Learn / Export Scrap Metal: Australia to UAE
The UAE's steel industry needs scrap feedstock to keep scaling, and Australia has the supply. Here's what's actually involved in shipping material from one to the other.
Unlike the UK, Australia already has a finished trade deal in place: the Australia-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement has been in force since October 1, 2025, eliminating tariffs on over 99% of Australia's exports to the UAE by value. On the demand side, Emirates Steel Arkan's Abu Dhabi plant alone runs at 5 million tonnes of electric arc furnace capacity, part of why the UAE's appetite for imported scrap keeps climbing.
Depending on the type and quantity of scrap you're shipping, Australian export controls may require a licence before the shipment can leave. Confirm this early, it affects your timeline more than any other step.
Metal type, value, and destination all need to be declared correctly. Errors here are one of the most common causes of shipment delays.
Export runs typically make sense from around 1 to 5 tonnes depending on the metal, with a standard container holding 20 to 25 tonnes, plan your load size around what's actually economical to ship.
UAE customs, administered by the Federal Customs Authority and the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, requires the right commodity code for each metal category at the point of entry.
Along with a certificate of origin, expect UAE customs to require a shipper confirmation and a clear declaration of what the shipment actually contains.
Since January 14, 2026, VAT on scrap metal transactions in the UAE is accounted for by the buyer under a reverse charge mechanism. Confirm with your buyer how this is handled in your deal.
This guide covers general ferrous and non-ferrous metal scrap. E-waste is governed by separate, stricter Basel Convention rules. Regulations and tariff treatment can shift quickly on both sides, confirm current requirements before committing to a shipment rather than relying on any single guide.
A CEPA tariff line and the right customs code don't tell you whether the buyer on the other end will actually pay. ScrapTrade verifies UAE accounts before they can trade and holds payment in escrow until delivery is confirmed. Check today's reference prices before you agree to a rate.
It isn't yet a top-five destination by overall volume, but its electric arc furnace capacity has grown fast enough to pull cargoes away from established buyers like Turkey. See our full breakdown of the world's biggest scrap metal markets for how it compares to China, India, and the rest of the field.
Yes. The Australia-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) entered into force on 1 October 2025 and eliminates tariffs on over 99% of Australia's exports to the UAE by value, Australia's first free trade agreement in the Middle East. Confirm the specific tariff line for your material, but the general environment is now genuinely favourable.
Not necessarily, it depends on the metal type and quantity. Confirm the current requirement for your specific material before booking freight rather than assuming based on a previous shipment.
No, that restriction (June to October 2026) applies to scrap leaving the UAE, intended to protect domestic feedstock supply. It doesn't affect imports arriving from Australia.
Listing on ScrapTrade puts your material in front of verified UAE buyers directly, with escrow holding payment until delivery is confirmed, which matters more on a long international shipment than almost anywhere else.
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