From the 1st of April 2021, Egypt arrived at a trial period for getting approval on the implementation of the Advance Cargo Information Declaration (ACID) System. Egypt finally managed to become the first country in the North African region to implement the ACID System, starting from the 1st of October 2021.

 

The main aim of the declaration is to monitor security challenges associated with the goods' arrival from a different country since the new regulation will require importers to declare complete information about the goods to be shipped to Egypt before actually arriving at the port. Specifically, the ACI system is a new customs tool that requires cargo documentation done through a digital medium within 48 hours before the vessel arrives at the Egyptian port.

 

How does the ACI process work?

ACI offers data to the Egyptian authorities in any location via a web-based portal, “Nafeza." This enables on-time processing of import documentation and in-depth monitoring of imported goods. The ACI process is as follows:

 

Step 1: The exporters must create and verify a CargoX account, while the importers are required to register on Nafeza and obtain an electronic signature. The importer is required to register primary & detailed information about the shipment in order to request the issuance of the ACID number.

 

Step 2: The Nafeza portal reviews the documentation with the Egyptian governmental authorities and determines whether the given information is complete and complies with the laws and regulations.

 

Step 3: Upon approval, Nafeza will issue the ACID number, which is the unique number indicating imported shipments to Egypt. The ACID number uniquely identifies the shipment and is valid for three months. Nafeza will send the number to the importer, exporter & bank.

 

Step 4: The exporter creates an ACI filling envelope on the CargoX platform and submits the documents (bill of lading, commercial invoice, and packing list) to Nafeza via CargoX, upon the vessel’s sailing from the Port Of Lading.

 

Step 5: The correspondent authorities will be accountable for conducting the assessment, evaluation, and determining the amount of due payment of customs duties required to inform the importer, even if the shipment did not arrive at the port.

 

What is The Mandatory Requirement for Implementing The Process?

To comply with the ACID implementation, the below-mentioned mandatory fields will be made available to the customers for filling up the documents during shipping. However, the shipping approval will be denied if any of the given references are missing or mismatched during the shipping procedure.

 

Consequently, the exporters or their company agents must add the following to all the shipping documents:

 

  • (ACID) Advance Cargo Information Declaration
  • Egyptian Importer Taxation number
  • Exporter Registration Number

 

Benefits you get from the ACID process

  • Valuable cargo information available before the arrival of goods
  • Fast follow-up of transactions
  • Unified point of entry for submitting regulatory documents
  • Trade intelligence generation


In a nutshell, the ACID system acts as a national unified window for facilitating Egyptian trade across boundaries. It allows mandatory documents to be received digitally and processed in the fastest possible way. The process is not only a secure mode of transaction but also incurs lower costs. Discover more information on how advanced cargo information declaration services add value to your operations in integration with the Timber Exchange platform and Centersource Technologies.