What is Egypt ACID?
The ACID (Advance Cargo Information Declaration) number is Egypt's mandatory pre-arrival customs requirement for all sea shipments to Alexandria, Port Said and Damietta. Introduced under Customs Law No. 207/2020 and enforced through the government NAFEZA single-window platform (ACI system) since 1 October 2021, it is a unique 19-digit number that the Egyptian importer registers before the cargo is shipped. The foreign exporter must then complete the ACI filing and quote the ACID number on the Bill of Lading and Commercial Invoice. Cargo that arrives without a valid, matched ACID is refused customs release and returned to origin at the shipper's expense.
Other names for the Egypt ACID
One instrument, several names. For Egypt the filing is the ACID — Advance Cargo Information Declaration. The same certificate is also referred to as ACI filing, ECTN (Electronic Cargo Tracking Note), and cargo tracking note, and a request for one is a request for the other. If your importer or your carrier has asked for a name that is not on this page, send it to us with the Bill of Lading and we will confirm which filing they mean.
Which ports require the ACID
The requirement attaches to the port of discharge. For Egypt that is Alexandria, Port Said or Damietta. Where cargo only transits Egypt on its way to a landlocked neighbour, the routing has to be documented — several destinations treat transit cargo differently, so tell us the final destination when you send the Bill of Lading rather than after the file is open.
When to apply: the ACID filing deadline
The cut-off is set by Egypt and is anchored either to the vessel leaving the load port or to it reaching Alexandria, Port Said or Damietta. Filing when the booking is confirmed is safe under either anchor, and a draft Bill of Lading is enough to open the file. We confirm the exact cut-off for your route before anything is filed. Late validation costs more than filing on time everywhere it is allowed at all.
Who files the ACID
The shipper, the exporter, or the freight forwarder acting for them — the party at origin that holds the Bill of Lading and the commercial invoice. The consignee usually cannot fix a missing certificate from the destination side once the vessel has sailed. Where the sales terms put the cost on the buyer, that settles who pays; it does not move the obligation to file.
Official ACID Validation Procedure
According to the customs regulations of Egypt, every cargo shipment purchased from abroad and transported for commercial, business, diplomatic, or personal purposes requires a validated Loading Certificate:
- ▪The Egyptian importer registers the shipment on the NAFEZA platform and obtains the 19-digit ACID number before loading.
- ▪The importer shares the ACID number, plus their and the exporter's registration details, with the foreign exporter.
- ▪The exporter (or our compliance desk) completes the ACI declaration and uploads the Bill of Lading, Commercial Invoice and Cargo Declaration against that ACID.
- ▪The ACID number must be printed on the final Bill of Lading and Commercial Invoice so customs can match the documents to the incoming shipment.
- ▪Lodge the ACI in good time — the exact cut-off depends on the route, and Egyptian customs will not clear cargo whose ACI was not lodged in advance.
Validity and amendments
A validated ACID is issued against one shipment: one Bill of Lading, one vessel, one voyage, one consignee. It does not carry over to your next shipment and it carries no renewal date. If the shipment changes, the certificate has to change with it — and what can be amended after validation, and at what cost, is set by the destination authority. Corrections to the draft before filing cost nothing, which is why we send you the draft first.
What happens without a valid ACID
Cargo arriving without a validated ACID is generally not released. What follows depends on the destination: customs clearance delays, storage and demurrage accruing daily at Alexandria, Port Said or Damietta, and regulatory fines until a valid certificate is presented. The demurrage is often the larger of the two numbers, and it is the one that grows while the paperwork is corrected.
What a Egypt ACID costs
Two lines, quoted separately. The first is the statutory charge the destination authority sets for registering the certificate — it belongs to the authority, not to us, and it varies by destination and shipment profile. The second is our service fee for preparing the file, checking it against the published requirements, filing it and handling any query. Neither is a percentage of your cargo value. Both are fixed and shown before anything is filed, so the invoice you approve is the invoice you pay.
Waiver Regulations & Q&A
What is the ACID number for Egypt?
The ACID is a unique 19-digit Advance Cargo Information Declaration number issued through Egypt's NAFEZA platform. It links the shipment to a registered Egyptian importer and must be obtained before the cargo is shipped.
Who obtains the ACID number, the exporter or the importer?
The Egyptian importer registers the shipment on NAFEZA and generates the ACID number, then shares it with the exporter. The exporter completes the ACI filing against that number before shipping.
Does the ACID number need to appear on the Bill of Lading?
Yes. The 19-digit ACID number must be quoted on both the Bill of Lading and the Commercial Invoice so Egyptian customs can match your documents to the correct shipment.
When must the Egypt ACI declaration be filed?
The ACI must be lodged before the vessel departs the port of loading. Late or missing filings mean customs will not release the cargo at destination.
What happens if cargo arrives in Egypt without a valid ACID?
Shipments without a valid, matched ACID are rejected at the Egyptian port, cannot be cleared, and are typically returned to the origin country at the shipper's cost.