How to export scrap metal from Australia to the UAE

A new trade agreement helps, but does not do the paperwork

For Australian exporters, the UAE has become an unusually attractive destination. A comprehensive trade agreement between the two countries has recently come into force, the UAE's steel and metals industries are expanding, and Australia generates scrap volumes that its domestic market cannot always absorb. That combination is a real opportunity, but a trade agreement only addresses one part of the job. Licensing, declarations, the right customs code and the way VAT is accounted for on the other side still have to be done properly.

This covers general metal scrap, not e-waste. Requirements change, so confirm them before you ship.

Why Australia and the UAE

Australia's comprehensive economic partnership agreement with the UAE, known as CEPA, entered into force on 1 October 2025. It is Australia's first free trade agreement in the Middle East, and it eliminates tariffs on more than 99 percent of Australian exports to the UAE by value. For a scrap exporter, the general environment is now genuinely favourable.

On the demand side, the UAE has been building electric arc furnace capacity that depends on scrap feedstock. It is not yet a top-five scrap destination by overall volume, but its capacity has grown fast enough to start pulling cargoes away from established buyers such as Turkey. To see how it compares with China, India and the rest of the field, read The World's Biggest Scrap Metal Markets. For the other side of the story, the Emirates' own role as a re-export hub is covered on the Dubai city page, and for a seller's view from home, see how scrap auctions work in Australia.

On the Australian side

On the UAE side

What UAE customs requires on arrival does not depend on where the scrap comes from, so the full list is covered in Export Scrap Metal: India to UAE: the right commodity code declared for each metal category, a material composition declaration alongside the certificate of origin, and the VAT reverse charge on local scrap supplies in the UAE, in force since 14 January 2026, which matters if your buyer resells within the country. For an Australian exporter the practical lesson is to settle those points with the buyer before loading, because a mistake that is cheap to fix in a shed in Australia is expensive to fix at a port thousands of kilometres away, and the buyer, if experienced, will know exactly how they want the declaration worded.

What the trade agreement does, and does not do

CEPA removes tariffs on the vast majority of Australian goods entering the UAE, which makes the general cost environment better for Australian sellers than for many competing origins. But an agreement is not a substitute for checking the tariff line that applies to your cargo. Confirm the specific line for your material, and ask your buyer to confirm it too, because assumptions at this stage turn into costs at the port.

The agreement also does nothing about the practical side of exporting: licensing at home, accurate declarations, container loading, shipping schedules and paying for it all. Those remain your job and your buyer's. Think of the agreement as lowering one cost, not removing the work.

The UAE's 2026 export ban does not apply to you

One indirect effect is worth thinking about. When exports from a country are restricted, more scrap stays inside it, and that can soften local prices and change how keen buyers are to import. A buyer in that position may negotiate harder, or may value a reliable overseas supplier more. Either way, keep your pricing terms clear.

Finding a buyer without a broker chain

Many first-time exporters rely on a chain of brokers, each taking a margin and none of them guaranteeing the final buyer. Listing on ScrapTrade puts your material in front of verified UAE buyers directly. Buyers are KYC-verified, your listing can carry a GPS-verified video so they can see the actual grade, and a deposit is held in escrow until the buyer confirms the material matches the listing. On a long shipment between two countries, that visibility and safeguard matter more than almost anywhere else.

ScrapTrade does not handle customs, export licensing, freight or the settlement of the balance on a large shipment, which remain matters for the buyer and seller, and for their bank and broker. If you are a business that exports regularly, yard management software for scrap can help you keep inventory and customer records in one place. For comparison with other Gulf-bound routes, see Export Scrap Metal: India to UAE and Export Scrap Metal: UK to UAE, and for why verifying online usually beats travelling to meet a buyer, The Real Cost of Sourcing Scrap Abroad.

Frequently asked questions