Short answer
Key takeaways
- Sea: 9–15 days
- Air: 2–4 days
- LCL from 1 CBM
- Export cartons are 5-ply and palletised
Sea freight
Most orders to Saudi Arabia move by sea from Mundra or Nhava Sheva to Jeddah Islamic Port. Mixing instruments, disposables and garments in one FCL brings freight per unit down sharply.
Air freight
Use air for tender deadlines, emergency stock-outs or light, high-value products. We ship air from Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai.
Which products ship best by which mode
- Sea: hospital furniture, drapes, gowns, gloves, bandages, incontinence products
- Air or sea: surgical instruments, catheters, infusion sets
- Air for urgent orders: sutures, electrosurgical pencils, ophthalmic consumables
Packaging for long transits
Sterile goods are double-packed with moisture-barrier liners; instruments are oiled and sealed in VCI paper to prevent corrosion in humid holds.
Customs clearance at Jeddah Islamic Port
Have your Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) registration and import permit ready before the vessel arrives to avoid demurrage.
Incoterms on the India - Saudi Arabia lane
- EXW: you arrange the entire freight yourself from our factory gate
- FOB: we deliver to the Indian port, you book the ocean freight
- CIF/CFR: we arrange freight to Jeddah Islamic Port, the Incoterm most Saudi Arabia buyers choose
- DAP/DDP: door delivery through a partner forwarder, quoted on request
Reducing transit risk on long lanes
For humid or long transits to Jeddah Islamic Port, ask for desiccant packs in cartons, VCI-treated instruments and marine insurance at full invoice value rather than freight value alone.
Sea freight
9–15 days
To Jeddah Islamic Port from Mundra or Nhava Sheva. Best for FCL/LCL container orders and mixed-category shipments.
Air freight
2–4 days
From Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Delhi or Chennai. Best for urgent, tender or high-value orders.
Documents we provide for Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA)
- ISO 13485:2016 certificate of the manufacturing site
- CE certificate or declaration of conformity per product family
- Certificate of Free Sale issued in India
- Technical file / product dossier formatted for the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA)
- Certificate of origin, commercial invoice and packing list
- Batch-wise certificate of analysis and sterilisation validation (for sterile items)
Where healthcare construction is growing in Saudi Arabia
- Riyadh - Vision 2030 giga-projects and new specialist hospitals
- NEOM - a new-build region where every clinic and hospital is a greenfield fit-out
- Jeddah - waterfront redevelopment and private hospital expansion
Get the Saudi Arabia surgical supply catalogue
Full catalogue and a CIF price list for Saudi Arabia, sent within one business day.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a surgical supply catalogue for Saudi Arabia?+
Request it on the GlobalSurgicals catalogue form or WhatsApp our export desk. We send the full catalogue and a Saudi Arabia price list (CIF Jeddah Islamic Port) within one business day.
How long does shipping from India to Saudi Arabia take?+
Sea freight to Jeddah Islamic Port takes about 9–15 days; air freight about 2–4 days.
Can you ship DDP to our warehouse?+
For many cities in Saudi Arabia we can quote DAP or DDP through partner forwarders. Ask the export desk for a door-delivery quote.