How do you ship cargo to Ethiopia from the UK?
Ethiopia has no coastline, so its lifeline is the Port of Djibouti: we ship sea freight to Djibouti, then move it inland by road or rail to Addis Ababa — the cost-effective route for barrels, boxes, furniture and household goods. Air freight into Bole International suits urgent, fragile or high-value items. We handle groupage or a full 20ft/40ft container, collecting anywhere in the UK.
How long does shipping from the UK to Ethiopia take?
Sea-and-inland cargo generally takes 6–9 weeks — ocean transit to Djibouti plus the road or rail corridor to Addis Ababa. Air freight reaches Bole in a few working days. We quote a realistic window per shipment.
What does it cost to ship to Ethiopia?
Air freight is £5.90 per kg plus a £20 handling fee. Sea cargo starts from £70 per bag — call or email for a quote, since the inland leg to Addis Ababa is priced per shipment. Containers and vehicles are quote-only: call or email. Everything is quoted all-in, in GBP, with no surprise charges at the Ethiopian end.
Door-to-door delivery in Ethiopia
We collect from any UK address into our Dagenham depot, ship, clear customs and arrange delivery to the recipient's door in Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa and beyond. Prefer to collect at the other end? That works too.
Ethiopia customs — what you need
Imports clear through Ethiopian Customs (ERCA) with an import declaration and duty/VAT on arrival . Documentation may be required in Amharic. As an HMRC Customs Authorised forwarder with our own EORI, we prepare your export paperwork correctly and advise on restricted items before you ship.
Shipping a car to Ethiopia from the UK
Rolats ships cars, vans and SUVs to Ethiopia (UK→Ethiopia only) by container via Djibouti, then road to Addis Ababa. Vehicle shipping is quote-only — call or email — and we guide you through age, duty and inspection rules .
What can you send to Ethiopia?
Barrels & boxes, personal effects & household removals, electronics, food parcels, commercial stock, cars, and documents.
Why ship to Ethiopia with Rolats?
Pan-African specialists with a Dagenham depot, true door-to-door (not just port-to-port), all-in GBP pricing, and Djibouti-corridor know-how. Trusted by the large UK Ethiopian community across London and beyond.