Air Freight from China to Port Said, Egypt — Transit, Duty and Clearance
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.
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 |
| 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 |
Duty, tax and clearance into 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.
What to sort out before the cargo leaves China
- Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front — retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.
- Confirm the consignee in Port Said can act as importer of record — Egyptian Customs Authority will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
- Check the de-minimis position (No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
- Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Egypt duty rate against it yourself.
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
- Budget for the inland leg: same-day delivery beyond gateway clearance to reach 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. 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.
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 fulfilment centre or a shop front, because the last-mile requirement differs.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for Port Said?
We compare actual gross weight against volumetric weight — length × width × height in centimetres divided by 6000 for air — and bill the greater of the two, rounded up to the next kilogram. Light, bulky cargo is almost always billed on volume.
Which port or airport does cargo for Port Said clear through?
Cargo for Port Said is routed via CAI air / Port Said sea. Sea gateways for Egypt are Alexandria, Damietta, Port Said; air gateways are CAI (Cairo), HRG (Hurghada), ALY (Alexandria). We pick whichever gives the shortest total door time for your address.
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.
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: July 2026.
Get a rate for Port Said
This lane is quoted per shipment rather than from a published rate card, because the landed cost depends on the commodity, its density, the conformity requirements above and the delivery point. Send the cargo details and we will come back with a full DDP figure.