Overview

Amazon has broadened its SEND (Solutions for Enterprise Negotiated Delivery) offering to include ocean freight routes that move inventory from factories in China to Amazon fulfillment centers in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The new lanes give sellers a cheaper alternative to air cargo for stocking products in two of the Middle East’s fastest‑growing e‑commerce markets, and the entire workflow stays inside Seller Central.

Key Points

• Ocean lanes added — Sellers can now schedule sea shipments from Chinese suppliers straight to Amazon warehouses in Dubai and Riyadh through the SEND portal.
• Lower unit cost — Sea freight reduces the per‑item shipping expense dramatically versus air, while still meeting the minimum weight thresholds that let smaller sellers tap bulk rates.
• All‑in‑one dashboard — Booking, carrier selection, pickup scheduling, and real‑time tracking are performed entirely within Seller Central, eliminating the need for external freight forwarders.
• Carrier partners — Amazon works with vetted ocean carriers such as WallTrans, ensuring that the physical movement of pallets complies with Amazon’s handling standards.
• Longer transit, strategic fit — Typical China‑to‑UAE/SA transit runs several weeks, making the service ideal for replenishment, seasonal build‑ups, or high‑volume, non‑time‑critical SKUs.

How the SEND Program Works

1. Initiate a SEND shipment — In Seller Central, go to the “Send to Amazon” workflow and select the SEND option; the system immediately presents the new ocean freight routing alongside existing air and ground choices.
2. Choose carrier and schedule pickup — After confirming the ocean mode, pick a partner carrier (e.g., WallTrans) and set a pickup date at the Chinese factory; Amazon’s interface generates a shipping instruction sheet that the supplier can follow.
3. Customs and documentation handled — SEND automatically creates the required customs paperwork and uploads it to Amazon’s clearance system, so sellers do not have to file separate entry forms.