be shipped?

For temporary travel it can if the bank issues a no-objection certificate, which is the condition of the tourism certificate for a mortgaged car. For a final export the finance must be settled and the mortgage released first, and without that the certificate is not issued.

Can a Gulf-specification car be registered in Belgium?

It can after an individual approval and a technical inspection, because it carries no European certificate of conformity. The left-hand steering complies, and you should expect the headlights to be changed, a rear fog lamp to be added and an emissions measurement to be supplied. We review your model before booking to tell you what to expect.

Do you collect the car directly from a showroom in Dubai?

Yes. Our agent collects it from the showroom or dealership once the transfer of ownership is complete or the export certificate has been issued in the buyer’s name, and the showroom’s representative signs the condition report with us. This is what most buyers living in Belgium do.

Can belongings be put inside the car?

On a RoRo vessel, no, as the car is handed over empty. In a private container, belongings entered on a list submitted to Belgian customs are allowed. Anything hidden in the boot halts clearance and may be confiscated.

Do you ship a classic car or one that does not run?

We ship both in a private container, as RoRo requires a car that moves under its own power. The car is drawn in by hand winch over long ramps and secured by its tyres. A car more than thirty years old may be treated by Belgium as a collector’s item with lighter charges, and we check that for your case.

How do I follow my car during the journey?

You receive the container number or the RoRo booking number and the vessel’s name on loading day, and follow it on the shipping line’s website. We send an update at every stage: entry to the port, sailing, arrival, release and departure of the delivery truck.

What if the car arrives with a scratch?

The remark is written on the delivery report before you sign, and photographed beside the loading photographs. We then open the claim with the insurer and follow it up. That is why we do not hand over the key before the inspection.

When should I book so that the car arrives before the summer begins?

For sea freight, seven to eight weeks before your arrival date, because demand from the Gulf to Europe peaks in the weeks before summer. For air freight, two to three weeks are enough.