Abu Dhabi to the UK.

Abu Dhabi sends us a steady stream of family SUVs, the odd Patrol that has never seen a dune, and more than a few cars bought new from the capital’s main dealers.

We collect from across the emirate, including Al Ain, and offer both container and RoRo shipping. My Car Import’s own Abu Dhabi figures put RoRo at around 2 to 4 weeks at sea and a container at around 3 to 6 weeks.

Before the car can leave Abu Dhabi

Before a car goes, every Gulf country wants its registration closed and nothing owed against it, with the paperwork in order. The detail is local. Here is how it tends to work in Abu Dhabi.

Rules and fees are set by the local authority and do change, so treat this as a guide and check the latest with them. Our agents will tell you if anything has moved.

Khalifa Port or Jebel Ali

Depending on sailings and space, an Abu Dhabi car may load at Khalifa Port or travel up the E11 to Jebel Ali. We confirm which in your quote, and either way it is collected from your address.

Al Ain and the Western Region

Being a long way from the coast is not a problem. Collection from Al Ain or the Al Dhafra region is arranged in the same way as a pickup in the city, just with a little more time on the truck.

Once it reaches the UK

From here, the process is identical wherever the car came from. It comes to our own site in Castle Donington, where our team unloads containers themselves, our customs team clears it with HMRC, and the car goes into our workshop for its UK conversions: headlights adjusted to dip the right way, a speedometer that reads in miles per hour and a rear fog light.

Then it is tested in our own lanes, an IVA test if it is under ten years old or an MOT if it is older, and registered through our dealer-level DVLA account in around 10 working days. You collect it, or we deliver it.

The sea leg itself is usually 3 to 6 weeks. Your quote sets out what to expect for your car.