For exporters in France, Germany, the Netherlands or Italy selling to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan or Iraq, Türkiye is the land and sea bridge to the Middle East. There are three practical options: road all the way through Türkiye into Iraq; road or Ro-Ro to Türkiye and then sea freight from Turkish ports to the Gulf; or consolidation in a Turkish bonded warehouse before departure. In each case the European cargo crosses Türkiye in transit, without paying Turkish duties.
Why route through Türkiye
- Regular links with Europe: trucks via the Balkans and Ro-Ro lines from Italy bring cargo into Türkiye without transhipment.
- Common transit: Türkiye has been a party to the Common Transit Convention since 2012, so a T1 opened in the EU can run to the Turkish customs office under the same guarantee.
- Land and sea access: from Türkiye, Iraq is reached by road and the Gulf ports by sea from the eastern Mediterranean.
- Consolidation: goods from several European and Turkish suppliers can be combined in a bonded warehouse and shipped together.
The three main routes
| Route | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Road only | Truck or Ro-Ro into Türkiye, then by road across the Iraqi border to the final address | Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, full truckloads, inland delivery |
| Road and sea | Road to a Turkish Mediterranean port, then ship to ports such as Jebel Ali, Dammam, Hamad or Shuwaikh, then final delivery | UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, containerised cargo |
| Consolidation in Türkiye | European cargo enters a bonded warehouse, is combined with Turkish or other suppliers’ goods and leaves as one shipment | Gulf buyers sourcing from both Europe and Türkiye |
The right choice depends on destination, volume, urgency and the type of goods. Dangerous goods (ADR or IMDG) and oversized cargo are planned case by case.
Transit through Türkiye: T1, TIR and bonded storage
European cargo bound for the Gulf is not imported into Türkiye. It moves under a transit procedure: a T1 transit declaration opened in the EU is discharged at the Turkish customs office, and the goods continue under a new transit procedure until they leave Türkiye. For the road leg beyond the border, a TIR carnet is used where applicable.
Alternatively the cargo can wait in a bonded warehouse in Türkiye, under customs control and without Turkish duties or VAT, until the Gulf-bound load is complete. Both options are part of our transit freight service.
Documents for the Gulf and Iraq
Every destination needs a commercial invoice, packing list, transport document (CMR or bill of lading) and certificate of origin. On top of that, check the destination’s own requirements:
| Country | What to check before departure |
|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | Conformity for regulated products (ECAS scheme), any document legalisation the importer requires |
| Saudi Arabia | Conformity certificates through the SABER platform for regulated products |
| Qatar and Kuwait | Gulf common customs tariff, certificate of origin and any legalisation the importer requires |
| Iraq | Certificate of conformity for many product groups, obtained before shipment; differences between federal Iraq and the Kurdistan Region |
Requirements change often. We confirm them with the importer for every shipment before the cargo leaves Europe, because a missing document at destination costs more than any extra day on the road.
Road or sea: how to choose
- Inland or coastal destination: for Baghdad, Erbil or Basra, road is often the most direct option; for coastal Gulf cities, sea freight from Turkish ports is usually more economical.
- Volume: a full truckload justifies road; part loads can travel as groupage or in a consolidated container.
- Urgency: for urgent cargo we also quote air freight from Istanbul.
- Incoterm: on DDP terms we also handle duties and clearance at destination, so the buyer receives the goods without paperwork (see DDP solutions).
What we handle
From Istanbul we coordinate the whole route with one point of contact: pickup in Europe by truck or Ro-Ro, transit or bonded storage in Türkiye, sea freight to the Gulf, customs clearance and delivery. Country pages: Middle East and Gulf, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Iraq.
We work only with companies: exporters, importers and manufacturers. Every quote request gets a reply within 24 working hours.
Frequently asked questions
Can I ship from Europe to the Gulf through Türkiye without paying Turkish duties?
Yes. The cargo crosses Türkiye under a transit procedure or waits in a bonded warehouse, so it is not imported and pays no Turkish duties or VAT. Duties are paid only in the destination country.
Do I need a T1 to cross Türkiye?
Usually yes. Türkiye is a party to the Common Transit Convention, so the goods can travel on a T1 opened in the EU up to the Turkish customs office. From there they continue under the transit procedure for the next leg, for example a TIR carnet by road.
Which Turkish ports are used for the Gulf?
Gulf shipments generally leave from Turkish ports in the eastern Mediterranean, with sailings to ports such as Jebel Ali, Dammam, Hamad or Shuwaikh. The right port depends on the final destination and available sailings.
How long does it take to reach the Gulf?
It depends on the route, the destination port and clearance times. We always give the expected transit time together with the quote for your specific shipment.
Do you handle personal shipments?
No. We handle commercial shipments for companies only and do not accept personal parcels.