Shipping Arabia, November 11, 2026 – The Egyptian Customs Authority has issued new transit customs rules exempting eligible Jordanian cargo from Advance Cargo Information (ACI) requirements when moving through Egyptian ports and border crossings to and from Europe, the Americas and North Africa. The measures aim to facilitate transit trade while simplifying customs procedures for shipments moving between Jordan and international markets.
The regulations were introduced under Customs Procedures Circular No. 17 of 2026, issued by the Egyptian Customs Authority under Chairman Ahmed Amoui following approval from Egypt’s Ministry of Finance.
The circular establishes specific requirements for eligible shipments, including documentation, customs declarations and cargo movements handled through Arab Bridge Maritime.
ACI Exemptions for Jordanian Transit Cargo
Under the new transit customs rules, Jordanian cargo moving through Egypt’s Mediterranean ports of Alexandria, Port Said and Damietta to and from Europe and the Americas will be exempt from Advance Cargo Information requirements.
The exemption also applies to Jordanian shipments moving between Jordan and North African countries through Egypt’s Sallum border crossing.
In addition, the circular extends the exemption to exports originating in other Arab countries that transit through Jordan before reaching Egyptian seaports or land border crossings. Shipments moving in the opposite direction are also covered.
To qualify, shipping manifests and bills of lading must clearly identify the final destination country. The regulations specify that the declared destination must be in Europe, the Americas or North Africa.
These requirements establish the documentation framework for applying the exemption while maintaining customs oversight of cargo moving through Egyptian territory.
Arab Bridge Maritime and Consolidated Transit Declarations
The circular introduces specific procedures for transit shipments transported through Arab Bridge Maritime.
Canal Shipping Agencies, acting as the Egyptian agent for Arab Bridge Maritime, will be responsible for submitting the required customs transit declaration through Egypt’s Nafeza digital customs platform.
The declaration, identified as a transit certificate and dispatch request, must be submitted in accordance with the applicable customs procedures.
The regulations also grant eligible shipments priority at the customs office of dispatch, allowing their customs formalities to be processed ahead of other cargo.
In addition, the authority will permit a single consolidated transit declaration covering multiple bills of lading associated with shipments transported under Arab Bridge Maritime’s grouped convoy arrangements.
The consolidated declaration must be registered under the name and responsibility of the company’s Egyptian agent.
This arrangement allows multiple shipments moving within the same convoy to be covered by one transit declaration rather than requiring separate declarations for every bill of lading.
However, the Egyptian Customs Authority emphasized that all other applicable customs transit regulations remain in force unless the new circular specifically provides an exception.
Earlier ACI Exemption for Indirect Transit Shipments
The latest measures follow an earlier customs decision introduced in March 2026 to facilitate indirect transit cargo movements through Egypt.
At that time, the Egyptian Customs Authority granted a three-month exemption from ACI requirements for eligible indirect transit shipments with final destinations outside Egypt.
The measure was introduced in response to regional developments in the Middle East and their effects on international trade and supply chains.
According to the authority, the objective was to facilitate transit trade and maximize the use of Egyptian ports as logistics gateways serving international cargo movements.
The earlier decision exempted eligible indirect transit shipments from obtaining an Advance Cargo Information Declaration (ACID) number.
It covered cargo arriving at Egyptian ports for onward movement through Egyptian territory to the ports of Nuweiba, Ain Sokhna and Safaga before continuing to destinations in West Asia, including Gulf countries.
The exemption also applied to cargo moving in the opposite direction from those markets toward international destinations.
The March arrangements therefore addressed transit movements connecting Egyptian maritime facilities with regional trade routes, while the latest circular establishes specific procedures for Jordanian cargo and other qualifying shipments.
Customs Monitoring and Transit Security Requirements
The earlier exemption included several customs control and security requirements designed to maintain oversight of cargo throughout its movement across Egypt.
Shipments were required to retain their declared foreign destination, with changes redirecting the cargo into the Egyptian domestic market prohibited.
Customs movement authorities were also instructed to apply electronic seals and record their identification numbers on dispatch documents.
In addition, the procedures required officials to determine the designated transport route leading directly to the destination customs office and establish the estimated time required for the journey.
Relevant authorities were responsible for monitoring shipments during transit. Any failure to arrive within the specified period required notification of customs anti-smuggling or customs security officials.
Those authorities would then investigate the reasons for the delay and take appropriate legal action where necessary.
The earlier exemption also covered eligible shipments that had become stranded, as well as qualifying cargo dispatched following the outbreak of regional disruptions, within the specified three-month period.
The latest circular maintains the requirement to comply with the applicable customs transit framework wherever no specific exemption has been introduced.
By extending ACI exemptions to defined Jordanian transit movements and allowing consolidated customs declarations, Egypt’s new transit customs rules establish additional arrangements for cargo moving through its Mediterranean ports and land crossings.
The measures also address administrative procedures for shipments handled through Arab Bridge Maritime, supporting the movement of transit cargo between Jordan, Egypt and international markets.
Source: Al Mal