If you're a UAE exporter shipping to Egypt, you must send your shipping documents through CargoX under Egypt's Advance Cargo Information (ACI) system before the goods leave Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah. Here's how CargoX Egypt ACI works for an exporter in the UAE. You register on CargoX with your UAE company details. Your Egyptian buyer gets an ACID number through the NAFEZA platform and sends it to you. You then upload the digitally signed commercial invoice and packing list on CargoX against that ACID. If you skip or rush any of these steps, your container can be refused at loading or held at an Egyptian port.
What ACI, ACID and CargoX actually mean
Egypt's ACI system requires shipment details to reach Egyptian customs before cargo is loaded. Three pieces fit together:
- NAFEZA: Egypt's national single-window platform, where the Egyptian importer registers and requests the shipment's ACID.
- ACID (Advance Cargo Information Declaration): a unique number issued for each shipment. It must appear on your bill of lading and other key documents.
- CargoX: a blockchain-based document transfer platform. Foreign exporters, including UAE suppliers, use it to send electronic shipping documents securely to the Egyptian importer and customs.
In short, the importer handles NAFEZA and the exporter handles CargoX. Both sides need to work in sync.
Step-by-step: sending your documents from the UAE
1. Register your company on CargoX
Create a company account on the CargoX platform. Use your UAE legal entity details exactly as they appear on your trade licence from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or a free zone such as JAFZA. You'll set up an exporter identifier based on your UAE registration. Small spelling differences between CargoX, your invoice and your buyer's records are one of the most common causes of rejection.
2. Share your exporter details with the Egyptian buyer
Send your buyer your registered company name, country, exporter ID and email. They need these to add you as a supplier in NAFEZA. Confirm they've entered the details exactly as you registered them.
3. Receive the ACID number
The importer submits the pro-forma shipment details on NAFEZA and receives an ACID. They then send it to you. Don't book loading or release cargo to the port until you have a valid ACID.
4. Prepare and upload documents on CargoX
Prepare your final commercial invoice and packing list, plus any other documents your buyer requests, such as a certificate of origin. Then upload them as PDFs on CargoX, link them to the ACID, sign them digitally and transfer them to the importer. Make sure the HS codes, quantities, values and descriptions match what the buyer declared.
5. Put the ACID on the bill of lading
Pass the ACID, the importer's Egyptian tax ID and your exporter ID to your freight forwarder. The shipping line must show them on the booking and the bill of lading. Without them, many carriers won't load cargo bound for Egypt.
Common mistakes UAE exporters make
- Mismatched data: the invoice value, HS code or company name differs between NAFEZA and CargoX.
- Late uploads: documents are sent after the vessel sails, which leaves the importer unable to complete clearance.
- Re-using an ACID: each shipment needs its own number, even when the same buyer orders again.
- Forgetting the forwarder: the ACID never reaches the shipping line, so the container gets rolled to the next sailing.
- Ignoring Egyptian product rules: some goods need extra approvals or registrations in Egypt. Check with your buyer before production finishes.
CargoX charges a fee for document transfers, and freight and clearance costs vary by route and cargo. For exact current figures in AED, ask your forwarder for a full quote rather than relying on old numbers.
How CargoX fits with FCL and land shipping to Egypt
The ACI and CargoX process applies whether you ship a full container by sea from Jebel Ali or Khalifa Port, or move cargo overland through Saudi Arabia and across to Safaga. For factories sending heavy machinery, documentation becomes even more important. Equipment descriptions, serial numbers and values must match across every document. That matters most if the load travels on a low-bed trailer to the port. Good coordination between you, your Egyptian buyer and your forwarder keeps the timeline realistic and avoids demurrage at either end.
Shipping from Egypt back to the UAE works differently, with UAE customs requirements on the import side. Many companies trading in both directions use one forwarder to keep both flows organised.
Need help getting your next Egypt shipment right? Joudi Cargo works with UAE exporters every day. We check ACID details, coordinate with the shipping line and guide you through the CargoX steps before your cargo moves. Contact us for a tailored quote on full-container shipping between the UAE and Egypt, and let us take the paperwork stress off your plate.
