Egypt announces 3-month exemption from ACI for goods bound to Gulf States

CAIRO – 12 March 2026: The Egyptian Customs Authority has announced a three-month exemption from the Advance Cargo Registration (ACI) system for goods bound for Gulf countries via Egyptian Red Sea ports. 

This measure aims to facilitate trade and ensure the smooth flow of goods through the ports, amid the disturbance of the maritime traffic after Iran closed Hormuz Strait against the US and Israel vessels in the ongoing regional war.

The exemption applies only to goods arriving at the ports of Nuweiba, Ain Sokhna, and Safaga, with their final destination being one of the Gulf countries, according to a statement issued by the Authority,

Customs emphasized that changing the destination of shipments to enter the Egyptian market instead of the predetermined destination is not permitted. 

The Advance Cargo Registration (ACI) system is an electronic system developed by Egyptian Customs to record essential data for goods before their arrival at Egyptian ports. Its purpose is to enhance shipment control and expedite customs procedures.

The system relies on providing detailed data about the goods, suppliers, and shipping destination in advance, enabling customs to check risks and conduct pre-shipment controls on goods before they enter the port, and helping to reduce delays and increase transparency in international trade.

Since the US and Israel have launched military attacks on Iran on February 28, Iran and its allies in Iraqi Islamic Resistance Forces and Lebanese Hezbollah launched attacks against US military bases in the Gulf States and Israel. The regional war started to spillover gradually, causing human causalities on the both sides. US and Israel killed several Iranian leaders including the late Supreme Leader Khamenei. Iranian attacks also targeted some vital oil refinery and fields in Gulf States like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, und Bahrain. Additionally, the closure of Hormuz Strait led to a high increase of the oil prices globally; the Brent crude futures closed above $100 a barrel for the first time since August 2022, BBC reported.

Thus, Egypt has previously announced it is ready to help Saudi Arabia in transporting oil from Yanbu to Europe through the Arab Petroleum Pipelines Company " SUMED " (the Suez-Mediterranean Pipeline) via the Red Sea This is after Iran closed Hormuz Strait.

On March 6, 2026, Egyptian Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly began a tour of Suez Governorate on Saturday by inspecting the Sumed Petroleum Port in Ain Sokhna, as well as the port’s petroleum products and liquefied natural gas (LNG) handling and storage terminal.