Sea freight to South Sudan
South Sudan is landlocked, so sea freight is always sea plus road: cargo discharges at Mombasa in Kenya or Djibouti, clears transit, and travels overland to Juba. Intaccess arranges the whole chain as one shipment. Sea freight is materially cheaper than air for anything heavy or bulky, and the trade-off is time.
Sea freight at a glance
- Gateway ports
- Mombasa (Kenya), Djibouti
- Final leg
- Overland corridor to Juba
- Container options
- FCL 20ft / 40ft, or LCL shared
- Chargeable basis
- Greater of weight or volume, 1 tonne per CBM
- Best for
- Heavy, bulky or non-urgent cargo
- Customs
- Transit clearance plus South Sudan import clearance
Why sea freight to Juba is a two-leg journey
There is no commercial seaport in South Sudan. Every container arrives through a neighbouring country's port and completes its journey by road. Mombasa is the usual gateway for cargo from China and the Gulf; Djibouti serves some routes from Türkiye and Europe.
That second leg is the part inexperienced shippers underestimate. Port congestion, transit-country customs, the condition of the corridor road and the border crossing all sit between the vessel arriving and the cargo reaching Juba. We plan and quote for both legs together, because a sea freight price that stops at the port is not a price you can budget against.
Full container or shared container
FCL — a full container, 20ft or 40ft — is yours alone. It is the right choice once your cargo fills most of a container, and it reduces handling because the container is sealed at origin and opened at destination.
LCL — less than container load — means your cargo shares a container with other shippers'. You pay for the space you use, measured in cubic metres, with a minimum charge. LCL adds consolidation and deconsolidation steps at both ends, so it is slower per shipment but far cheaper for smaller volumes.
Sea freight is charged on the greater of weight or volume, at one tonne per cubic metre. Unlike air, where the ratio is roughly 167 kg per cubic metre, dense cargo is what drives sea cost.
What we handle
As with air, the point is that one company is accountable end to end.
- Collection and export clearance at origin
- Container booking, FCL or LCL
- Bill of lading and shipping documentation
- Port handling and transit clearance at Mombasa or Djibouti
- Overland transport on the corridor to Juba
- South Sudanese customs clearance and duty
- Final delivery
What documents you need
Sea freight carries the same documentary discipline as air, with the addition of transit paperwork for the country the cargo passes through.
- Commercial invoice matching the actual transaction value
- Packing list itemised by container or pallet
- Bill of lading, which we issue
- Certificate of origin where required
- Transit documentation for Kenya or Djibouti
- Import permit for regulated goods
- Consignee tax identification and business registration
Frequently asked questions
Can cargo be shipped by sea directly to South Sudan?
No. South Sudan is landlocked and has no commercial seaport. Sea freight discharges at Mombasa in Kenya or at Djibouti, then travels overland to Juba. We arrange both legs as a single shipment.
Should I choose FCL or LCL?
FCL — a full 20ft or 40ft container — makes sense once your cargo fills most of a container, and it reduces handling because the container is sealed at origin. LCL means sharing a container and paying for the cubic metres you use, which is cheaper for smaller volumes but adds consolidation steps at both ends.
How is sea freight priced?
On the greater of weight or volume, calculated at one tonne per cubic metre. This is the opposite emphasis to air freight, where one cubic metre bills as roughly 167 kg, so dense cargo drives the cost by sea and bulky cargo drives it by air.
Is sea freight much cheaper than air?
For heavy or bulky cargo, substantially — which is why it is the default for construction materials, machinery, vehicles and bulk goods. The trade-off is time, and the overland leg from the port is a real part of that.
What usually delays sea freight to Juba?
Rarely the vessel. Port congestion at Mombasa, transit-country customs, corridor road conditions and the border crossing are where time is lost. We quote both legs together so the plan reflects that.
Do you handle the transit paperwork through Kenya?
Yes. Transit documentation for the gateway country is part of the shipment, along with South Sudanese import clearance at the other end.
Tell us what you need to move
Send us the details — what the cargo is, roughly what it weighs and where it is coming from — and we will come back with a quote.