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First phase of Shipment pre-registration system to be started from April 1, 2021; full implementation starts from July 1, 2021.

First phase of Shipment pre-registration system to be started from April 1, 2021; full implementation starts from July 1, 2021.

Posted on April 2, 2021

  • This new law requires a customs registration number (Advanced Cargo Information Declaration (ACID)) with the shipping documents for the incoming goods into the country
  • The ACI system is based on making the shipment data available before shipping from the country of import
  • In a scenario where this number is not included in the shipping documents, these goods will be reshipped outside the country without being discharged into the Egyptian ports with all cost of shipping to be borne by the carrier
  • The importer has to register an account on the electronic portal of (Nafeza) which has the right to electronically sign.
  • The importer has to register the essential data of the shipment including:
  1. Registration number of the foreign importer
  2. Code of the country of import, Code of the port of import
  3. Data of the commodity
  4. Integrated 10-digit customs tariff item
  5. Data from the invoice and other data from the shipment
  6. The country the importer is registered to, the registration number of the importer
  7. The commercial name of the importer, the type of import
  8. The detailed address and the e-mail of the importer and other data of the importer.
  • The importer shall evaluate the preliminary risks of the elements of the shipment and then fulfill the required import and supervisory restrictions.
  • Present digital data and documents via the platform “Nafeza” before shipping into the country with a preliminary customs registration number “Advance Cargo Information Declaration – ACID”
  • The Customs Authority shall respond by either accepting and issuing a preliminary ACID number or rejecting the application.
  • Notify the shipper with the ACID number to be registered on all shipping documents of the cargo. ACI number must be mentioned on all shipping documents
  • 48h before cargo ships from the Port of Loading, the exporter must submit draft documents to the CargoX platform.
  • Important Points to consider:
    1. If the documents are not uploaded by the exporter 48h before shipment from the Port of Loading, the cargo will be banned from being loaded on board
    2. Small discrepancies in documents will be permitted such as volume 210.3 to 211 but a change of product description or type of goods is not allowed
    3. If the consignee is changed after documents submission to CargoX, but 48h before loading on the vessel - then the new importer can go to Nafeza & create a new shipment ACI
    4. All exporters must be registered on the CargoX platform or its integrated partners
    5.  B/L Reading (TO Order) as consignee:  
    6. a.     The Egyptian Customs authorities announced the framework to handle TO Order  B/L to ease the trading process for both business and shipping parties within the ACI & Nafeza system.
      b.     The Egyptian Customs authorities announced that it is allowed to change the name of the notifying party in case of TO Order as consignee Bill of ladings after the cargo arrives in Egypt’s              ports, this allowance is constrained by the condition of having the same name to whom the bill of lading is endorsed on the documents sent by the exporter.
      c.     Request of change notify will be carried out inside Nafeza where the B/L number will be inserted to retrieve the details including the old notify name. The new notify tax id number will be            inserted in the field (notify after amendments). The application of changing notify will be reordered with the number and submitted to customs authorities to check and revert.
      d.     The carrier's responsibility, in this case, will be only to verify the validity of the ACID Number.
  • Nafeza system announced officially the electronic exchange of data and documents for import operations as part of the ACI system through the integration between Nafeza and the Egyptian Banks Network. A cooperation protocol was signed with the Ministry of Finance, Egyptian Banks Company, and the Egyptian company of e-commerce technology in guidance & coordination with the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE). 
  • The aim is to reduce the cost of importing by reducing the customs release time and accurately identifying the transaction’s parties. The Egyptian Banks Company will have an electronic platform to receive documents and data of shipments coming to Egypt and show them to the banks to complete the work cycle without waiting for the original documents, which contributes to the speed of Completion of the import process and customs clearance.
  • Other things to note:
    • Exporters must no longer legalize documents in the chamber of commerce or the embassy
    • The exporter must no longer send cargo by DHL and the exporter will upload documents on the CargoX platform, whilst the importer uses the Nafeza platform
    • Use of cargoX platform is not free for exporters, a small fee must be paid but that is yet to be determined helping save on legalization and courier fees



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