FIATA
International Federation of
Freight Forwarders Associations
The global voice of freight logistics

Regulatory Alert: Egyptian Customs Introduces Transit Facilitation Measures for Gulf Corridor

General
8 April 2026

Dear FIATA Members,

The Egyptian Customs Authority has issued Procedural Circular No. 4 of 2026 and Instructions to facilitate Transit Procedures Egypt to and from the Gulf Arab States, introducing temporary facilitation measures for indirect transit shipments that are effective as of 9 March 2026 for a period of three months.

Key Measure
Indirect transit shipments arriving at Egyptian ports whose final destination is outside Egypt are exempted from the requirement to obtain an Advance Cargo Identification Number (ACID).

This exemption covers:

  • Shipments transiting Egyptian territory to the ports of Nuweiba, Ain Sokhna, or Safaga, onward to final destinations in the Gulf States (West Asian countries); and
  • Shipments originating from Gulf States and transiting Egypt en route to destinations worldwide.

The exemption applies retroactively to detained shipments and those dispatched after the onset of the regional events referenced in the circular.

Operational Requirements
Freight forwarders and shipping agencies must ensure the following conditions are met:

  1. Bills of lading and cargo manifests must clearly indicate a foreign final destination.
  2. All customs formalities under the indirect transit regime must be completed, with these shipments being accorded priority processing.
  3. Both the importer and exporter must be foreign entities.
  4. Full compliance with regulatory and security requirements must be maintained throughout transit.
  5. Diversion of shipments to the Egyptian domestic market is strictly prohibited.
  6. The Movement Department will affix electronic seals and record seal numbers on the dispatch request, designating the approved route and estimated transit time.
  7. Shipments will be closely monitored; any delays must be reported to the Central Directorate of Customs Enforcement or the Customs Security Directorate.

This information has been communicated to FIATA by the Permanent Mission of Egypt to the United Nations Office in Geneva, the WTO and Other International Organizations.

We kindly request that you share this information with your relevant members and stakeholders.

For more information information, access the Circular and the Instructions below:

Procedural Circular No. 4 of 2026

Instructions to facilitate Transit Procedures Egypt to and from the Gulf Arab States