Container shipping and car shipping from Dammam to Tunisia is a long sea voyage from the Arabian Gulf to the Mediterranean. There is no practical road route here: the whole home is loaded into a container that is closed and sealed outside your door in the Eastern Province and is opened only at the port of Radès or at your door in Tunisia. And because most people shipping to Tunisia are Tunisians returning after years in Saudi Arabia, a shipment’s success depends not only on the container but on knowing the final return scheme (FCR) and what it allows for furniture and the car.
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Al Basma Express ships your home and car from Dammam, Al Khobar, Dhahran, Jubail and Qatif to Greater Tunis, Sfax, Sousse, Nabeul and every other governorate: a full container for you alone or space in a shared container, loading and securing at your door, shipping from King Abdulaziz Port or via Jeddah port, then clearance and delivery in Tunisia.
Shipping from Dammam to Tunisia in brief
Al Basma Express offers container shipping, furniture moving, car shipping and goods shipping from Dammam to every governorate of Tunisia — including Greater Tunis, Sfax and Sousse — by sea to the port of Radès.
Services
- ✔Full container: 20ft or 40ft for your home alone, loaded and sealed at your door.
- ✔Part load: space in a shared container for limited belongings.
- ✔Car shipping: in a container alone or with the furniture.
- ✔Goods and equipment: in commercial containers with their documents.
Cost and duration
- ✔A 20ft container: from SAR 6,320.
- ✔A 40ft container: from SAR 14,500.
- ✔A studio or room by part load: from SAR 2,140.
- ✔A car: from SAR 1,670.
- ✔Transit time: usually 3 to 6 weeks, depending on sailings and transshipment.
Required documents
- ✔Copy of passport and iqama.
- ✔A detailed, numbered inventory list.
- ✔Electronic broker authorisation via the Fasah platform.
- ✔Final return scheme (FCR) documents for returning Tunisians.
Dammam to Tunisia in numbers
Which container do you need? 20ft, 40ft or a part load?
Choosing the container size is the first decision when shipping to Tunisia, because it sets most of the cost. These rough estimates help; the survey sets the actual volume:
| Option | Approx. capacity | Suits | Price from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part load | By cubic metre | A studio, a room or boxes | SAR 2,140 |
| 20ft container | About 28 – 33 m³ | A one- to two-bedroom apartment | SAR 6,320 |
| 40ft container | About 58 – 67 m³ | A large apartment or house, or furniture with a car | SAR 14,500 |
| 40ft high cube | About 68 – 76 m³ | A villa with large furniture | By survey |
Full container or part load?
| Item | Full container for you alone | Part load |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy | Sealed at your door and touched by no one else | Grouped with other shipments in a warehouse |
| Duration | Usually shorter | Longer, waiting for the container to fill |
| Cost | Higher overall, lower per metre if full | You pay only for your volume |
| Suits | Full homes and valuable items | Limited belongings |
How we load and secure the container
The container travels thousands of miles by sea, is lifted and lowered by cranes several times and may be transferred between two ships. So correct loading is what protects your furniture:
- 1Heaviest low and at the back: appliances and heavy cabinets first against the container’s front wall.
- 2No gaps: spaces filled with blankets and light boxes.
- 3Lashing straps on every row: stopping movement as the ship rolls.
- 4Moisture protection: moisture-absorbing sachets inside the container, as the voyage crosses different climates.
- 5Sealing: closed and sealed in front of you, with the seal number recorded in the documents.
| Item | Preparation for sea freight |
|---|---|
| Wooden furniture | Dismantled and numbered, packed against moisture |
| Appliances | Fully emptied and dried days before to prevent mould |
| Glass, marble and chandeliers | Padded wooden crates |
| Soft furnishings and rugs | Cleaned and dried, then tightly wrapped |
| Books and documents | Small boxes lined with plastic |
Shipping a car to Tunisia and the final return scheme (FCR)
The car is shipped to Tunisia inside a container: alone in a 20ft, or with the furniture in a 40ft. But before shipping, the key question is whether the car qualifies for final return benefits.
Main final return conditions for the car
- ✔The beneficiary: a Tunisian aged 18 or over who lived abroad for at least two years before the final return, without spending more than 120 days a year in Tunisia.
- ✔Car age: no more than 5 years from the first registration, with a gross weight of no more than 3.5 tonnes.
- ✔Frequency: the benefit is available once every ten years.
- ✔Options: full exemption with a ban on selling, or partial exemption by paying a share of the duties with the right to sell.
- ✔Hybrid and electric cars: can now be imported under the final return scheme.
| Step in Tunisia | Details |
|---|---|
| Vehicle identification certificate | Issued after technical inspection confirms the car complies |
| Tax benefit application | Signature-certified, submitted through the one-stop window of the Office of Tunisians Abroad |
| Documents | ID card, passport, registration certificate and proof of ownership |
On the Saudi side: export plates from the Traffic Department, Absher authorisation, clearance of fines and liens, and the istimara.
Furniture and effects under the final return scheme
The final return scheme also allows furniture and personal effects to be brought in with set benefits:
Dammam port or Jeddah port?
From the Eastern Province there are two routes for your container to Tunisia:
| Route | How | When it suits |
|---|---|---|
| From King Abdulaziz Port, Dammam | The container sails from Dammam around the Arabian Peninsula, usually with transshipment at another port | When a suitable sailing is available from Dammam |
| By road to Jeddah port, then by sea | The container is trucked to Jeddah and sails from the Red Sea | Usually a shorter sea leg to the Mediterranean with more sailings |
We choose the route that gives your container the nearest sailing and fewest transfers, and tell you the route before shipping. In Tunisia, Radès usually has the most sailings, and sailings to Sfax or Sousse may be available if that is your destination.
Shipping goods and equipment to Tunisia
We ship commercial goods and factory equipment from the Eastern Province to Tunisia in full containers or part loads, with the commercial invoice, packing list and certificate of origin. Goods of Arab origin may benefit from exemptions under the Greater Arab Free Trade Area agreement, and clearance is in the name of a Tunisian importer.
Documents required to ship from Dammam to Tunisia
| Shipment | Saudi side | In Tunisia |
|---|---|---|
| Furniture and effects | Passport and iqama, numbered inventory list, Fasah authorisation and final exit visa | Final return documents and ID card |
| Car | Export plates, Absher authorisation, clearance and istimara | Vehicle identification certificate and benefit application via the one-stop window |
| Goods | Commercial invoice, packing list, export declaration and certificate of origin | Clearance in the importer’s name |
More details in our guide to shipping from Saudi Arabia to Tunisia.
Shipping prices from Dammam to Tunisia
| Service | Price from |
|---|---|
| Air freight for parcels (per kg) | SAR 42 |
| A studio or room by part load | SAR 2,140 |
| A full bedroom | SAR 3,300 |
| A two- to three-bedroom apartment | SAR 4,560 |
| A 20ft container | SAR 6,320 |
| A villa | SAR 10,230 |
| A 40ft container | SAR 14,500 |
| Car shipping | SAR 1,670 |
How long does shipping from Dammam to Tunisia take?
| Stage | Approximate duration |
|---|---|
| Loading and clearance in Saudi Arabia | A few days |
| Road transport to Jeddah (if chosen) | One to two days |
| Sea voyage with transshipment | Two to four weeks |
| Clearance and delivery in Tunisia | Days, depending on complete documents |
| Usual total | 3 to 6 weeks |
Delivery across Tunisia
| Area | What we plan for |
|---|---|
| Greater Tunis | Close to Radès, with direct delivery from the port |
| Sfax, Sousse and Monastir | Road transport from the port, or a direct sailing if available |
| Inland cities and the south | Longer road transport and advance planning |
| Old medinas | Narrow alleys; a smaller vehicle and carrying over distance |
How can you reduce the cost of shipping to Tunisia?
- 1Fill the container well: a full container is cheaper per metre.
- 2Sort before the survey: cheap bulky furniture may be cheaper to buy in Tunisia than to ship.
- 3Check final return benefits before shipping the car and furniture.
- 4Prepare documents early to avoid storage fees at the arrival port.
A Tunisian leaving the Eastern Province for good?
- 1Set your final return date: the benefits are based on it.
- 2Load the container a few days before you fly: the sea voyage is long.
- 3Fasah authorisation to complete the Saudi-side formalities after you leave.
- 4The car early: export plates and clearance before your files are closed.
Storage before shipping
If you must vacate your Eastern Province home before the sailing date, we keep your belongings in an air-conditioned warehouse and load the container on time. Details on our temporary storage page.
Questions to ask before booking
- 1Is the container for me alone or a part load? When is it sealed?
- 2From which port will my container sail, and with what transshipment?
- 3Do you know the final return requirements for the car and furniture?
- 4What does the price include in Tunisia: unloading only, or delivery to the home?
What cannot be shipped to Tunisia?
See our prohibited items page.
Steps for shipping your container from Dammam to Tunisia
- 1Contact: pickup location and your governorate in Tunisia.
- 2Survey: setting the container size or part load.
- 3Price and route: port and sailing.
- 4Documents: Fasah, the list, final return and car documents.
- 5Loading and sealing: at your door.
- 6The sea voyage: with container tracking.
- 7Clearance and delivery: in Tunisia.
Examples of shipments to Tunisia
Why Al Basma Express for shipping to Tunisia?
For shipping from Riyadh see shipping from Riyadh to Tunisia, and from Jeddah, shipping from Jeddah to Tunisia.
FAQ: container shipping from Dammam to Tunisia
How much does it cost to ship a container from Dammam to Tunisia?
How much does it cost to ship a car from Dammam to Tunisia?
How long does shipping from Dammam to Tunisia take?
Which Tunisian port does the container arrive at?
Does the container sail from Dammam or Jeddah?
What are the car conditions under the final return scheme?
How much furniture is allowed under the final return scheme?
Can the car be shipped with the furniture in one container?
What documents are needed to ship to Tunisia?
What is the difference between a full container and a part load?
Do you deliver inside old medinas?
How do I find out my shipment cost?
Your home in a sealed container, from the Eastern Province to Tunisia
Shipping to Tunisia is a long sea voyage, but its details are clear: a container of the right size, loading and lashing that withstands the sea, a port and sailing chosen with care, and a complete final return file for the car and furniture. When all that comes together, your container reaches Tunisia as it was sealed at your door.
Contact Al Basma Express on +966553923364.
