How a China-Sourced Crane Order Actually Works

From a WhatsApp enquiry to a unit on a UAE site: factory selection, third-party inspection, sea-freight cubic-metre maths, Jebel Ali customs, RTA / EIAC papers, and the 30–60 day timeline.

Most of our enquiries arrive on WhatsApp like this: "I need a 50-ton crane, 2018 or newer, ready to mobilise to a site in Abu Dhabi next month — what do you have?" The honest answer depends on whether the unit is in our Sajaa yard right now or whether we need to source it from China for you. This guide walks through the second case end-to-end so you know exactly what's happening with your deposit.

Step 1 — Specification call (Day 0)

Before anything else we need: capacity tier, format (all-terrain vs truck-mounted), brand preference (XCMG vs Sany), year range you're willing to consider (which depends on site age limits), max engine hours, target ex-yard budget in AED. We'll ask a few additional questions — intended project, whether you need EIAC inspection on arrival, whether you want the boom configured for jib lifts — and from that we agree on a brief.

Step 2 — Sourcing inquiry (Day 0–5)

We send the brief to our vetted Chinese partners. Vetting is a real thing — we work with sellers who have given us reliable units before, returned deposits when a unit fell out of spec on inspection, and provide clean documentation. This list is shorter than you'd expect; the Chinese second-hand crane market is large, but the fraction of sellers we'll deal with directly is in the low double digits.

Within roughly five days we come back with two to four candidate units, each with: photos (chassis plate, hour meter, undercarriage, boom-base, slew bearing, cab interior), service-record summary, and landed-cost estimate in AED.

Step 3 — Candidate review and reservation (Day 5–10)

You pick a candidate. We confirm price and lock the unit with a refundable holding deposit at origin (typically 5–10% of the unit price), which buys us 7–10 days to organise pre-shipment inspection and freight booking before the unit is released.

Step 4 — Pre-shipment inspection (Day 8–15)

For most units we commission a third-party inspection at origin — typically TÜV, Bureau Veritas, or a recognised local Chinese inspection body. The inspection covers: chassis structural integrity, slew bearing condition (measurement, not just visual), boom telescoping cylinder seals, hydraulic pressure tests, electrical, cab function, and an operator-cycle test on the unit under load.

Inspection report comes back in 3–5 days. If the unit fails or diverges materially from the photos, the holding deposit is refunded and we go back to step 2 with a different candidate. If it passes, the next stage starts.

Step 5 — Customer deposit and proforma (Day 12–18)

You receive a proforma invoice covering the agreed AED ex-yard price, with line items per the price drivers guide. A 50% deposit is required at this stage to cover origin payment, freight booking and customs deposit. The 50% deposit is non-refundable once the freight forwarder confirms a sailing — see our Terms & Conditions for the exact clause.

Step 6 — Origin loading and sailing (Day 15–25)

Unit is moved to the port of origin (typically Shanghai, Tianjin, Qingdao, or for southern China sourcing, Guangzhou). Loaded onto a breakbulk vessel or — for some units — a roll-on/roll-off carrier. Sailing time to Jebel Ali is typically 18–28 days depending on routing and any current Red Sea / Suez disruption. We give you the bill of lading details once it's on the water.

Step 7 — UAE customs clearance (Day 35–45)

Vessel arrives at Jebel Ali. Our customs broker files declaration, collects the 5% customs duty, files import VAT (refundable for VAT-registered buyers), and arranges port release. Common reasons for delay: physical inspection (random, ~1 in 6 units), document discrepancies, or port congestion. We hold the unit at the port at our risk; storage charges are absorbed in the dealer margin unless we agreed otherwise on the proforma.

Step 8 — Inland transport to Sajaa (Day 36–46)

Low-bed move from Jebel Ali to our yard at Sajaa Industrial Area, Sharjah. Typically next-day from clearance. Unit is washed, photographed again post-arrival, and any agreed cosmetic refresh is performed.

Step 9 — Buyer inspection at Sajaa (Day 38–48)

You inspect the unit at our yard, or we arrange your nominated third-party inspector. Verify the unit matches origin photos and inspection report. If the unit has degraded materially in transit (rare, but possible), we work it out at this stage. This is also when EIAC / RTA inspection is arranged if your project requires it — typically takes 5–10 working days separately.

Step 10 — Balance and release (Day 38–55)

Balance 50% paid, paperwork transferred (chassis registration, if applicable; export documents from China; proforma converted to final tax invoice with VAT). Unit is released — you collect, or we arrange UAE-wide delivery to your project site. Title transfers to you on receipt of cleared full payment.

Total timeline

30–60 days from confirmed deposit to ex-yard release, depending on origin port, inspection round-trips, and customs. The fastest we've turned a unit was 28 days; the slowest stretched to 75 days because of a Red Sea routing diversion. We give honest timeline estimates and update you weekly.

What we never do

• Build cranes to spec. We're not a manufacturer. We source what exists and bring it in cleanly.
• Sell on photos alone. Every unit we resell has been inspected either at origin (if China-sourced) or at our yard (if already in stock), with documentation we share with you.
• Hide cost lines. The price stack is the same one we work to internally.

If the unit you want is in stock

The 30–60 day timeline above is for source-to-order. For units we already have in our Sajaa yard, the timeline is essentially the buyer inspection step plus paperwork — typically 3–7 days from confirmed deposit to release. Browse current stock or configure a unit to see whether yours is in stock or source-to-order.