The Egyptian Customs Authority has introduced new measures aimed at facilitating transit trade through Egypt and strengthening the role of Egyptian ports as a regional logistics hub.

Under Procedural Circular No. 4 of 2026, indirect transit shipments passing through Egypt and destined for final delivery outside the country are temporarily exempt from the Advance Cargo Identification Number (ACID) requirement for a six-month period. The exemption applies to shipments transiting through the ports of Nuweiba, Ain Sokhna, and Safaga, particularly for cargo moving to and from Gulf markets and other international destinations.

Key conditions include clearly stating a foreign final destination on cargo documents, transactions occurring strictly between foreign exporters and importers, and continued compliance with all customs and security procedures.

Transit shipments cannot enter the Egyptian domestic market and will remain subject to electronic sealing, route control, and transit-time monitoring.

Additionally, under Instruction Circular No. 8 of 2026, Egyptian Customs will temporarily accept paper-based insurance policies as guarantees for transit consignments until a dedicated electronic insurance platform is launched.

These measures aim to streamline transit operations and support the efficient movement of cargo across Egypt in response to evolving regional logistics and supply-chain dynamics.