Dalian (Dayaowan)
North-east China's battery gateway at Dayaowan, with a small but growing lithium export flow, a local MSA that has named misdeclaration as its main problem, and both winter ice and spring fog.
Middle East · sea freight from Dalian
Shipping from Dalian to Jeddah Islamic Port
Dalian to Jeddah Islamic Port
Yellow Sea · Taiwan Strait · Malacca Strait · Andaman Sea · Indian Ocean · Gulf of Aden · Bab-el-Mandeb · Red Sea
- DalianChina origin
- Yellow Sea
- Taiwan Strait
- Malacca Strait
- Andaman Sea
- Indian Ocean
- Gulf of Aden
- Bab-el-Mandeb
- Red Sea
- Jeddah Islamic PortSaudi Arabia
From Dalian to Jeddah Islamic Port, cargo moves from Liaoning through Dalian's Dayaowan terminals, crosses a corridor drawn through Bab-el-Mandeb and up the Red Sea, and is discharged at a Red Sea port whose tariff starts charging storage on class 9 containers from the fourth day after discharge.
On the Saudi side every consignment needs its own SABER shipment certificate and Arabic-language labels. This page sets out 5 points specific to this route, how Anxin handles each one and which documents to prepare.
What we need to start
- Winter ice & spring fog
- Dalian Dayaowan export
- SABER shipment certificate
- Arabic label artwork
- Consignee ready to clear on arrival
Route profile
How Dalian → Jeddah Islamic Port differs from other lanes
Jeddah Islamic Port
A short storage-free window after discharge under the Mawani tariff, a dangerous-cargo handling surcharge, and a terminal running at record volumes.
Where this route gets difficult
Where Dalian → Jeddah Islamic Port shipments get held up: 5 points
They run from the Dalian terminal through the voyage to Jeddah Islamic Port and the Saudi Arabia import file.
- Origin port
A smaller flow under the new ship-carriage standard
Liaoning's first lithium battery export under JT/T 1543 sailed from Dayaowan on 4 May 2025, and Dalian MSA counted 885 TEU of lithium batteries exported in the first four months of that year. Carriers should not accept batteries that do not meet JT/T 1543, and with a thinner flow there are fewer sailings to fall back on if a booking is refused.
What Anxin does: We check JT/T 1543 conformity evidence with the manufacturer before booking and confirm the carrier's acceptance of the UN numbers in writing.
- Origin port
Misdeclaration is the problem Dalian's MSA names first
Dayaowan MSA reported in April 2024 that omissions and misdeclarations of lithium battery cargo were frequent because the rules are complex. Its answer was a dedicated desk and hotline, priority handling for EV batteries, and AI comparison of documents to cut down container openings: a comparison that flags any gap between the declaration and the paperwork behind it.
What Anxin does: We reconcile the UN number, classification, packing group, quantity and SDS across every document before filing, which is exactly what an automated comparison will test.
- Sea corridor
Piracy is back off Somalia
Piracy has returned to the Gulf of Aden: the JMIC rated it SUBSTANTIAL in September 2026, and four merchant ships hijacked off Somalia this year, including the product tanker MT HONOUR 25, were still being held.
What Anxin does: We check the carrier's routing and security surcharges for Jeddah Islamic Port at each booking rather than relying on an older quote.
- Destination port
The storage clock starts at discharge
Class 9 lithium battery containers are not on Mawani's direct-delivery list (that is reserved for classes 1, 5 and 7), so they can be stored at the port. But the Saudi Ports Authority tariff exempts import containers from storage charges only for the first 3 days after discharge, and dangerous cargo is charged extra for handling. A container that lands before its SABER shipment certificate is ready starts paying almost immediately.
What Anxin does: We line up the shipment certificate, invoice and packing list with the importer's broker before the vessel reaches Jeddah Islamic Port, so clearance can start on the day of discharge.
- Import country
Palletised stuffing is now the Saudi norm
Saudi Arabia has required containerised imports to be palletised since May 2025, with a 12-month phase-in and approval-only exemptions for bulk, heavy or oversized goods, so battery cartons loose on the container floor are not an option for Jeddah Islamic Port.
What Anxin does: We plan the stuffing in Dalian on pallets from the start, with the CINS blocking and bracing on top, and send stuffing photos to the Saudi Arabia importer before the box is sealed.
Documents & compliance
What to have ready: Dalian to Jeddah Islamic Port
Test reports, safety data sheets and import certificates come from the shipper, factory and importer, not from Anxin; our part is to review them before booking.
In Dalian, before the box is loaded
- UN number, class, quantity and SDS reconciled across all documents before the Dalian filing
- JT/T 1543 conformity evidence from the manufacturer
- Transport-condition classification report where applicable
- Load plan showing even weight distribution (no more than 60% of the cargo weight in either half of the container length)
- Stuffing plan on pallets (Saudi palletisation rule) with blocking and bracing photos
Carrier and voyage
- Carrier's current routing into the Red Sea and any transhipment port, stated on the booking
- UN 38.3 test summary for every cell and battery type
- Dangerous goods declaration with UN number (3480 / 3481 / 3090 / 3091), proper shipping name and packing instruction (P903, or P908/P911 for damaged)
For the importer in Saudi Arabia
- Clearance documents ready before arrival to use the storage-free days after discharge
- SABER product certificate (PCoC) for each battery model, issued by a SASO-notified body
- SABER shipment certificate (SCoC) for this consignment, requested once invoice and packing list are final
Before you book
Send the file once, complete
Most delays on this route start with a document that exists but does not match: a UN number, a model name or a package count that differs between the Dalian filings, the carrier booking and the Saudi Arabia import file. We check the three against each other before the booking is confirmed.
Carriers we book with
Our booking panel; availability on this lane and acceptance of the declared UN numbers are confirmed for each booking. It does not mean that a listed carrier runs a direct service on this route. Carrier choice depends on the trade lane, cargo classification and each carrier's dangerous-goods acceptance at booking. The final carrier is confirmed on the booking.
Risk & mitigation
What could go wrong from Dalian to Jeddah Islamic Port, and who acts
| Risk | Where | Mitigation | Who acts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Declaration flagged by document comparison; container opened | Dayaowan | Cross-document reconciliation before filing | Anxin with the declarant |
| Piracy threat in the Gulf of Aden | Gulf of Aden | Current routing and surcharges confirmed per booking | Carrier |
| Storage charges from day 4 while documents are completed | Jeddah Islamic Port | Shipment certificate and broker instructions ready before arrival | Importer / broker, prompted by Anxin |
| Floor-loaded container not accepted under the palletisation rule | Saudi port of discharge | Pallets planned in the stuffing instructions | Shipper / packing site |
Questions
Common questions on the Dalian → Jeddah Islamic Port route
In FASAH at least 72 hours before arrival for ships from distant ports such as China, and since 1 May 2026 it must include the 6-digit HS code, cargo size and the dangerous-goods details, or it is rejected.
The JMIC rated the Gulf of Aden SUBSTANTIAL in September 2026, with piracy and attacks a strong possibility, and four merchant vessels hijacked off Somalia in 2026 were still held. We confirm the carrier's routing and security surcharges at each booking.
Dayaowan MSA reported in 2024 that omissions and misdeclarations of lithium battery cargo were frequent because the rules are complex, and it uses AI document comparison. Consistent data across the declaration, SDS and packing documents is the main defence.
References
Official sources for this page
- Saudi Arabia: Import Requirements and Documentation (last published 2026-05-11) (International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce)
- Law of Port Service Fees and Charges, 4th edition (Saudi Ports Authority / Mawani) (Mawani (document hosted by Maersk Saudi Arabia))
- JMIC Update 099 to Advisory Note (Joint Maritime Information Center (via UKMTO))
Next step
From enquiry to import
- 1EnquiryCargo, origin, destination
- 2Documents checkUN 38.3, SDS, packing
- 3BookingAfter carrier acceptance
- 4HandoverAt Dalian
- 5ImportClearance at Jeddah Islamic Port
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After you send it
We check carrier acceptance for Dalian → Jeddah Islamic Port before any booking, and ask for missing battery documents first.
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