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Shipping from Kenya to South Sudan
Everything that moves between Kenya and South Sudan takes one of a small number of paths. This page explains each of them, what they cost, how long they take and which customs process applies, so you can pick the right one before you commit to a shipment.
The two kinds of cargo we move
Almost every consignment heading to Juba falls into one of two categories, and they are not the same job. Treating them as if they were is the single most common cause of cargo sitting still at a border.
Cargo originating in Kenya
Goods manufactured, bought, sourced or already stored in Kenya. Building materials from Athi River, furniture from Nairobi industrial area, food from Nakuru, pharmaceuticals from a Kenyan distributor, machinery bought from a Kenyan dealer. These goods are exported from Kenya: an export declaration is lodged with the Kenya Revenue Authority, the goods are released for export, and they are then imported into South Sudan.
See what Kenyan export clearance involves
International transit cargo through Kenya
Goods that were never Kenyan. A container from Shenzhen, a pallet from Jebel Ali, machinery from Mumbai, equipment from Istanbul. They arrive at Mombasa Port or at a Nairobi airport and continue to South Sudan. These goods are not entered for home use in Kenya. They move under a customs transit regime, under bond and under electronic cargo tracking, and Kenya treats them as cargo passing through rather than cargo being sold into its market.
Read how transit through Kenya works
Why the distinction matters. The declaration type, the documents, the bond, the taxes and the exit procedures are different. A foreign container declared the wrong way can end up assessed as a Kenyan import. We tell you which regime applies before the cargo moves.
The routes
Nairobi to Juba
Nairobi is where cargo sourced in Kenya is consolidated. From Nairobi the road runs northwest through Eldoret and Malaba into Uganda, up through Kampala and Gulu, and crosses into South Sudan at Nimule. Nairobi also handles air cargo to Juba for anything urgent or high value.
- Nairobi to Juba cargo overview
- Nairobi to Juba road freight
- Nairobi to Juba air freight
- Nairobi to Juba container transport
Mombasa to Juba
Mombasa is the sea gateway. Containers arriving from Asia, the Gulf, Europe and the Americas are discharged, cleared or placed under transit, collected from the terminal and trucked north. The road distance is longer, and the port stage runs on its own timetable of free days, delivery orders and container deposits. That is where most delay happens.
- Mombasa to Juba cargo overview
- Mombasa Port to Juba cargo
- Mombasa to Juba road freight
- Mombasa to Juba container transport
Humanitarian cargo
Relief cargo for UN agencies and NGOs travels the same roads but clears under different rules, and whether it pays tax turns on an exemption file the Ministry of Finance decides on.
Past Juba
Our published rates run to Juba, but the delivery does not have to stop there. We move cargo on to Kapoeta, Torit, Bor, Bentiu, Malakal, Rumbek, Wau, Aweil, Yambio and Yei, and to smaller places where the route allows it. Field movements are quoted per consignment, because the season and the state of the road decide both the route and the price. Tell us the final destination when you ask for a rate rather than after the cargo reaches Juba.
China to Juba
A door to door service rather than a leg of one. Air and consolidated sea freight from China, quoted DDP so the published rate already includes South Sudan import duty and taxes.
The services
| Service | Best for | Priced by |
|---|---|---|
| China to Juba, door to door | Buying from China, duty paid in the rate | Per kg (air) or per CBM (sea) |
| Machinery and heavy equipment | Plant and machines, crated and delivered to site | Per container or per truck |
| Spare parts | A machine is down and the part has to move | Per kg, usually by air |
| Telecoms, power and cable | Tower builds, fibre and site power, delivered to site | Per container, per truck or quoted |
| Solar equipment | Panels, inverters and batteries | Panels per piece, the rest on weight |
| Medicine and medical equipment | Health products, where compliance is the hard part | One DDP price |
| Veterinary medicine | Livestock vaccines, acaricides and animal health supplies | One DDP price |
| Groupage / consolidated cargo | Part loads too small for a dedicated truck | Chargeable weight or CBM |
| Full truckload | A full vehicle, or cargo you don't want loaded with other people's cargo | Per truck |
| 20ft container transport | A full 20ft FCL moving to Juba | Per container |
| 40ft container transport | A full 40ft FCL moving to Juba | Per container |
| Air freight (Nairobi, Mombasa) | Urgent, light, high value or perishable cargo | Per kg, against a minimum |
What it costs
We publish our tariff rather than hiding it behind a quote form. The rate tables show the rate, what it includes, what it excludes and how long it is valid for.
Get a quotation
Tell us what you are shipping
Send us the cargo description, weight or volume, and the pickup and delivery addresses. We reply with a written rate, the transit time and the documents you will need.
Clearing into South Sudan
Whichever route your cargo takes, it ends with a South Sudanese customs entry. That means an importer registered with the National Revenue Authority, a declaration, an HS classification, a customs value, assessment of duty and taxes, any standards or sector permits that apply, and release.
- South Sudan customs clearance
- Documents you will need
- Import duties and taxes
- Certificate of Conformity (PVoC)
- Nimule border clearance
Choosing between air and road
Road is the default for volume: it carries weight cheaply and handles containers, machinery and building materials that no aircraft will take. Air wins when the cargo is light relative to its value, when a delay costs more than the freight, or when the goods are temperature- or time sensitive. The crossover point is usually a question of chargeable weight against the cost of waiting.