Shipping Arabia, October 22, 2026 – The Egyptian Customs Authority has issued new customs procedures for ship supplies and bunkering operations at Egyptian ports under Procedural Circular No. 15 of 2026. The instructions introduce additional documentation requirements, fuel supply controls and verification measures aimed at standardizing customs procedures and strengthening oversight of maritime supply activities.
The circular, issued under the leadership of Egyptian Customs Authority Chairman Ahmed Omwi, establishes specific requirements for marine supply contractors, vessel documentation and the processing of ship supply requests.
According to the authority, the measures aim to unify customs procedures governing ship supplies while ensuring consistent regulatory control across Egyptian ports.
The new instructions also reaffirm the continued application of Procedural Circular No. 8 of 2024, which provides a broader regulatory framework covering ship supplies, bunkering, customs exemptions, marine services and related port activities.
New Customs Procedures for Ship Supplies and Bunkering
Under Procedural Circular No. 15 of 2026, marine diesel deliveries must comply with the validity period specified in the authorization issued by the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation.
The instructions prohibit carrying forward any remaining quantities from an approved bunkering request once the authorized supply period has expired. Accordingly, suppliers must ensure that fuel deliveries take place within the timeframe established by the relevant authorization.
The circular also introduces documentation requirements for cancelled ship supply requests. Marine supply contractors must record the reasons for cancellation, while the relevant Ship Supplies Department must document the cancellation on the original request, either manually or electronically.
Another requirement concerns the submission of crew lists. Marine supply contractors must provide a computer-generated crew list, officially certified by the Central Manifest Department. Handwritten crew lists will not be accepted.
In addition, the authority requires consistency between the dates recorded on the ship supply request, the crew list and the vessel master’s acknowledgment of receipt.
All three dates must fall within a closely aligned period during the vessel’s stay at the port. The circular further requires these dates to be electronically printed or verified through an official dated stamp, explicitly prohibiting handwritten dates.
The Central Administration for General Inspection will monitor implementation across customs facilities. It will coordinate with the relevant central customs departments to ensure compliance with the new procedures.
Existing Framework for Ship Supplies and Customs Exemptions
The Egyptian Customs Authority also reaffirmed the continued application of Procedural Circular No. 8 of 2024, which regulates a wider range of ship supply activities.
Under that framework, supplies intended for onboard consumption include goods used by passengers and crew, whether sold onboard or provided without charge. They also include materials required for vessel operations and maintenance, such as fuel and lubricants, but exclude spare parts and equipment.
Separately, supplies intended for sale include goods offered to passengers and crew that are already onboard upon arrival or loaded while the vessel remains within the customs area.
The framework provides customs duty and tax exemptions for eligible supplies consumed onboard vessels operating on the high seas, subject to applicable conditions.
To qualify, supply quantities must be considered reasonable by customs authorities, taking into account the number of passengers and crew, the duration of the voyage and any existing onboard stocks.
Similar considerations apply to consumable materials required for vessel operations and maintenance during the voyage.
The procedures also require shipping and supply documentation to distinguish clearly between vessel provisions and spare parts when identifying the goods included in a supply request.
Customs Requirements for Domestic and Foreign Ship Supplies
Procedural Circular No. 8 of 2024 establishes separate customs processes for supplying Egyptian and foreign vessels and aircraft with domestic and foreign goods.
For domestically sourced supplies, the vessel owner, shipping agent or licensed marine supply contractor must submit an original application and a copy to the Ship Supplies Department.
The application must be signed and stamped, identifying the goods requested and providing details of the vessel, its berth, shipping agent, departure date and next port of call.
Supporting information must include relevant crew and passenger manifest details, existing onboard supplies and fuel quantities, and confirmation of the vessel’s operational circumstances. The shipping agent’s approval must also accompany the request.
Customs officials must review the documents, verify the validity of the relevant license and register the application under a sequential reference number.
They must then inspect the goods and confirm that the requested quantities are appropriate for the vessel’s requirements.
Once approved, the supplies may enter the port through the designated gate and proceed to the vessel accompanied by a customs representative.
The vessel master must sign and stamp the supply request to acknowledge receipt. Customs records are subsequently reconciled following confirmation that the goods were delivered.
Different procedures apply to foreign goods stored in warehouses within customs-controlled areas.
In these cases, applicants must submit the supply request and a detailed list of goods to the customs committee responsible for the warehouse.
The committee inspects the goods, deducts the quantities from warehouse inventory records and arranges their transfer to the vessel under customs supervision after collecting any applicable charges.
Following delivery, the vessel’s acknowledgment and the relevant warehouse documentation are used to reconcile customs records.
These procedures also apply to foreign goods such as cigarettes, which must undergo inventory verification and computerized warehouse registration.
Controls on Supplies Entering Ports and Customs Warehouses
The existing framework also regulates goods supplied to Egyptian and foreign vessels from locations outside customs-controlled areas.
For vessels operating on the high seas, applicants or their representatives must submit the required documents for customs review. Each customs office maintains a separate sequential register of supply requests beginning each year.
Customs officials verify the documentation, inspect the goods and check the integrity of any seals before authorizing entry into the port.
Following delivery, the vessel master must sign and stamp the relevant documentation. The records are then returned to the Ship Supplies Department and Central Manifest Department for processing and reconciliation.
For vessels operating within Egyptian territorial waters, the framework requires additional customs treatment.
Although the initial documentation and inspection procedures are similar, the supplied goods must be stored in licensed customs warehouses until the applicable final import procedures are completed.
The framework distinguishes these vessels from ships operating on international voyages, as supplies intended for domestic operations do not meet the same conditions for customs exemptions.
Licensed ship supply warehouses and transit warehouses must also maintain detailed records of incoming and outgoing goods.
The Ship Supplies Department is responsible for maintaining corresponding inventory records and conducting partial and full inspections of company warehouses.
Procedures for Maritime Repairs, Equipment and Waste Handling
The regulations extend beyond conventional vessel provisions to cover equipment repairs, maritime services and the handling of materials within port customs areas.
For equipment temporarily released for repair or maintenance, applicants may be required to provide a customs guarantee covering the applicable duties and taxes.
The procedures allow guarantees to be arranged for individual items or through a revolving guarantee mechanism, subject to the relevant authorization and documentation.
Customs officials must inspect the equipment, determine the applicable guarantee and maintain records identifying the items released for maintenance.
When repaired equipment returns, the relevant customs department verifies its identity against the original records before processing the release or restoration of the guarantee.
The framework also regulates maritime service activities, including hold-related work, painting, minor container repairs, services involving floating equipment and maintenance of floating and fixed marine installations.
Contractors undertaking these activities must hold the appropriate license issued by the port authority.
Licensed contractors must obtain permission before bringing tools, paint or locally manufactured materials into the port for vessel maintenance.
Where contractors seek to remove unused materials or equipment, customs officials must compare them with the original entry records and ensure that imported goods have not been substituted.
Ship-generated waste is subject to separate customs procedures.
Organic waste and materials without commercial value may be authorized for removal following inspection, using designated waste collection vehicles.
However, waste materials with customs value, including certain quantities of wood, iron or ropes, require the appropriate import declaration and payment of applicable duties and taxes.
The framework also covers licensed vendors selling locally manufactured goods within customs-controlled port areas.
These vendors must maintain numbered and stamped registers identifying goods brought into the port for sale. Customs officials may inspect the goods and reconcile quantities against the relevant inventory records.
Special Requirements for Livestock Feed and Returned Supplies
Additional provisions apply when vessels carrying live animals request animal feed during their port stay.
The vessel owner, master or authorized marine supply contractor must submit a request specifying the type and quantity of feed required.
Customs officials must verify existing onboard stocks and assess the vessel’s actual requirements through inspection and review of cargo documentation.
The procedures also require coordination with the relevant veterinary quarantine authorities to determine the appropriate quantities and types of feed.
Before departure, customs officials must inspect the vessel to verify whether any supplied feed remains onboard.
The framework specifies that these feed supplies must correspond to consumption requirements while the vessel is alongside the port, rather than during its subsequent voyage.
Separate rules govern the return of unused ship supplies.
For domestically sourced goods, returns are permitted within 24 hours of delivery, provided the vessel master issues a signed and stamped confirmation identifying the returned items.
Where goods are returned after that period, additional documentation is required from the shipping agent, together with verification of the goods and a declaration concerning the treatment of applicable sales tax.
Returned transit supplies must meet the relevant requirements and undergo further customs verification before being accepted back into the designated warehouse.
The responsible customs committee must inspect the goods, confirm their correspondence with the original supply documentation and update the relevant inventory records.
Through Procedural Circular No. 15 of 2026, the Egyptian Customs Authority has added specific documentation and verification requirements to this existing framework.
The latest measures focus particularly on bunkering authorization periods, crew documentation, supply request cancellations and the verification of vessel supply records, while maintaining the broader customs procedures established in 2024.
Source: Al Mal
