Documented clearance.
Not just cargo moved.
URA-licensed freight forwarding and customs clearance across East Africa. Air, sea, and road. One operator. Every document accountable.
§ 02 · MODES
Three modes.
Whichever the cargo demands.
The mode is selected on cargo type, transit window, cost, and compliance requirements. Most complex consignments use more than one.
Sea Freight
Mombasa and Dar es Salaam into Uganda.
Primary corridor for high-volume and non-time-critical cargo. FCL and LCL. RORO for vehicle imports. Origin booking, bill of lading management, port clearance, and inland transit to Kampala.
Air Freight
Entebbe in and out.
For time-critical, perishable, and high-value consignments. Airway bill issuance, Entebbe cargo handling, URA customs at the airport, and delivery from airside. Outbound air freight for export under dedicated protocols.
Road Freight
Cross-border along the major corridors.
For intra-regional cargo and last-mile links. Northern Corridor (Mombasa to Kampala via Nairobi and Malaba), Central Corridor (Dar es Salaam via Mutukula), and DRC, Rwanda, and South Sudan cross-border routes.
§ 03 · CUSTOMS PROCESS
What happens when cargo
reaches Uganda.
Customs clearance is where an import either flows or stalls. The difference is documentation preparation and an operator who knows the URA process without guessing.
Pre-arrival filing is the single most effective tool for reducing clearance delays. Documentation gaps, not port congestion, cause most holds.
TYPICAL CLEARANCE WINDOW
3–7 days
From vessel arrival, with complete pre-filed documentation
01
Pre-arrival filing
Import documentation prepared before the vessel or aircraft arrives. URA import declaration initiated. Prevents delays at port or airside from documentation gaps.
02
Cargo manifest matching
Cargo declared on the manifest is matched against the bill of lading or airway bill. Discrepancies are resolved with the carrier before offloading.
03
URA customs entry filing
The import entry (Form C32) is filed through the URA ASYCUDA system. Declared value, harmonised code, duty rate, and applicable levies computed and confirmed.
04
Valuation and assessment
URA issues the customs assessment. Where URA's computed value differs from the invoice, we advise on the declared value position and support any formal objection.
05
Duty computation and payment
Import duty, excise, VAT, infrastructure levy, and any applicable withholding tax computed. Duty payment coordinated on the client's instruction.
06
Physical examination (if required)
URA may direct a physical examination of the cargo. We coordinate the examination, ensure the cargo is available and accessible, and document the outcome.
07
Release order and port exit
Once duty is paid and examination cleared, URA issues the release order. The cargo exits the port or airport under transit bond or direct release to the consignee.
08
Post-clearance documentation
Full customs documentation pack issued within 48 hours of release: customs entry, assessment notice, duty receipt, release order, and transit documentation.
§ 04 · CREDENTIALS
Verified.
On the record.
Every credential below is current and confirmable. References available to institutional clients on request.
URA Licensed Clearing Agent
Uganda Revenue Authority
UFFA Member
Uganda Freight Forwarders Association
ASYCUDA-registered Agent
URA Customs
EAC Customs Protocol Compliant
East African Community
ASYCUDA PLATFORM
All import entries filed electronically. Clients do not interact with the system directly.
§ 05 · SCOPE
We forward most
cargo types. A few we do not.
We do not handle
- Prohibited imports under Uganda law
- Wildlife and endangered species
- Controlled substances
- Counterfeit goods
- Any cargo flagged under applicable sanctions lists
We handle
- General merchandise
- Commercial freight
- Industrial equipment and machinery
- Construction materials
- Agricultural commodities
- FMCG and consumer goods
- Vehicles and automotive parts
- High-value assets under protocol
- Dangerous goods (ADR, case by case)
- Temperature-sensitive cargo
- Project cargo (scoped at enquiry)
- Diplomatic and NGO cargo
Confirm at quote
- Perishables and cold chain (carrier availability dependent)
- Oversized and out-of-gauge cargo (routing assessment required)
- Hazardous materials Class 1 (explosives)
- Second-hand goods subject to additional inspection
FCL
Shipment type
28 days
Total transit
Zero
Incidents
§ 06 · CONSIGNMENT RECORD · C-2025-027
Industrial machinery.
Rotterdam to Kampala.
In Q1 2025, Granite Gate managed freight forwarding and customs clearance of two units of industrial processing equipment from a manufacturer in Rotterdam to a construction firm in Kampala Industrial Business Park.
Ocean freight booked as FCL from Rotterdam to Mombasa. URA customs entry filed pre-arrival. Duty computed and confirmed before vessel docked. Physical examination directed by URA on one unit, coordinated and completed without delay.
Inland transit from Mombasa to Kampala: 7 days. Full customs documentation pack issued within 24 hours of release. Client received bonded release, duty receipts, and transit records as a single file.
See all consignment records§ 07 · COMMON QUESTIONS
Questions at the
first freight conversation.
Short answers. The full process is above.
§ 08 · MOVE FREIGHT
Cargo that needs to move
across a corridor, documented.
A full freight quote within four working hours. Mode, routing, and customs assessment included.
§ 09 · RELATED SERVICES
Services that travel with this one.
Most freight consignments use two or three services. The file handles all of them.
Bonded Warehousing
Released into bond at Kampala after clearance. CCTV, insured, timestamped.
Learn More
Trade Documentation
Certificate of origin, export permits, AML support. Integrated into the same freight file.
Learn More
Last-Mile Distribution
Delivery from bond or warehouse to the end recipient. Signed, photographed, confirmed.
Learn More§ 10 · CLOSE
Cross-corridor freight.
One operator, end to end.
Tell us what needs to move. A senior operator responds within four working hours, in writing.