Sea Freight from China to Alexandria
China → Alexandria · via CAI air / Alexandria sea · clearance by Egyptian Customs Authority
Alexandria is the main port city and industrial center, and it is served through CAI air / Alexandria sea. That combination is what actually sets your delivery date on this lane — the inland leg is same-day, so the clearance date is effectively the delivery date.
The clearing authority is Egyptian Customs Authority. Historical dwell on this gateway is around 7–15 days, and it lengthens in Sep–Nov.
Duty, tax and clearance into Alexandria
Egyptian Customs Authority assesses duty and tax on cargo arriving for Alexandria consignees. Current regime: VAT 14%; duty 0–60% depending on commodity, plus development fees on some categories, with a de-minimis position of No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: ACID number issued through the Nafeza single window before shipment — mandatory; GOEIC registration of the foreign factory for many consumer goods. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Egypt: ACID/Nafeza registration must be completed pre-shipment — this is the single most common cause of rejected cargo. GOEIC registration of the exporting factory is required for a long list of consumer goods. Letters of credit are required for many commercial imports.
What the routing looks like in practice
Egypt's Advance Cargo Information system is the decisive requirement on this lane: the importer must obtain an ACID number through Nafeza and the exporter must reference it on the shipping documents before the goods leave China. Cargo arriving without a valid ACID is refused entry. On top of that, GOEIC factory registration is required for many consumer categories and takes months to obtain.
| Sea gateways used | Alexandria, Damietta, Port Said |
|---|---|
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 20–28 calendar days |
| Gateway serving Alexandria | CAI air / Alexandria sea |
| Inland leg to Alexandria | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 7–15 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Before you book: Alexandria checklist
- Put the Alexandria delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
- Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Egypt duty rate against it yourself.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
- Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front — retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Alexandria take?
China to the Egypt gateway is 20–28 calendar days. On top of that, allow 7–15 days of clearance with Egyptian Customs Authority and a same-day inland leg to Alexandria.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Alexandria?
Egyptian Customs Authority applies: VAT 14%; duty 0–60% depending on commodity, plus development fees on some categories. The de-minimis position is No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Alexandria.
What documents does Egyptian Customs Authority require?
A commercial invoice with HS codes, a packing list, the bill of lading or air waybill, a certificate of origin where it lowers duty, and any product certification (ACID number issued through the Nafeza single window before shipment — mandatory; GOEIC registration of the foreign factory for many consumer goods). We prepare and file these as part of the service.
Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into Alexandria?
Per kilo, yes — usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: 20–28 calendar days by sea versus 4–7 business days by air to the Egypt gateway, before clearance and the same-day inland leg. The crossover point is normally somewhere between 100 and 300 kg depending on the density of your cargo.
What certification do I need for Egypt?
For regulated goods, plan for: ACID number issued through the Nafeza single window before shipment — mandatory; GOEIC registration of the foreign factory for many consumer goods. Missing conformity paperwork is the single most common cause of a hold, and in most cases it cannot be remedied once the cargo has arrived.
Can you deliver door-to-door in Alexandria?
Yes. Delivery to a Alexandria address is quoted as one figure covering freight, duty and tax owed to Egyptian Customs Authority, and the same-day inland leg. Confirm whether your consignee wants the goods at a warehouse, a marketplace fulfillment center or a shop front, because the last-mile requirement differs.
Other delivery cities in Egypt
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Egypt change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling — confirm the current position for your own HS code with Egyptian Customs Authority or your broker before you ship.
- Egyptian Customs Authority
- Nafeza single window (ACID registration)
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IATA — Lithium battery shipping guidance (PI 965–970)
- World Bank — Logistics Performance Index
- ICC — Incoterms 2020 rules (DDP, DAP, FOB definitions)
Page data last reviewed: 10 月 2026.
Shipping by industry
This page covers the route and clearance picture for the destination. Packing, classification and the compliance step that actually holds a shipment depend on what you are sending — these guides cover that by commodity.
- Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Home Storage Products Furniture & Home Products
- Exhibition Display Equipment Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Aluminum Coils Steel & Metal Materials
- Pipe Fittings Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Generators New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Ceramic Tiles Building Materials & Construction Products
- Paper Packaging Wood, Bamboo & Paper Products
- Packaging Materials Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Laboratory Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Fabric Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Salon Furniture Beauty, Personal Care & Wellness
Checking the Egypt duty position yourself
Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Egyptian Customs Authority against your declared HS code at the time of entry; where the amount is material, verify the current rate through ITC Market Access Map before committing to an order.
Classification drives everything downstream: the same carton can attract very different duty depending on the heading it lands in, and the structure those headings come from is the World Customs Organization Harmonized System. If your product sits near a boundary between two headings, resolve it before shipping rather than at the border.
For ocean cargo, restricted commodities move under the IMO's IMDG Code, and the container has to be declared and stowed accordingly. Batteries, flammables and corrosives all have a compliant ocean path; what causes rolled bookings is finding out about them after the container is packed.
For a wider view of how importing into Egypt actually works — documentation norms, inspection behavior, the paperwork that tends to hold shipments — the U.S. ITA guide to Egypt customs regulations is a useful independent read alongside our own lane notes.
Watch: the process behind this route
This guide covers routing and clearance for Alexandria. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
Ocean Freight 101 - What Is LCL Ocean Freight — Flexport. Published on YouTube by a third party; we link it because it explains the process well, not because we produced it or endorse the provider.
Customs clearance in Egypt
Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border — plus who files the entry.
Egypt clearance requirements →