List of prohibited items by major shipping companies in Saudi Arabia

To achieve the principle of public safety, certain restrictions have been placed on shipping companies and business owners regarding shipping prohibitions and what goods can be transported. For example, radioactive materials, which can cause multiple environmental damage and harm to the team working on their transport, cannot be transported. Shipping narcotics or weapons is also prohibited.

Is this the only thing that is prohibited from being shipped or transported, or is there a greater limitation?

This article will answer all your questions regarding shipping prohibitions and the list of prohibited items for most shipping companies operating in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Let's start by clarifying the general concepts.

First, it is essential to note that there is a difference between the term prohibited items or shipping prohibitions and the term restricted items according to international shipping regulations.

What are shipping prohibitions?

These are items, materials, or products that customs authorities are prohibited from receiving in a particular country for multiple reasons, including: environmental risks and local laws of the country.

This can be illustrated with a simple example: in Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia, shipping, storing, and consuming alcohol is prohibited for religious and cultural reasons.

As for restricted shipping items

These are goods or materials subject to careful inspection by countries to approve or deny their shipping and circulation. These restrictions may be imposed by countries for reasons related to achieving public safety, or economic competition imposed on domestically produced goods.

The most prominent example of this is what India did as one of the producing countries of black pepper and spices when it imposed restrictions on the import of spices from abroad.

It is worth noting that there are many items prohibited from being shipped via airplanes, some of which we review below.

List of Air Shipping Prohibitions

There are many items, products, and materials that are prohibited from being shipped by air due to the extreme danger they pose, and these items include:

• Flammable materials such as gasoline, kerosene, and flammable paints.

• Firearms, ammunition, explosives, incendiary materials, and toxic materials.

• Metal tools such as: swords, knives, and others.

• Chemical materials, and fireworks.

• Active and radioactive materials, dangerous biological materials, and corrosive materials.

• Dangerous goods such as: mercury, magnetized materials, bags with alarm devices, lithium batteries, etc.

• Legally prohibited materials such as narcotics and the like.

• Compressed gases such as oxygen cylinders and gases packaged under pressure.

• Liquids in large quantities, as there are restrictions on the quantity of liquids of all kinds that can be shipped via aircraft.

• Biological materials such as human or animal medical samples that may contain dangerous viruses or bacteria.

• Hazardous waste such as medical, chemical, or industrial waste that can cause health or environmental damage.

List of Shipping Prohibitions for Some Companies in Saudi Arabia

There are many items, products, and materials that are prohibited from being shipped and transported via various means of transport, whether by air, sea, or land via trucks through what is known as postal shipping. The most prominent of these items are:

• Compressed flammable and non-flammable gases, as well as toxic gases such as aerosol and camping gas.

• Firearms, ammunition, explosives, incendiary materials, and toxic materials.

• Loose lithium batteries or batteries not packaged inside equipment.

• Metal tools such as: swords, knives, and others.

• Chemical materials.

• Fireworks.

• Active and radioactive materials.

• Dangerous goods such as: mercury.

• Lighters.

• Live animals.

• Counterfeit goods.

• Charcoal.

⚠️ Due to the limited scope to mention shipping prohibitions for all companies operating in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in the following lines we will focus on some well-known companies that have a clear and explicit list of shipping prohibitions that customers can refer to. These lists may be similar to the prohibitions of many other companies.

Shipping Prohibitions for Fedex

Fedex is one of the largest shipping and logistics companies globally. Regarding the list of prohibitions or prohibited items, the company is well aware of the different nature and restrictions of each country, and therefore offers the possibility to search by country name to find the list of prohibited or restricted items for that specific country.

For Saudi Arabia, the list of prohibitions includes:

• Masks.

• Poisons.

• Smart cards.

• Pokemon games.

• Magic games.

• Counterfeit goods.

• Tattoo machines.

• Laser pointers.

• Spices, and herbal tea.

• Dates.

• Herbal products.

• Tobacco, electronic cigarettes, and other electronic smoking devices.

• Video games (containing pictorial materials).

• Electric stunners (for personal use).

• Mannequins used in stores.

• Playing cards, and gambling items such as lottery tickets.

• Clothes sent to a military unit.

• Items offensive to Islamic culture.

• Items offensive to the Saudi royal family, Saudi politics, customs, or traditions.

• All types of religious books (including but not limited to the Quran, the Bible, Buddhism, etc.).

• Pornographic media files and any media displaying female anatomy, as well as pornographic tools.

• Any item with a hidden camera or anything that can be used as a spy item such as (pen, watch, etc.).

• All shipments containing jewelry, including but not limited to (gold, silver, platinum, pearls, precious stones, diamonds, etc.) with a declared or commercial value exceeding $500 USD.

Shipping Prohibitions for DHL

DHL is a leading company in the shipping and logistics sector. It offers many services and features such as: shipping and delivery of parcels, domestic and international cargo shipping via various transport methods (land, sea, and air), along with unique solutions it provides for storing, packing, and wrapping goods to deliver them to the final consumer with the best possible quality.

DHL works on innovating solutions for shipping many restricted items such as chemical materials, but on the other hand, it has a complete list of materials prohibited from being shipped by DHL and products and items prohibited from being shipped in line with international laws and regulations. This is related to shipping products purchased through "DHL Easy Shop," which is a technical solution that allows individuals to purchase and ship internationally from any store even if it does not provide international shipping service.

This list includes:

• Lithium batteries and electronic products that require them.

• Money and cash in its various forms.

• Cigarettes and related products such as tobacco.

• Narcotics, addictive drugs, and materials used to make narcotics.

• Sharp objects such as bows, arrows, knives, and bayonets.

• Ammunition and weapons such as pistols, rifles, hand grenades, and even pepper spray.

• Gambling items such as lottery tickets and gambling devices.

• Alcoholic beverages

• Perishable products such as frozen food, eggs, and seafood.

• Precious metals and gemstones.

• Explosive products, toxic materials, and infectious materials.

• Pornographic and obscene materials and tools.

⚠️ You can view the full list and detailed shipping policy here, and if you have doubts about whether your products are acceptable for shipping or not, we advise you to contact the shipping company directly and ask about it.

Shipping Prohibitions for Aramex

Aramex is a leading company in the shipping and logistics sector in Saudi Arabia and the Arab world, due to the many unique features and services it offers.

Regarding shipping prohibitions, the company provides a short and brief list of items prohibited from being shipped by them and advises its customers to refer to the customs information of each country separately to accurately verify the nature of the prohibited items.

However, in general, among the materials prohibited from being shipped by Aramex, we mention:

• Money

• Precious metals

• Liquids

• Narcotics

• Chemicals

• Explosive materials

• Weapons

Shipping Prohibitions for UPS

UPS is one of the largest logistics companies in the world, providing shipping and delivery services to companies and individuals globally. The company's services include parcel shipping, mail, documents, air and sea freight, storage, distribution, and other logistics services.

The company has a list reviewing its shipping prohibitions in the various countries in which it operates, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and we mention among them:

• Certain types of ammunition.

• Bank bills, banknotes, or currency (other than coins).

• Corpses and cremated remains.

• Dangerous toys.

• Hazardous waste and toxic materials.

• Marijuana, including medical marijuana.

• Postage stamps.

• Products made from ivory.

Shipping Prohibitions for Naqel Express

Naqel Express is one of the leading institutions in the shipping and logistics sector in Saudi Arabia, offering many features and services such as: shipment tracking, international and domestic shipping, parcel shipping and delivery, door-to-door delivery, and others.

The company provides a PDF file of its terms and conditions of service and details all unacceptable items for transport, including:

• Letters and writings that are personal correspondence.

  • All types of paper currency.

• Dangerous materials and flammable and explosive materials.

• Silver and gold (except with a permit from the Ministry of Finance and Customs Authority).

• Pictures, books, drawings, newspapers, and all things that violate traditions and morals.

• Islamic books or those that involve an offense to honor or a threat to the security of the Kingdom

• All types of tapes and microfilm slides.

• Items with unpleasant odors.

• Live and dead animals and insects except for bees (excluding adherence to special transport conditions).

In addition to the items mentioned, the company emphasizes referring to the list of dangerous, prohibited, or restricted materials according to the classification of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), as well as the list of all materials prohibited from entering or exiting under the customs system, executive regulations, laws, and regulations in force in the Kingdom.

Shipping Prohibitions for SMSA Express

SMSA Express is a Saudi company specializing in transportation, delivery, shipping, and storage services, and is considered one of the fastest-growing emerging companies in Saudi Arabia, distinguished by providing many logistics services with the latest innovative technologies in the field of logistics and transportation.

The mention of shipping prohibitions at SMSA Express was brief within the Terms and Conditions page under the item of non-transportable materials. These items are:

• Explosives.

• Money.

• Human corpses or body parts.

• Firearms.

• Toxic materials and dangerous goods.

It is possible to contact the SMSA customer support team directly for more details if the information provided by them is insufficient.

Many questions may also come to mind about whether some products are prohibited from shipping or not, or whether they have specific shipping conditions, and for this, we have prepared the following section to include some frequently asked questions related to the blog topic.

Most Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Shipping Certain Materials in General

Here is a collection of some frequently asked questions about the possibility of shipping certain items and products and answering them simply as follows:

Can liquids such as honey be shipped?

Aside from what was previously mentioned, safe liquids such as honey, juices, natural beverages, dairy products, and others can certainly be transported, but the matter depends on several main factors, including:

• The type of liquid to be shipped: Shipping flammable liquids, toxic liquids, and other liquids that pose risks is prohibited.

• The quality of packaging to protect this liquid: Safe packaging materials and appropriate packaging methods must be used, and the most suitable temperature for shipping the product must be determined.

• Guidelines of the contracted shipping company: Ensuring that it provides the appropriate shipping service compatible with the nature of the product to be shipped.

Can perfumes be shipped?

Most perfumes contain a high percentage of alcohol, and therefore are considered a dangerous liquid subject to certain restrictions by shipping companies. Assuming you are a merchant and want to ship perfumes, you must adhere to the restrictions and controls that the contracted shipping company will set for shipping this type of liquid.

As we mentioned, it is essential to choose high-quality packaging materials that do not allow leakage or expose the perfumes to heat, which could cause them to ignite, thereby ensuring their safe shipping and delivery.

Can mobile phones be shipped?

Of course, yes, you can ship mobile phones, but according to the guidelines set by each shipping company for transporting this type of item. It is necessary to observe high quality in the packaging process and apply safety standards for lithium batteries so that they do not explode.

Therefore, you should package them according to the recommended standards so that they are not affected by temperatures, and choose the appropriate container for the size of the phone so that it does not move inside, which would expose it to damage.

⭐ Read also: The Most Famous Types of Shipping Boxes and Factors for Choosing the Best for Your Products

Can food and foodstuffs be shipped?

Of course, yes, but they must be properly packed and wrapped to ensure they do not spoil, and then transported via a shipping company that guarantees safe delivery.

You should know that there are foods and foodstuffs that require refrigerated shipping to preserve them, and some that require frozen shipping, depending on the type of food and foodstuffs being shipped and the distance to be covered to deliver these products to the agreed-upon delivery location.

Can animals be shipped?

If the answer is yes, you might feel a little surprised, right? Well, let us remove this ambiguity and say: it is possible to ship animals through different methods depending on the type of animals to be shipped and their destination:

• Via mail/land: For example, birds, frogs, fish, lizards, etc., can be shipped.

• Via air and sea: Animals can be shipped via aircraft and ships, for example, shipping dogs, cats, and other animals according to the restrictions and controls set by transport companies to achieve the principle of public safety.

What happens to prohibited items?

In case prohibited items are discovered, the competent authorities follow specific procedures to ensure safety and compliance with laws, including:

• Confiscation of prohibited items by customs authorities or security agencies responsible for inspecting shipped items.

• Destruction of prohibited items, especially if they pose a threat to public safety, including damage to health or the environment.

• Conducting investigations to determine the source of the prohibited items and how they reached the shipment.

• Notifying the shipper and recipient about the prohibited items discovered in the shipment and the actions taken regarding them.

• Imposing financial fines or legal penalties on companies or individuals responsible for shipping prohibited items.

• In some cases, prohibited items are re-exported to the country of origin if allowed by the laws in force in the destination country.

• Documenting all discovered prohibited items and the actions taken regarding them to maintain accurate records and for monitoring and review purposes.

In Conclusion,

It can be said that shipping prohibitions and restricted items are extremely important matters in the world of transport and shipping. Although many of these materials and items can be used safely and effectively, there are some items and materials that can pose a risk to public health and safety if handled incorrectly.

Therefore, adherence to local and international laws and regulations related to shipping prohibitions and restricted items is vital to ensure the safety of people and the environment and protect the transported goods.

It is important for all companies and individuals who transport goods to be aware of the rules and legislation regarding shipping prohibitions and restricted items, and to work to implement them precisely to avoid any potential risks.