Shipping from China to Port Said
China → Port Said · via CAI air / Port Said sea · clearance by Egyptian Customs Authority
Port Said is Suez Canal entrance and free zone, and it is served through CAI air / Port Said 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.
On the destination side, Egyptian Customs Authority handles clearance; budget 7–15 days of dwell before the cargo is released.
Import duty and tax position for Port Said
Egyptian Customs Authority assesses duty and tax on cargo arriving for Port Said 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.
How this lane actually runs
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.
| Air gateways used | CAI (Cairo), HRG (Hurghada), ALY (Alexandria) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 4–7 business days |
| Sea gateways used | Alexandria, Damietta, Port Said |
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 20–28 calendar days |
| Gateway serving Port Said | CAI air / Port Said sea |
| Inland leg to Port Said | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 7–15 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
What to sort out before the cargo leaves China
- Confirm the consignee in Port Said can act as importer of record — Egyptian Customs Authority will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
- Get the conformity paperwork moving early: ACID number issued through the Nafeza single window before shipment — mandatory; GOEIC registration of the foreign factory for many consumer goods.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
- Put the Port Said delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
- Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
Air, sea or overland into Port Said?
| Mode | Transit to gateway | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| ✈️ Air Freight | 4–7 business days | time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo |
| 🚢 Sea Freight | 20–28 calendar days | volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed |
Transit shown is China departure to the Egypt gateway and excludes the same-day inland leg to Port Said and 7–15 days of clearance.
Mode guides for Port Said
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Port Said take?
China to the Egypt gateway is 4–7 business days by air, 20–28 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 7–15 days of clearance with Egyptian Customs Authority and a same-day inland leg to Port Said.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Port Said?
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 Port Said.
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 Port Said?
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.
Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Port Said?
Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965–970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via CAI (Cairo), HRG (Hurghada), ALY (Alexandria). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.
Can you deliver door-to-door in Port Said?
Yes. Delivery to a Port Said 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: November 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.
- Bolts Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Industrial Boilers General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Building Materials Building Materials & Construction Products
- Plumbing Products Building Materials & Construction Products
- Engineering Plastics Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Home Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Garden Products Furniture & Home Products
- Illuminated Signs Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Metal Products Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Storage Tanks Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Transformers New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Sanitary Ware Building Materials & Construction Products
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.
Most landed-cost surprises trace back to classification rather than freight. the WCO Harmonized System defines the heading structure every customs administration builds on, and ITC Market Access Map will show you the duty a given heading attracts in this destination.
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 Port Said. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
What Is CBM? Sea Freight Volume Explained (Calculate Shipping Cost Fast!) — DDPCHAIN. 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 →