Al Mellah International Shipping (0580402747) is a shipping company from Al-Ahsa to Tunisia moving household furniture, expatriates’ belongings, cars, libraries and boxes from Hofuf, Mubarraz and the Al-Ahsa villages to Tunis, Sfax, Sousse and Kairouan — by road to Jeddah Islamic Port or through nearby Dammam port, then by sea to Rades Port — in 3 to 6 weeks. Prices start from SAR 290 per box, SAR 4,300 for a room of furniture by shared shipping and SAR 11,100 for a 20 ft container.
Many Tunisians work in Al-Ahsa as university professors and researchers, doctors and vets, and agricultural engineers on the oasis’s farms and projects. When they return to Tunisia, the shipment usually includes an academic library and the furniture of a spacious home, and sometimes a car. Al-Ahsa sits between two ports: Dammam port two hours away and Jeddah port on the other coast. This guide helps you choose the right port and size, and we prepare the final-return file with you.
⚓ Dammam port or Jeddah port?
| Criterion | Road to Jeddah then sea | Directly from Dammam port |
|---|---|---|
| Road leg | ≈ 1,250 km | Only ≈ 160 km |
| Sea voyage | Red Sea then Suez | Gulf and Arabian Sea, then Red Sea and Suez |
| Total transit | 3–5 weeks | About 5–6 weeks |
| Best for | Those who need to arrive sooner | Those not in a hurry who find a suitable sailing |
In most cases we truck the container to Jeddah because arrival is faster and Mediterranean services from there are more regular, but Al-Ahsa is very close to Dammam port, so if a suitable sailing is available on your date we compare both options in numbers before booking.
📦 The right size for your shipment
| Shipment size | Best method | Starts from |
|---|---|---|
| Boxes, suitcases and a small library (up to 5 m³) | Shared shipping by box | SAR 290 per box |
| One to two rooms (6–15 m³) | Shared LCL shipping | SAR 4,300 per room |
| A 2–3 bedroom flat (18–30 m³) | Dedicated 20 ft FCL container | SAR 11,100 |
| A large Hasawi house or a car with furniture | 40 ft FCL container | SAR 15,900 |
📚 Academics’ and researchers’ libraries
A returning professor usually carries an academic library, references and research papers. We pack books in small boxes of no more than 20 kg with a plastic bag inside each against sea humidity, number them by shelf, and put rare references in wooden crates. We recommend carrying hard drives and original documents on the plane.
🚗 Shipping your car from Al-Ahsa to Tunisia
The best-value way to ship the family car is inside a 40 ft container with the furniture, secured with straps and chocks under a protective cover. It can also go to Jeddah on an enclosed carrier and ship on a RoRo vessel. Tunisians returning for good get a privilege on one car under conditions, mainly the car’s age and length of residence abroad. Export plates and an export certificate are issued by Al-Ahsa traffic after settling fines and releasing any lien.
| Method | When it suits you | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Inside a 40 ft container with furniture | A family returning with their car and furniture | Request a quote |
| RoRo from Jeddah | A car on its own | Request a quote |
| A 20 ft container for the car alone | A luxury car | Request a quote |
🧳 Final return and the exemption
Tunisian regulations give residents abroad privileges on final return, chiefly an exemption for used furniture and belongings under conditions on length of residence and consular registration:
🛋️ Sea packing for Al-Ahsa furniture
| Item | Sea packing |
|---|---|
| Large majlis seating | Cushions separated, blankets then sealed film |
| Bedrooms and wardrobes | Dismantled, numbered and moisture-wrapped |
| Kitchens and IKEA kitchens | Orderly dismantling with fittings kept |
| Air conditioners | Gas recovered by a technician |
| Carpets and rugs | Rolled with absorbent bags |
| Coffee pots, pottery and antiques | Wooden crates fixed in place |
| Electronics | Double-wall boxes and silica gel |
🌴 Al-Ahsa dates to Tunisia
Tunisia is the land of Deglet Nour, but Al-Ahsa’s Khalas is a gift returnees love to bring their families. We ship it within belongings in personal quantities in sealed boxes; commercial quantities travel in a reefer container with an invoice and Arab certificate of origin, subject to Tunisian requirements for imported food.
📦 Parcels, cargo and stores
For employees and students sending a few items, a box or suitcase starts from SAR 290 by shared shipping. For traders we ship containers with an invoice and Arab certificate of origin to benefit from the Greater Arab Free Trade Area, and online stores get periodic consolidated shipping.
💰 Price summary from Al-Ahsa to Tunisia
Room and 20 ft container from the main article’s table, box and 40 ft at the nearest priced city’s rates; transport to the port is included, Tunisian duties on non-exempt goods are not.
How to get the cheapest price from Al-Ahsa to Tunisia
Send your location in Al-Ahsa, your governorate in Tunisia and the furniture volume, and we’ll compare Dammam and Jeddah in numbers.
📄 Documents and clearance at Rades
From Al-Ahsa the export declaration goes in on Fasah, the bill of lading is issued in the receiver’s name in Tunisia, and copies reach our agent at Rades who requests the returnee exemption and completes clearance, while you track the container number from Jeddah or Dammam to Tunisia.
| Document | Final-return belongings | Car | Cargo |
|---|---|---|---|
| ID or iqama | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Detailed packing list | ✔ | — | ✔ |
| Fasah authorisation and bill of lading | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Tunisian passport, consular registration and employer’s letter | ✔ for exemption | ✔ | — |
| Export plates and certificate | — | ✔ | — |
| Invoice and Arab certificate of origin | — | — | ✔ |
| Prohibited | Status |
|---|---|
| Flammables, gas and loose batteries | Prohibited |
| Weapons | Prohibited |
| Controlled medicines without a permit | Prohibited |
| Seedlings and seeds without permits | Prohibited |
🏙️ Delivery in Tunisia
| Governorate | Note |
|---|---|
| Greater Tunis | Closest to Rades |
| Nabeul and Bizerte | Short inland transport |
| Sousse, Monastir and Mahdia | Via Rades or Sousse port |
| Sfax and Gabes | Via Rades or Sfax port |
| Kairouan, Gafsa and Tozeur | Longer inland transport |
🗓️ Shipping steps and a Tunisian family’s return from Al-Ahsa
| Before travel | What happens |
|---|---|
| Six weeks | Survey, choosing the container and port |
| A month | Final-return papers, university or employer letter and the car decision |
| Two weeks | Packing list, Fasah authorisation and vessel booking |
| Loading day | Sea packing, loading and sealing |
| After 3–6 weeks | Clearance at Rades and delivery |
🧳 Suitcases and boxes
For students and employees sending a few items, we collect suitcases and boxes from your home in Hofuf or Mubarraz and add them to shared shipping from SAR 290 per piece.
🏢 Moving a clinic or office from Al-Ahsa to Tunisia
For vets, clinic owners and offices moving their work to Tunisia, we move furniture and equipment numbered by section in a dedicated container, wrap sensitive devices against humidity, and attach invoices for equipment treated as goods.
🛡️ Insurance and compensation
We recommend marine insurance for valuable furniture, cars and rare libraries. We record each item’s condition and the container’s seal number with photos, and you check them on delivery before signing.
📆 Shipping seasons from Al-Ahsa to Tunisia
| Period | Situation | Our advice |
|---|---|---|
| End of the academic year | Academics returning | Book six weeks ahead |
| Summer | Peak expatriate returns | Book early |
| Autumn and winter | Moderate traffic | A good time |
⚠️ Common mistakes
⚖️ How to choose a shipping company from Al-Ahsa to Tunisia
🔁 From Tunisia to Al-Ahsa
We also move shipments from Tunisia to Al-Ahsa for people coming to work and for traders, taking into account SABER platform requirements for regulated products, 15% VAT and the Kingdom’s used-car import rules.
❓ FAQ: shipping from Al-Ahsa to Tunisia
❓ How much does shipping from Al-Ahsa to Tunisia cost?
A 20 ft container from SAR 11,100, a 40 ft from SAR 15,900, a room by shared shipping from SAR 4,300 and a box from SAR 290.
❓ How long does shipping from Al-Ahsa to Tunisia take?
3 to 5 weeks via Jeddah, and about 5 to 6 weeks via Dammam port.
❓ Can I ship from Dammam port instead of Jeddah?
Yes, and Al-Ahsa is close to it, but the voyage is longer; we compare both options for your date.
❓ How do I ship my academic library?
In small lined, numbered boxes, with rare references in wooden crates.
❓ Are my belongings exempt after years in Al-Ahsa?
Usually yes if the final-return file is complete and items are used.
❓ How is a car shipped?
Inside a 40 ft container with furniture or RoRo from Jeddah; request a quote with its details.
Containers from Al-Ahsa to Rades via Jeddah or Dammam, with the final-return file.
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