Shipping from South Korea to Oman — Freight Cost & Transit Times
A standard 40ft container from Busan to Sohar costs approximately US$2,400 (range $2,112–$2,760) with a total sea transit of 24 days and typical door-to-door lead time of 31–35 days including port handling and customs clearance. Oman applies 5% customs duty and 5% VAT on imported goods.
Freight & duty summary
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| 40ft container (low–high) | $2,112 – $2,760 |
| 20ft container (low–high) | $1,373 – $1,794 |
| Origin ports | Busan |
| Destination ports | Sohar, Salalah, Sultan Qaboos |
| Major carriers | HMM, Maersk, ONE |
| Customs duty | 5% |
| VAT | 5% |
| FTA benefit | Standard MFN rates apply |
Indicative General Cargo rates; refreshed monthly by DocMakTrade's trade desk.
Departure port comparison — South Korea to Oman
| Departure port | 40ft (USD) | 20ft (USD) | Sea transit (days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Busan | $2,400 | $1,560 | 24 |
Rates differ by loading port because of terminal handling and inland positioning costs in South Korea.
Freight cost comparison — most requested lanes into Oman
Indicative 40ft container freight into Oman across the lanes importers request most often. The South Korea lane is highlighted, so you can see instantly whether switching origin would materially change your ocean freight line item. Figures are the mid-point of each lane's assessed range and exclude duty, VAT and destination clearance.
- India → Oman — $1,500 per 40ft container (indicative)
- Turkey → Oman — $1,900 per 40ft container (indicative)
- China → Oman — $2,200 per 40ft container (indicative)
- Vietnam → Oman — $2,300 per 40ft container (indicative)
- South Korea → Oman — $2,400 per 40ft container (indicative)
- Italy → Oman — $2,900 per 40ft container (indicative)
- Netherlands → Oman — $3,038 per 40ft container (indicative)
Documents and customs for Oman
Documents usually required
- Commercial invoice (signed, showing HS codes and Incoterm)
- Packing list with gross/net weights and package marks
- Bill of lading (original, telex release or sea waybill)
- Certificate of origin (chamber-attested where requested)
- Importer registration with Royal Oman Police customs (Bayan system)
Customs notes
- 5% duty. Free zones (Sohar, Salalah) offer duty deferral.
- Typical customs clearance at Sohar: 1–3 working days once documents are complete.
- VAT base: CIF value plus duty; settlement currency OMR.
- Trade agreements recognised by Oman: GCC Customs Union, GAFTA, US–Oman FTA.
Prepare the paperwork with the commercial invoice, packing list and certificate of origin makers, then check the full Oman import guide.
Best time to ship South Korea → Oman
Rates are usually steadiest March–June; the Chuseok holiday (September–October) can delay factory pickups.
What moves on the South Korea → Oman lane
South Korea is a petrochemical and high-grade steel origin, with almost all Gulf-bound boxes routed through Busan.
Direct Far East–Middle East strings from Busan, frequently combined with a China port rotation.
Oman combines domestic demand with Sohar and Salalah acting as industrial and transshipment gateways outside the Strait of Hormuz.
Commodities commonly imported from South Korea
Arrival ports in Oman
Other origins shipping to Oman
Other destinations from South Korea
Run the numbers for this lane
Frequently asked questions
Explore more on DocMakTrade
Import destinations
Popular shipping routes
Major ports & entry gateways
- Sokhna (Egypt)
- Jebel Ali (United Arab Emirates)
- Khalifa Port (United Arab Emirates)
- Port Rashid (United Arab Emirates)
- Jeddah Islamic Port (Saudi Arabia)
- King Abdulaziz Port (Saudi Arabia)
- Jubail (Saudi Arabia)
- Sohar (Oman)
- Salalah (Oman)
- Sultan Qaboos (Oman)
- Hamad Port (Qatar)
- Doha Port (Qatar)
- All port guides
Ready to run the numbers?
Run the freight estimator for South Korea → Oman.