Sea 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
For buyers shipping into Port Said, the practical question is not the ocean or flight time but what happens after arrival. Port Said is Suez Canal entrance and free zone; cargo enters through CAI air / Port Said sea, and the inland leg is same-day, so the clearance date is effectively the delivery date.
Clearance itself is handled by Egyptian Customs Authority, and typical dwell at the gateway runs 7–15 days.
Routing and transit on this lane
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 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 you will pay on arrival in Egypt
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
- 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.
- Budget for the inland leg: same-day delivery beyond gateway clearance to reach Port Said.
- Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front — retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Confirm the consignee in Port Said can act as importer of record — Egyptian Customs Authority will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Port Said 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 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.
When is the busiest time on the China–Egypt lane?
Space and rates tighten around Sep–Nov, plus the China-side windows of Chinese New Year in January or February and Golden Week in early October. Book one to two weeks earlier in those periods.
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 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.
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.
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.