How do you ship cargo to Mali from the UK?
Two routes. Sea freight travels to a West African coastal port (Dakar, Abidjan or Tema), then continues by road to Bamako and Sikasso — the cost-effective choice for barrels, boxes, furniture and full 20ft/40ft containers. Air freight via Bamako is for urgent, fragile or high-value items, arriving in days. We handle LCL/groupage and FCL, collecting anywhere in the UK into our Dagenham depot.
How long does shipping from the UK to Mali take?
Because cargo transits a coastal port and then travels inland, sea shipments generally take 6–9 weeks — the ocean leg plus the road corridor to Bamako. Air freight to Bamako is typically a few working days. Demand peaks around Sallah / Eid, so book early — we quote a realistic window per shipment.
What does it cost to ship to Mali?
Air freight is £5.90/kg plus a £20 handling fee. Sea cargo starts from £70 per bag and varies with volume and the inland road leg — call or email for a quote. Everything is quoted all-in, in GBP, with no charges at the Malian end. Prices to Bamako are quoted in pounds even though Mali uses the CFA franc.
Door-to-door delivery in Mali
We collect from any UK address into our Dagenham depot, ship to the coastal port, run the road corridor, clear customs, and deliver to the recipient's door — Bamako, Sikasso and beyond. Prefer drop-off and collection? That works too.
Mali customs — what you need
As a landlocked country, Mali clears imports both at the transit port and again on entry, and shipments typically require an ECTN / BSC (Bordereau de Suivi des Cargaisons) raised before the vessel sails . Documentation is in French. We prepare the paperwork so your cargo clears the corridor without being held, and advise on restricted items first.
Shipping a car to Mali from the UK
Rolats ships cars, vans and SUVs to Mali (UK→Mali only) by container to a coastal port, then overland to Bamako. Pricing is quote-only — call or email with the make, model and year for a GBP figure.
What can you send to Mali?
Barrels & boxes, personal effects & household removals, electronics, food parcels, commercial stock, cars, and documents.
Why ship to Mali with Rolats?
Pan-African specialists who understand landlocked routing — we manage both the ocean and road legs as one shipment, with all-in GBP pricing and French-docs clearance. Serving the UK Malian community across London and beyond.