China, India or Turkey: Choosing a Sourcing Origin for UAE Buyers
Transit to Jebel Ali ranges from four days to four weeks depending on origin. Here is how China, India and Turkey actually compare for UAE buyers, category by category.
Field Notes
Sourcing & Trade Insights
Working guides to the parts of international procurement that decide whether a shipment lands clean: compliance, payment terms, certification, and what things actually cost.
Pre-Shipment Inspection: What SGS, TÜV and Bureau Veritas Actually Check
An inspection you commission after the container is sealed is a formality. Here is what a real PSI covers, how sampling works, and the clause that gives it teeth.
Sourcing Agent vs Trading Company vs Commercial Broker: Which One Do You Need?
The difference comes down to one question: who signs the contract with the factory? That answer determines your pricing visibility, your recourse, and your risk.
What Landed Cost Actually Includes When Importing to Dubai
The factory price is typically 55–75% of what the material costs at your gate. Here is the complete stack, and the six line items that most commonly go unbudgeted.
How to Verify an Overseas Manufacturer Before You Pay
A trading company can present itself as a factory convincingly enough to survive every check most buyers run. Here is the sequence that separates the two before money moves.
Incoterms 2020 for UAE Importers: FOB, CIF and DDP Compared
Incoterms decide who pays, who insures, and exactly where risk passes. Three of the eleven cover most UAE imports - and the differences between them are worth real money.
How to Read a Mill Test Certificate (and Spot a Falsified One)
An MTC is the only document that ties the steel in your yard to a tested heat. Here is how to read one properly - and the four checks that catch a forged one.
Letter of Credit vs Escrow vs T/T: Choosing Payment Terms for Cross-Border Orders
A letter of credit protects the document set, not the goods. Here is what each payment instrument actually secures, what it costs, and when each one is the right call.
Importing Steel into the UAE: ESMA, Tariffs and Jebel Ali Clearance
Conformity certification, HS classification, duty, and the exact document set Jebel Ali expects - the four things that decide whether your steel clears in days or sits on demurrage.