Egypt's new customs requirements for export shipments (NAFEZA)

 
We are reaching out to you with updates on the implementation of the new customs requirements introduced by the Egyptian Customs through NAFEZA platform.
 

Implementation:

Effective from 17th of July 2026 (submission of booking), the Unique Consignment Reference number (UCR) will be mandatory for all shipments exported from Egypt (all ports).

 

What does the new process entail?

In an effort to track every cargo being exported, Egypt has introduced new customs requirements and has established an electronic system for the purpose of submitting export related documents to Customs via NAFEZA platform. In a nutshell, the new export process begins with the request by the exporter (natural or legal person) from NAFEZA for a Unique Consignment Reference (UCR), which serves as the primary identifier for the shipment and is used throughout all the stages of the export cycle, and concludes with the submission of the final Bill of Lading.

 

Key Points:

- Exporters must obtain a 19-digit Unique Consignment Reference (UCR) from NAFEZA prior to booking
- The UCR must be provided to us during the booking submission
- Shipper details with VAT/TAX ID must be correctly provided
- CMA CGM will validate the UCR linked to the booking via NAFEZA platform
- CMA CGM will need to provide Customs with an Empty Container List (ECL), picked up by the customers against their booking; hence the shipper should ensure to gate-in the correctly assigned containers for loading against the respective bookings

Kindly be informed that:

- UCR amendments are not allowed after the booking confirmation
- Change of the shipper information to an alternative party is not allowed after the booking confirmation
- Dummy UCR (e.g. xxx / 222) entry will lead to booking cancellation
- Incorrect/invalid UCR will lead to delays in Booking Confirmation subject to your response to our RFI

Request for Information (RFI):

Due to the new customs requirements, there will be an open channel of communication between the Egyptian Customs and the carriers, thus shall anything arise [e.g. request for clarifications, additional information (RFI), or do not load (DNL)], we will promptly raise it to you. To avoid any delays in the shipment of cargo, we request your cooperation to promptly provide us with the requested information.

Booking submission via CMA CGM website:

The Shipper details and the UCR submission are mandatory via CMA CGM eCommerce Platform:
- Parties Section → Shipper’s details
- Remarks Field: Shipper’s TAX/VAT ID input
- Customs Details → Add Certificate → Country: Egypt → Certificate name: UCR – Unique Consignment Reference → Reference: input the UCR received from the Customs
 

For your convenience, the following screenshots illustrate where you can insert the UCR number via our website during the booking submission, or even at the booking modification stage;

Booking Submission via INTTRA / EDI Platforms:

Customers using INTTRA or EDI platforms must ensure:
- Shipper information is entered into the shipper details segment.
- Shipper TAX ID is updated correctly in the remarks field
- A valid UCR number is updated in the remarks field.

Additional information: 

For split bookings, please make sure to provide us with the new UCR numbers for the count of splits requested.

For additional information, you may refer to the official websites at: Egyptian Customs Authority & NAFEZA.

Support & Clarifications: 

For any questions, operational clarifications, or support related to the new requirements, please feel free to contact your local CMA CGM representatives.

Thank you for your continued cooperation, and commitment to ensuring our Group's compliance.