Middle East & Africa · Sourcing guide
Sourcing chairs from China to Jordan
For a Jordan-based buyer, the question is rarely whether a Chinese factory can make the chair — it is what the chair costs once it clears Aqaba. This page walks the freight, duty and timing numbers for the lane.
Aqaba's Red Sea position has exposed it to the freight-rate volatility and schedule disruption that has characterized the eastern Mediterranean since 2024 — factor wider pricing uncertainty into landed-cost projections. Duties on finished furniture commonly run 15–30% plus 16% sales tax, making components and knocked-down imports worth investigating. Amman's commercial and hospitality sector drives most contract seating demand, and Jordan also functions as a staging corridor for Iraq reconstruction trade, which adds project-import volume that doesn't necessarily reflect Jordanian end-user demand. Development-zone exemptions exist on some tariff lines and are worth verifying.
The market, briefly
Jordan is a mid-sized market also serving as a corridor into Iraq reconstruction trade. Aqaba's Red Sea position has meant volatile freight pricing since 2024. Amman's commercial projects drive most contract-seating demand.
Landed cost: how to run the numbers
Landed cost for Jordan = FOB price + ocean freight (plus surcharges) + duty + VAT/GST + port and clearance fees + the inland leg. The mistake we see most is budgeting the FOB and the headline freight and nothing else — on budget seating the "everything else" routinely adds 20–40% to the invoice price.
A worked example (estimate)
Say you load a 40HC with 300 KD task chairs at $30 FOB — a $9,000 order. Using the midpoint of the 2026-H1 spot band ($3,600), ocean freight alone adds about $12 per chair before duty, VAT/GST, port fees and inland haulage. Run the same math at the top of the band before you budget: rate swings of this size are normal, not exceptional. Figures are illustrative — get live quotes.
Two guides cover the mechanics in depth: sea-freight budgeting and Incoterms for chair buyers. For load planning, see container math.
Frequently asked
How long does shipping take from China to Jordan?
Typical liner schedules into Aqaba run 20–35 days port-to-port. Via Red Sea routing into Aqaba — subject to the same risk surcharges and reroutes affecting the corridor since 2024. Add booking lead time, origin handling and customs clearance on both ends.
What does a 40ft container of chairs cost to ship to Jordan?
As of 2026-H1, published spot ranges for the lane sit roughly between $2,000 and $5,200 for a 40ft/40HC — an estimate from public rate indices, not a quote. Surcharges, peak-season fees and inland legs come on top.
What import duty applies to chairs in Jordan?
Jordan's duties on finished furniture commonly run 15–30% plus 16% sales tax at import. Verify rates by subheading; exemptions exist for some development zones. 16% GST.
Which port should I route chairs through for Jordan?
Aqaba is the usual gateway. Your forwarder's local coverage matters more than the port itself.
All freight, transit, duty and tax figures are generic planning estimates compiled by the editorial desk, marked as-of 2026-H1. Tariffs and VAT change frequently; always verify current rates with your freight forwarder and a licensed customs broker before quoting or committing. Rates as of 2026-H1.